Marginal Higher Japan Special Steel Demand in Jan.-Mar., METI

Japanese demand of hot rolled special steel products will increase by 0.8% to 5.28 million tonnes for January-March 2012 from October-December, announced by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on Tuesday. The demand increases for 3 quarters in a row. The demand decreases by 1.1% to 3.55 million tonnes for domestic market due to demand slowdown for construction machinery. The demand increases by 4.9% to 1.72 million tonnes for export when the demand is strong for energy industry and Japanese automakers’ higher production after the slowdown by Thai flood.

METI estimates the domestic demand will decreases by 1.2% to 370,000 tonnes for carbon steel for machine structural use for January-March from October-December. The demand decreases by 0.4% to 240,000 tonnes for alloy steel for structural use. The demand decreases by 5.4% to 70,000 tonnes for bearing steel and by 0.3% to 210,000 tonnes for high tensile strength steel. The stainless steel demand decreases by 3.9% to 110,000 tonnes for flat rolled products while the demand increases by 8.4% to 40,000 tonnes for long products.

The export will increase by 2.0% to 230,000 tonnes for high tensile strength steel for January-March from October-December. The export increases by 2.4% to 110,000 tonnes for alloy steel for structural use. The stainless steel export decreases by 1.1% to 50,000 tonnes for flat rolled products while the export increases by 3.3% to 30,000 tonnes for long products.