U.S. finds possible injury from steel wire rod imports; probe to continue

(Adds background on petitioners, value of imports)

WASHINGTON, May 11 (Reuters) - The U.S. International Trade Commission said on Thursday it had made a preliminary finding that U.S. producers were being injured by imports of carbon and alloy steel wire rod from 10 countries.

As a result, the U.S. Commerce Department will continue an investigation it launched in April into whether the product was being dumped by Belarus, Italy, South Korea, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates and Britain. The department is also examining whether imports from Italy and Turkey are being subsidized.

Gerdau Ameristeel US Inc, a subsidiary of Gerdau SA (Sao Paolo: R2:GGBR3S.SA - news) , Nucor Corp, Keystone Consolidated Industries and Charter Steel had requested the trade probe.

Wire rod is a hot-rolled intermediate steel product used in a wide variety of products.

In 2016, the United States imported an estimated $10.4 million of carbon and alloy steel wire rod from Belarus; $12.2 million from Italy; $45.6 million from Korea; $32.3 million from Russia; $7.1 million from South Africa; $40.7 million from Spain; $41.4 million from Turkey; $55 million from Ukraine; $7 million from the United Arab Emirates; and $20.5 million from the United Kingdom. (Reporting by Tim Ahmann; Writing by Eric Walsh)