U.S. moves toward anti-dumping duties on truck and bus tires from China

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department said on Monday truck and bus tires from China were being dumped in the United States at below-market prices, a potential step toward the imposition of duties.

In a preliminary determination, the department said the tires were being dumped at margins ranging from 20.87 percent to 22.57 percent. In a related preliminary finding in June, it said China was also unfairly subsidizing the products.

The department said it would announce its final determination in the anti-dumping case no later than Jan. 17, 2017. It had previously said it would announce a final finding in the companion anti-subsidy case on or about Nov. 10.

Any duties would be contingent on a final determination by the U.S. International Trade Commission that the domestic industry was being harmed. An estimated $1.07 billion worth of truck and bus tires were imported from China in 2015.

(Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Mohammad Zargham)