In the first quarter of this year, Japan's galvanized sheet output amounted to 2.96 million mt, rising 5.1 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2012 but down 2.8 percent year on year. In March, the country's galvanized sheet output increased by 14.3 percent compared to February and was down 3.4 percent year on year, amounting to 1 million mt, according to data from the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
In the first quarter of this year, Japan's galvanized sheet shipments decreased by 3.2 percent compared to the same quarter of the previous year and were up by 0.8 percent on quarter-on-quarter basis. The country's galvanized sheet shipments amounted to 2.9 million metric tons in the first quarter, while 69 percent of shipments were made to the domestic market, and the remaining 31 percent were made to the export markets.
In March this year, Japan's galvanized sheet shipments amounted to 1 million mt, decreasing by 4.7 percent compared to March 2012, but up 12.8 percent over February this year.
Meanwhile, in March Japan's galvanized sheet inventories remained stable month on month at 1 million metric tons, and were down 2.9 percent year on year. 62 percent of inventories were held by steel manufacturers, while 38 percent were held by steel traders.
The average domestic price for galvanized sheet in Japan in the first quarter of the year was JPY 92,000/mt (approx. $896/mt), stable compared to the previous quarter and down JPY 10,000/mt (approx. $97.5/mt) year on year.