Japan Copper Strip Shipment Keeps Active in F2007

Japan Copper and Brass Association revised up domestic demand forecast for copper fabricated products by 0.1% to 1.0445 million tonnes for fiscal 2007 starting April from previous forecast announced in September 2006. The Association estimated copper strip shipment increases by more than 2% in fiscal 2007 from fiscal 2006 thanks to active export while copper tube and brass bar shipment decreases.Domestic shipment of copper sheet and strip is estimated to increase by 2.5% to 295,000 tonnes in fiscal 2007 from fiscal 2006. Domestic copper sheet and strip markets are expected to grow up when the applications have recently widened for digital appliances and other electronics. The export is increasing for Asian areas, mainly for China. Especially copper strip export keeps strong for connector pins of automotive parts.Domestic brass bar shipment is estimated to decrease by 2.6% to 250,000 tonnes in fiscal 2007 from fiscal 2006. The demand is expected to keep steady for water taps, valves, auto parts, digital appliances and mobile stations, while the demand is estimated to enter adjustment for semiconductor related applications. The demand for gas appliances would also become adjusted in first half of fiscal 2007.Copper tube shipment would decrease by 1.4% to 175,000 tonnes in Japan in fiscal 2007 from fiscal 2006. Out-in production trend slowed down recently among Japanese air conditioner makers, the main users of copper tube. However, the air conditioner export is estimated to decrease for China.