Japan H-Beam Export Price Hits Bottom

Japanese H-beam export price hit bottom after Chinese market price rebounded, according to Japanese steel maker and trading firm sources. The export price is around CIF US$ 580 per tonne for South Korea and Southeast Asia. The exporters try to improve the price level depending on Chinese market price.

The export price hit more than CIF US$ 600 per tonne in peak. However, the price decreased after Chinese market price drop. Chinese market price started to increase since mid-October while Japanese export price hit bottom.

Japanese exporters try to find impact of Chinese price rebound on South East Asia and East Asian countries. Chinese H-beam export increases the influence in East Asia when Chinese export kept more than import since 2004.

Chinese H-beam export was 1.488 million tonnes in 2008. The export increases month by month under economy recovery in 2009 while the export was only 334,000 tonnes in January-September. The export was 219,000 tonnes for South Korea in the 9 months while the export decreased for Middle East and member countries of Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The export impacts on Japanese export.