RI resin injures US firms

RI resin injures US firms

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones): The International Trade Commission
Thursday issued a preliminary ruling that U.S. manufacturers are
being injured by expandable polystyrene resins imported from
Indonesia and South Korea at less than fair value.

Expandable polystyrene resin imports from the two countries
totaled $17.8 million in 1998, nearly half of the total U.S.
imports of $38.5 million. U.S. consumption of the material in
1998 totaled $333.2 million.

The ITC's affirmative ruling sends the case to the Commerce
Department, which will issue a preliminary determination on
antidumping duties May 1.

In other action Thursday, the ITC voted to continue
antidumping and countervailing duties on cotton shop towels from
Bangladesh, China and Pakistan.