According to the Japan Iron and Steel Federation data, Japanese carbon steel orders down 0.4 % year on year to 5.93 million tons, the eighth consecutive monthly decline, mainly due to a larger decline in domestic orders.

In March domestic orders of Japan fell 6.2% to 3.56 million tons, of which the construction orders down 2.8 % to 0.971 million tons, manufacturing orders fall by 5.7% to 1.5 million tons, shipbuilding and marine equipment industry orders decreased slightly by 0.4% to 0.324 million tons, the automotive industry orders fall by 7.3% to 0.648 million tons. Due to a weaker yen against the dollar and weak domestic demand, Japan's steel exports volume are increasing, March export orders grew nearly 12% to 2.3 million tons.

According to product categories, hot-rolled strip steel orders increase 14.4% to 1.89 million tons, galvanized sheet orders fall by 2.6% to 0.811 tons, plate orders fall by 8.7% to 0.799 tons, bar orders drop by 1.8% to 0.685 million tons, cold roll orders fall by 0.7% to 0.535 million tons, H-beam orders drop by 4.9% to 0.315 million tonnes.

                                                                                            XINSTEEL NEWS