[Ferro-Alloys.com] The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry ( METI) reported on December 22, 2020, that the demand for steel in the first quarter of 2021 (fourth fiscal quarter) is estimated at 20.64 million tons, which will fall 3.4% from 21.37 million tons in the same period last year. However, due to the demand growth driven by the increase of downstream users' output, Japan's steel demand in the first quarter of 2021 is expected to increase slightly by 1.6% compared with the estimated value in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Affected by the epidemic situation and other factors, it is estimated that Japan's steel exports in the first quarter of 2021 will decline by 7.3% to 6.69 million tons year on year. Due to the recovery of Japan's economic activity, the export volume will increase by 10.7% compared with the estimated value in the fourth quarter of 2020. Among them, the export of ordinary steel will drop by 8.5% on a year-on-year basis and rise by 9.3% on a month on month basis to 5.4 million tons, while the export of special steel will drop by 1.7% on a year-on-year basis and increase by 16.7% on a month on month basis to 1.29 million tons.

In addition, METI predicts that Japan's crude steel output will reach 23.5 million tons in the first quarter of 2021, a year-on-year decrease of 2.5% and a month on month increase of 7.3%.

News source: translated by editor

China Ferro-Alloys Industry Annual Conference & Market Outlook of Manganese, Chrome, Nickel Ore & Ferroalloys

• [Editor:kangmingfei]