US sets initial Chinese steel duties

The United States has set preliminary duties ranging from 2 percent to 438 percent on Chinese steel wire decking. It's the latest in a growing list of actions against imports from China, its second-largest trading partner.

Since January, the Commerce Department has launched at least a dozen investigations into Chinese companies. Tuesday's decision concerns welded-wire rack decking, a product used in industrial and other commercial storage rack systems. US companies imported an estimated 300 million dollars worth of the product last year, 50 percent more than in 2006.

The Commerce Department says it will issue its preliminary decision on the dumping charges this month, and a final decision on duty levels later.