New market study, "Japan Metals Report Q4 2014", has been published

Japan's metal industry will see minimal growth to 2018 owing to the country's relatively weak long-term economic growth prospects . The country's construction , automotive, and infrastructure industries will see declining growth in the coming quarters . Moreover, subdued global steel prices on account of continued overcapacity , as well as the relatively high costs of production in Japan, will put downward pressure on Japanese steel producers.

We expect multi-year metal production and consumption to see minimal growth. Our metals industry forecasts are in line with our below-consensus outlook for Japanese economic growth in the coming quarters, which we see expanding 0.9% in 2014 and 0.8% in 2015. While Japan remains one of the largest producers and consumers of various industrial metals, it faces a declining share of world output and demand, as both China and India expand their global share of production and consumption. Moreover, we believe the positive impact of government stimulus measures in 2013 looks to be wearing off, and with companies facing pressures to hike wages, continued growth in capital expenditure will be hard to come by. This will act as a further headwind to domestic metal demand.

Full Report Details at
- http://www.fastmr.com/prod/872628_japan_metals_report_q4_2014.aspx?afid=303

Overall, we expect production of refined metals to outpace growth in demand, leading to an output surplus over the coming years. Indeed, we expect Japan to become a larger net nickel exporter from 2014 onward. We therefore expect Japan's exports of refined metals to increase, with the primary export market being China, a market we expect to remain reliant on imported metals, at least in the short- to medium-term.

The Japan Metals Report has been researched at source, and features latest-available data for steel, aluminium and other major globally-traded commodities. Our analysis covers all primary indicators, including production, exports and price, with our forecasts underpinned by Business Monitor International (BMI)'s macroeconomists global economic outlook. The report analyses trends and prospects and critically evaluates latest industry news, trends and regulatory developments in Japan.

BMI's Japan Metals Report provides industry professionals and strategists, sector analysts, business investors, trade associations and regulatory bodies with independent forecasts and competitive intelligence on the metals industry in Japan.

Key Benefits

* Benchmark BMI's independent metals industry forecasts for Japan to test other views - a key input for successful budgeting and strategic business planning in the Japan metals market.
* Target business opportunities and risks in Japan through our reviews of latest industry trends, regulatory changes and major projects and investments.
* Exploit the latest competitive intelligence and company profiles on your competitors and peers.

Coverage

BMI Industry View

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