Japan Construction Steel Demand to Hit First Rise in 6 years

Japanese carbon steel demand for construction will increase by 1.5% to 2.15 million tonnes in March from a year earlier, according to estimate by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The demand will increase by 2.4% to 25.299 million tonnes in fiscal 2006 to March 2007 from previous year. The annual demand will increase for the first time in 6 years after the continuous decreases since fiscal 2001. The ministry expects the carbon steel small bar demand will decrease by 0.6% to 890,000 tonnes and the shape carbon steel demand will decrease by 0.8% to 520,000 tonnes in March from a year earlier. The carbon steel demand increased by 3.5% to 17.199 million tonnes for construction in April-November 2006 from same period of 2005. The demand increased by 8.1% to 3.984 million tonnes for shape steel and by 8.8% to 7.37 million tonnes for small bar.