Japan Import Flat Steel Stock Drops by 15.5% in June

Hanwa announced on Monday the import steel port inventory decreased by 29,000 tonnes (15.5%) to 158,000 tonnes at the end of June 2009 from May, which decreased for 6 consecutive months. The stock level decreased by 41,000 tonnes (20.6%) at the end of June from a year earlier when import volume kept low and users’ purchase volume increased.

The inventory decreased by 10,000 tonnes (11.3%) to 78,000 tonnes at the end of June from May in Osaka. The inventory decreased by 1,000 tonnes (8.3%) to 11,000 tonnes for plate, by 7,000 tonnes (21.8%) to 25,000 tonnes for hot rolled coil and by 2,000 tonnes (4.5%) to 42,000 tonnes for cold coil.

The inventory decreased by 19,000 tonnes (19.1%) to 80,000 tonnes at the end of June from May in Tokyo. The stock kept flat at 10,000 tonnes for plate while decreased by 13,000 (19.6%) to 53,000 yen for hot coil and by 6,000 tonnes (26.0%) to 17,000 tonnes for cold coil.