Japan Al Import and Cu Export Increase in January

Japanese import of primary aluminium ingot represented year-to-year increase for the first time since July 2007 in January, according to the trade statistics by Ministry of Finance. Domestic demand for primary aluminium had not recovered from construction market due to slow housing starts while seemed increasing from can makers before starting aluminium can demand season. Another factor was that domestic market price of primary aluminium decreased for January contracts to reflect the price down of overseas aluminium market during a half year toward December 2007.Japanese import of aluminium alloy ingot kept steady with active demand for automobiles. On the other hand, import of copper ingot and copper scrap showed year-to-year decrease in January when domestic demand maintained weak for copper rolled products, mainly copper tubes.Japanese export of electrolytic copper (cathode copper) increased by 2.9% to 31,419 tonnes in January from a year earlier while copper scrap increased by 25.1%. Copper scrap export increased by 24.9% to 26,471 tonnes for China, the largest importer of Japanese copper scrap, while increased by 69.4% for South Korea.