JAPAN SEAMLESS PIPE MAKERS TO FORM EXPORT CARTEL

  Four major Japanese steelmakers plan to
  form a seamless pipe export cartel for markets other than the
  U.S. And the European Community for a year from April to keep
  prices above output costs, company officials involved said.
      The companies are Nippon steel Corp &lt;NSTC.T>, Sumitomo
  Metal Industries Ltd &lt;SMIT.T>, Nippon Kokan KK &lt;NKKT.T> and
  Kawasaki Steel Corp &lt;KAWS.T>, which together account for some
  95 pct of Japan's total seamless pipe exports.
      The firms will apply to form the cartel to the Ministry of
  International Trade and Industry today and approval is expected
  later this month, the officials said.
      Under the plan, the four companies will set floor prices
  for exports as prices have fallen sharply due to the yen's
  appreciation against the dollar, reduced world demand caused by
  lower oil prices and excess domestic capacity which resulted in
  price-cutting competition, the officials said.
      In calendar 1986, seamless pipe exports fell to 2.34 mln
  tonnes from 2.99 mln in 1985 and 3.12 mln in 1981.
      The officials declined to give any idea of floor prices,
  saying it depends partly on volume, but industry sources
  estimate average export prices would rise by around 20 pct to
  some 800 dlrs a tonne.
  

