The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) needs more time to make a preliminary determination on an anti-dumping duty investigation against Chinese passenger and light truck tires. The DOC has moved the deadline from Dec. 1 to Jan. 20.

According to a notice published in the Oct. 9 Federal Register, the DOC “concludes that because of the extraordinary complexity of this case and the number of firms whose activities we must investigate, including over 80 separate rate applications, it is not practicable to complete the preliminary determination by the current deadline.”

In July 2014, the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) determined that consumer tire imports from China may or may soon be "materially" injuring the domestic tire industry.

The ITC's preliminary findings follow an initial determination by the DOC to investigate dumping (sold at less than fair value) and subsidizing (i.e., tires benefiting from government subsidies) claims by both the United Steelworkers and AFL-CIO.