Japan's seasonally-adjusted output of rolled copper product dropped 1.6% to 63,023 tonnes in March 2012 on m-o-m basis while it registered a 8.1% drop on y-o-y basis, falling for the ninth straight month as demand from electronics makers stayed weak, as per the Japan Copper and Brass Association.
Orders from connector and electronics part makers remained sluggish, although demand from carmakers continued to increase, the industry body said. Appetite for copper, used extensively in items such as utensils, construction materials and computer chips, is often seen as a measure of economic activity.
The association said rolled copper output for the year ended March 2012 fell 6.7% to 806,143 tonnes, a second consecutive year-to-year fall, hit by a steep decline in exports.
Powered by Commodity Insights