NEW YORK, July 15 (Reuters) - U.S. imports of brass mill
products in May dropped 34.9 percent, while exports plunged
43.9 percent, compared with May 2008, an industry group said
late Tuesday.
Imports of all brass mill products slowed to 35,348,294
lbs, compared with 54,321,016 lbs in May 2008, the Copper and
Brass Fabricators Council said in its monthly reports.
Exports fell to 16,120,361 lbs in May from 28,753,238 lbs
in the corresponding 2008 period, it added.
Canada was the leading destination for U.S. exports of
brass mill products in May at 5,319,127 lbs, followed by Mexico
at 4,949,737 lbs, China at 1,201,273 lbs, Thailand at 901,196
lbs, and Saudi Arabia at 680,298 lbs.
Imports in May were largest from China at 10,034,147 lbs,
followed by Mexico at 9,156,599 lbs, Germany at 4,239,148 lbs,
Canada at 1,888,754 lbs, and Malaysia at 1,638,320 lbs.
Imports of all sheet, strip, plate and foil products came
to 6,855,548 lbs, while exports of those products added up to
5,671,217 lbs, the council said.
Imports of all pipe and tube products amounted to
20,966,908 lbs, while May registered pipe and tube exports at
5,259,454 lbs.
May imports of all profiles, rods and bars totaled
5,810,096 lbs and exports of those products came to 3,628,657
lbs.
Imports of copper alloy wire added up to 1,715,743 lbs,
while exports totaled 1,561,033 lbs in May, the fabricators
group said.
Brass mill products are widely used in building
construction, automotive products and in electronic and
electrical applications.
(Reporting by Chris Kelly; Editing by Walter Bagley)
Keywords: COPPER/BRASS
