Import Steel Stock Drops by 18,000 tonnes in Tokyo and Osaka

Hanwa Co. reported on Thursday import steel inventory decreased by 18,000 tonnes to 276,000 tonnes at quay in Tokyo and Osaka at the end of April from March. The stock decreased for 6 months in a row and by 130,000 tonnes from the peak of June 2005. The inventory decreased by 3,000 tonnes to 184,000 tonnes in Osaka at the end of April from March. The inventory decreased by 3,000 tonnes to 46,000 tonnes for hot rolled coil and by 1,000 tonnes to 113,000 tonnes for cold coil while the plate inventory increased by 1,000 tonnes to 25,000 tonnes. The stock decreased by 15,000 tonnes to 92,000 tonnes in Tokyo at the end of April from March. The stock decreased to less than 100,000 tonnes for the first time since April 2004 and decreased by 37,000 tonnes from the end of 2005. The stock decreased by 2,000 tonnes to 17,000 tonnes for plate, by 3,000 tonnes to 43,000 tonnes for hot coil and by 10,000 tonnes to 32,000 tonnes for cold coil.