April Monthly Steel Fact Sheet

The preliminary data released today show that overall steel imports in April 2008 increased 14.53 percent from March 2008 .  The change in March’s total amount of steel imports was due to a large increase in most goods, such as hot rolled sheets (42%) and blooms, billets and slabs (66%) and an decrease in a few other goods such as galvanized hot dipped sheets and strip (-31%) and oil country goods (15%). There was a notable 66% increase in blooms, billets and slabs. Stainless imports decreased 5.11% resulting from mixed increases and decreases in individual stainless products. April 2008 imports of steel mill products were up 3.35 percent compared to April 2007.