Japan Common Steel Orders Increase by 3.2% in May

Order reception volume at Japanese steel makers for common steel products increased by 3.2% to 6.672 million tonnes in May 2007 from a year ago, announced Japan Iron & Steel Federation on Tuesday. Orders for domestic demand increased by 5.1% to 4.787 million tonnes and increased for 12 months, and for export decreased by 1.7% to 1.756 million tonnes.Domestic usage orders increased by 4.6% for manufacturing industries, by 8.1% for construction. Orders for electric machine decreased by 35 while increased by 3.3% for automobile and by 13.4% for shipbuilding. Both orders for automobile and shipbuilding increased for 2 months. Orders for industrial machine increased by 12.2% and increased for 13 months.Orders for building construction increased by 9.8%, by 6.6% for civil engineering and by 4.7% for other construction. These orders increased for 12 months. Orders increased by 3.7% for wholesalers.