Japan Import Flat Steel Stock Drops in July

Imported flat steel inventory at coastal yard in Tokyo and Osaka decreased by 7.5% or 12,000 tonnes to 146,000 tonnes at end of July from June, announced by Hanwa Co. on Tuesday. The inventory decreased for 7 months in a row and the level was 54,000 tonnes or 27% lower than a year earlier when the buyers increased the purchase and Asian suppliers shifted to domestic demand.

The flat steel stock in Osaka decreased by 5.1% or 4,000 tonnes to 74,000 tonnes at end of July from June. The stock decreased by 4,000 tonnes or 9.5% to 38,000 tonnes for cold rolled coil while the stock was flat at 11,000 tonnes for plate and 25,000 tonnes for hot rolled coil.

The flat steel inventory in Tokyo decreased by 10% or 8,000 tonnes to 72,000 tonnes at end of July from June. The stock decreased by 10% or 1,000 tonnes to 9,000 tonnes for plate, by 9.4% or 5,000 tonnes to 48,000 tonnes for hot coil and by 11.7% or 2,000 tonnes to 15,000 tonnes for cold coil.