OCR Text |
Show October Steel Imports Approach Record Levels In October, steel imports soared to their third highest monthly total on record, according accord-ing to American Iron and Steel Institute. More foreign steel entered the United States during the first 10 months of 1972 than in any other yeur to date, with the exception of 1968 and 1971. Both were years of steel labor contract negotiations nego-tiations and consumer stockpiling stockpil-ing against a possible industry shutdown. Government data show that 1,923,000 tons of foreign steel, including 13,000 tons of fabricated fabri-cated structural steel and steel blanks, arrived in the United States during October. The highest hig-hest one month totals ever recorded- both exceeding two million tons-occurred in 1968 and 1971. Through the first 10 months of 1972, steel imports had reached 14,359,000 tons, including 110,000 tons of fabricated structural steel and steel blanks, with a declared value of more than $2.2 billion. Through October of this year, steel import tonnage was 8.1 percent less than in the comparable com-parable period of 1971, but the average declared value of these imports increased by one percent, per-cent, or $14.07 per ton, from $143.26 to $157.33. Foreign mills concentrated their October shipments to this country in key products. Sheets and strip accounted for 860,000 October, tin plate imports im-ports had increased by 27 percent, per-cent, and tool steel imports by 13.2 percent, over last year. |