STEEL IMPORTS FOR April 2005
INCREASED 9 PERCENT FROM March 2005

June 1, 2005

Newly released preliminary government figures covering steel imports for the month of April 2005 show that steel imports increased 9 percent from March 2005 levels.

Total Steel Mill Products

The preliminary data released today show that overall steel imports in April 2005 increased 9 percent compared to March 2005. The change in April's total amount of steel imports was due primarily to increases in wire rods; blooms, billets, and slabs; and oil country goods. April 2005 imports of finished steel products increased 5 percent compared to March 2005, while imports of semi-finished steel increased 26 percent.

April 2005 imports of steel mill products were up 21 percent compared to April 2004. April 2005 imports of finished steel were up 14 percent compared to April 2004, while semi-finished steel products increased 58 percent compared to April 2004.

Hot-Rolled Steel

April 2005 imports of hot-rolled steel decreased 12 percent from their March 2005 levels and were up 27 percent compared to April 2004 levels.

Cold-Rolled Steel

April 2005 imports of cold-rolled steel decreased 4 percent compared to March 2005 levels and were up 85 percent compared to April 2004 levels.

Cut-to-Length Plate

April 2005 imports of cut-to-length plate decreased 22 percent compared to March 2005. April 2005 imports were up 54 percent compared to April 2004.

Corrosion-Resistant Steel

April 2005 imports of corrosion-resistant steel increased 17 percent compared to March 2005. April 2005 imports of these products were up 39 percent compared to April 2004.

Wire Rod

April 2005 imports of wire rod increased 15 percent compared to March 2005 levels and were down 31 percent compared to April 2004 levels.

Heavy Structurals

April 2005 imports of heavy structurals decreased 2 percent from their March 2005 level and were up 23 percent compared to April 2004 levels.

Rebar

April 2005 imports of rebar decreased 17 percent compared to March 2005. April 2005 imports of these products were down 48 percent compared to April 2004.

Hot-Rolled Bar

April 2005 imports of hot-rolled bar increased 15 percent compared to March 2005 and were up less than 1 percent compared to April 2004 levels.

Standard Pipe

April 2005 imports of standard pipe increased 24 percent compared to March 2005. April 2005 imports of these products were up 2 percent compared to April 2004.

Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG)

April 2005 imports of OCTG increased 78 percent compared to March 2005. April 2005 imports of these products were up 60 percent compared to April 2004.

Semi-Finished Steel

April 2005 imports of semi-finished steel increased 26 percent compared to March 2005 and were up 58 percent compared to April 2004 levels. Imports of these products are used by U.S. steel companies to produce finished products.

EXPANDED BREAKOUT BY GRADE

Since May 2001 the U.S. Census Bureau (Census) expanded its early release of steel import data to include separate breakouts for carbon, alloy and stainless steel in each of the product categories. The following lists some of the highlights from these new breakouts:

Carbon Steel

Overall imports of carbon steel products in April 2005 increased 9 percent from their March 2005 levels and increased 16 percent compared to April 2004 levels.

Carbon Hot-Rolled Steel - Imports of carbon hot-rolled steel in April 2005 decreased 13 percent compared to March 2005 and were up 30 percent compared to April 2004 levels.

Carbon Cold-Rolled Steel - Imports of carbon cold-rolled steel in April 2005 increased 3 percent compared to March 2005. April 2005 imports were up 133 percent compared to April 2004.

Alloy Steel

Overall imports of alloy steel products in April 2005 increased 14 percent compared to March 2005 and were up 55 percent compared to April 2004 levels.

Tool Steel - Imports of tool steel in April 2005 increased 8 percent compared to March 2005. April 2005 imports were up 37 percent compared to April 2004.

Stainless Steel

Overall imports of stainless steel products in April 2005 decreased 8 percent from their March 2005 level and were up 12 percent compared to April 2004 levels.

Stainless Hot-Rolled Steel - Imports of stainless hot-rolled steel in April 2005 decreased 9 percent compared to March 2005. April 2005 imports were down 14 percent compared to April 2004.

Stainless Cold-Rolled Steel - Imports of stainless cold-rolled steel in April 2005 decreased 26 percent compared to March 2005. April 2005 imports were down 25 percent compared to April 2004.

Stainless Hot-Rolled Bars - Imports of stainless hot-rolled bars in April 2005 decreased 3 percent compared to March 2005 and were up 21 percent compared to April 2004 levels.

Stainless Cold-Finished Bars - Imports of stainless cold-finished bars in April 2005 decreased 5 percent compared to March 2005. April 2005 imports were up 50 percent compared to April 2004.

These figures are being provided on an expedited basis and will continue to be released on this schedule each month. The data released today are preliminary and are likely to change somewhat between now and the release of the final April statistics next month. May 2005 preliminary figures will be released on June 28, 2005.