Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Japanese Copper Production Slumps

Production of copper products in Japan is now at its lowest level since August 1975 and industry officials say it will be some months before consumption picks up.

Figures from the Japan Copper and Brass Association report that output of rolled copper products fell by 45 percent year-on-year to 46,013 tonnes in January on a seasonally adjusted bases. This was a 20.7 percent decline from December. Japanese copper wire and cable shipments in January fell by 21.2 percent from a year earlier to 53,100 tonnes, the lowest since December 1975.

Japan's economy shrank in the last quarter at its fastest rate since the first oil crisis in 1974 and January's trade figures are forecast to show Japanese exports almost halved from a year earlier.

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