Mexico launches probe into steel imports from Italy, Japan

Mexico's economy ministry launched an antidumping investigation into imports of hot-rolled steel plate from Italy and Japan.

The probe was started following a request from Mexican steelmaker Altos Hornos de México (Ahmsa) and will consider imports from May 2016 to April 2017.

Ahmsa said the products were imported at prices below normal levels and at volumes which threaten to damage domestic production.

Steel plate imports from Italy and Japan increased by 191,855t or 107% in May 2016-April 2017, compared to the same period 12 months earlier, with prices falling by 31.6%, Ahmsa said.

Dumping is a key threat to Mexico's steel sector.

The economy ministry imposed preliminary antidumping duties on seamless carbon steel tube imports from South Korea, Spain, India and Ukraine in August, and full duties on flat-coated steel from China and Taiwan in June.

Four new duties were imposed on imports of steel imports in 2016.