Japan’s crude steel output is expected to total 24.11 million mt in the October-December quarter, increasing by 9.6 percent compared to 21.99 million mt in the same period of the previous year, according to the forecast report published by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The country’s crude steel output is forecast to rise by 0.8 percent from the July-September quarter.
Demand for steel products from both domestic and export markets in the October-December quarter is expected to be 21.84 million mt, up by 6.7 percent year on year. METI expects the country’s exports in the given quarter to increase by 16.9 percent year on year to 7.11 million mt.