Japan Billet Exports Fall in Q3 CY'18

Japan's Billet export fall by 11% Q-o-Q in Q3 CY'18, SteelMint learned in recent released custom data.

Japan's Billet exports recorded at 0.88 MnT in Q3 CY'18, fall by 11% as against 0.99 MnT in previous quarter. Also the exports fell by 5% in Q3 CY'18 as against same quarter of the previous year at 0.93 MnT.

Further, the country's total Billet exports during Jan-Sep'18 stood at around 2.8 MnT, slightly fall by 3% which was about 2.89 MnT during Jan-Sep'17.

Taiwan remains the largest importer of Japanese Billet in Jan-Sep'18 with a contribution of around 44.69% (1.26 MnT), followed by South Korea 26.35% (0.74 MnT), Thailand 13.60% (0.38 MnT), Philippines 5.64% (0.16 MnT) & US 3.34% (0.09 MnT).

Key Updates:

--Japan's crude steel production stood at 8.41 MnT in Sep'18, decreased by 4% as against 8.8 MnT in Aug'18. Meanwhile, Japan crude steel output up by 5% to 78.61 MnT in Jan-Sep'18 which was about 78.26 MnT in Jan-Sep'17.

--Tokyo steel's H2 scrap prices stand at JPY 38,500/MT (USD 341) at western Japan plant, Kyushu and at JPY 38,000/MT for Okayama works, while prices at largest plant Tahara in central Japan and Utsunomiya plant in Kanto region stand at JPY 37,500/MT. Bids for the same grade noted at JPY 37,000/MT for its Takamatsu steel center.

-- A per reports, country's steelmakers are enjoying solid local demand from auto-makers and machinery manufacturers as well as the construction sector has been in full swing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

--The No. 2 furnace in Kurashiki (Japan) steelworks has been shut since 23rd Oct due to technical trouble, but expected the furnace to resume operation in November and return to full operation in late December," JFE Executive Vice President Shinichi Okada told a news conference.