Japan Raw Steel Output Increases in April

Japanese raw steel output increased by 4.2% to 10.146 million tonnes in April from a year earlier due to strong demand for mainly manufacturing industry in Japan and overseas, which increased for 23 consecutive months, announced by Japan Iron and Steel Federation on Tuesday. The output hit a record, which exceeded at 9.801 million tonnes in April 1980, and which was over 10 million tonnes.The output per day decreased to 338,200 tonnes by 9,400 tonnnes in April from March. The converter steel output increased to 7.504 million tonnes by 4.5% in April from a year earlier, which increased for 23 consecutive months. The electric furnace steel output increased to 2.642 million tonnes by 3.2%, which increased fro 3 consecutive months.The output increased by 3.7% to 7.922 million tonnes for carbon steel and by 5.9% to 2.223 million tonnes for special steel in April from a year earlier.The hot rolled steel products output increased by 2.7% to 9.141 million tonnes for carbon steel in April over the same month of previous year., which by1.4% to 2.07 million tonnes for long products, and which increased by 2.9% to 5.142 million tonnes steel sheet products.The hot rolled wide strip output increased to 3.893 million tonnes by 1.3%, which increased for 23 consecutive months. The steel plate output increased to 1.184 million tonnes by 12.1%, which increased for 18 consecutive months.Rebar output decreased to 1.009 million tonnes by 3.3%, which decreased for 8 consecutive months. H-beam output decreased to 390,000 tonnes by 1.7%, which decreased 2 consecutive months. Large shaped steel decreased to 127,000 tonnes by 3.4%, which decreased for the period for the first time. Small-middle size shaped steel output decreased to 126,000 tonnes by 3.3%, which decreased for 4 consecutive months.