US
Cotton Terry Towel Imports in First Half 2007
Far from favoring low-cost
suppliers in Pakistan, U.S. quotas on imports of cotton
terry towels have actually helped Chinese exporters in justifying
higher prices after their costs strongly increased in the
past years. The story behind the first half data may explain
why China should thank Washington for maintaining limits
until the end of next year. TOP |
Spun
Yarn Prices in China
Spun yarn prices were mixed
in the past two weeks in China. Cotton yarn prices declined
in line with a sharp decrease of domestic cotton prices.
Prices of polyester and viscose yarns were unchanged, reflecting
a new increase in fiber prices on one side and some reluctance
from downstream processors in buying more yarns at higher
prices, on the other side. TOP |
Duty-Free
Access would boost Korean Exports to the U.S.
U.S.
textile and apparel imports from South Korea would surge
if the duty-free agreement between both countries would
finally be implemented. The duty-free access would help
South Korean in keeping strong positions in man-made fiber
segments of the textile and apparel markets, the U.S. International
Trade Commission (USITC) found. TOP |
After-Quota
EU Clothing Imports from China
The European Union
and China are currently discussing a way to avoid a new
textile trade war in 2008, as a new surge in European Imports
from China is now in sight in the next year. A monitoring
system would allow Brussels more rapidly re-imposing quotas,
but such limits would be less harmful than in 2005 and could
not be applied beyond the end of next year.
TOP |
Viscose
Filament and Staple Fiber Prices
Viscose prices
are again sharply increasing in China with a jump of 8 cents
in only two weeks. Consumption is back to a seasonal high
and prices should not decline in the short term, reflecting
a very a low level in inventories. Raw material costs are
being boosted by a new increase in cotton pulp prices, in
addition.
TOP |
Hong
Kong Denim Trouser Re-Export in First Half 2007
Hong Kong's re-exports
of cotton denim trousers again surged in the first half
of 2007, thanks to a continuous shift to the higher end
of the market in the past years. Average unit prices are
further increasing, as a result, with shipments to European
and U.S. markets especially soaring, as reflected by our
series of statistical tables. TOP |
US Cotton
Knit Shirt Imports in First Half 2007
China is back on the U.S.
import market for cotton knit shirts in categories 338/339,
even becoming a new leader in value terms. The dramatic
increase in Chinese shipments in the first half this year
was not due to lower prices, as China's unit values remain
the highest in the world, confirming a shift to high-quality
items and more sophisticated products than T-shirts.
TOP |
Polyester
filament prices may rise in China
Prices of polyester staple
fibers further rose in the past seven days in China while
filament prices were mostly unchanged. Demand for PSF may
be depressed by the fall in domestic cotton prices, however,
while the current rebound in polyester lining production
may help filament yarn makers in increasing prices after
glycol again surged in the past week.
TOP |
Latest
Regulations regarding Textile Trade
-
U.S. CITA: Limitations of duty-free access from Andean
and Caribbean countries. Determination under the CAFTA-DR.
- U.S.
ITA: CAFTA Commercial Availability Request: Certain Circular
Knit Fleece Fabrics. Anti-dumping duties on PSF from Korea.
TRQ on the Import of Certain Cotton Shirting Fabrics.
- U.S.
Customs: 2008 ATPDEA Restraint Limit; Cotton Shirting
Fabric TRQ Limit.
- Hong
Kong Trade and Industry Department: Third allocation of
quotas in 2007.
- China
Ministry of Commerce: Allocation of quotas in 2008, first
notices.
- European
Union: Revision of anti-dumping duties on polyester filament
fabrics from China.
- U.S.
CITA: New Short Supply Request under CAFTA: Certain Herringbone
Stretch Woven Fabrics of Polyester, Rayon and Spandex
Yarns.
- U.S.
ITC: U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement: Potential Economy-wide
and Selected Sectoral Effects. Probable Economic Effect
of Modifications to DR-CAFTA Rules of Origin and Tariffs
for Certain Apparel Goods.
- Hong
Kong Trade and Industry Department: The Mainland of China:
2007 Quantitative Limits Available for Application in
the Third Round Regarding Textile Exports to the United
States.
- European
Union: Polyester textured filament yarn (PTY) originating
in India.
- U.S.
Customs: 2008 CBTPA Quantitative Limits: T-shirts and
Apparel Articles Knit to Shape.
- China
Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM): Third US textile quota
bid (in Chinese). Allocation of Import Quotas: Cotton
and other agricultural products. Caprolactam: anti-dumping
review.
- U.S.
International Trade Administration (ITA): Allocation of
TRQs for Wool Fabrics.
- Office
of the U.S. Representative: Andean Trade Preference Act
(ATPA)/ 2007 Annual Review.
|
Wool
prices up in US$ terms, down in euro terms
Wool prices this
week declined in local currency terms in Australia, South
Africa and New Zealand. Prices slightly rose in US$ terms
while decreasing in euro terms. Continuing drought is expected
further affecting Australian production.
TOP |
Spandex
Prices still up in China
Spandex prices
continued rising in the last two weeks but are expected
stabilizing. A seasonal low in consumption is now in sight
and demand could slightly decline. Raw material costs are
steadily increasing, on the other hand, with MDI, BDO, THF
and PTMEG all more or less rising. TOP |
Nylon
and Caprolactam Prices in China
Although still very stable,
nylon prices may slightly increase in the near term in China,
after raw material costs again surged in Asia. Caprolactam
prices are boosted by tight supply as China and Taiwan continue
importing large quantities and new nylon polymerization
plants are being commissioned. A series of planned overhauls
should further support CPL and nylon prices in the near
term.
TOP
|
US
Apparel Imports from Pakistan in First Half 2007
The slowdown in U.S. apparel
imports from Pakistan in the first half may announce serious
troubles for a business which is tremendously dependent
on U.S. quota categories. Excessively focusing on cotton
T-shirts and trousers, Pakistan may face a setback after
2008 and the end of quotas, unless a duty-free access for
apparel produced in so-called ROZs offers a decisive advantage
over China and Bangladesh.
TOP |
Taiwan's
Exports of Polyester Filament Fabrics in First Half 2007
Taiwan's exports
of polyester filament fabrics were stronger in the first
part of the year, thanks to surging sales to Vietnam and
Brazil. Shipments to China were much weaker this year, including
a fall in exports to Hong Kong. Exports to Europe could
benefit from the recent rise in EU's anti-dumping duties
on fabrics from China.
TOP |
Spun
Yarn Prices in India
Cotton yarn prices remained
mostly stable in the past weeks in India, in line with a
lower seasonal demand. Fine count prices however climbed.
Polyester-cotton and polyester-viscose yarns more significantly
increased. Production and exports are steadily rising, as
reported by our India Correspondent.
TOP |
The
Currency Factor: Low-Cost Winners and Losers
The
recent fall in the US dollar may not depress US apparel
imports from a series of low-cost countries, as many other
currencies are following the same trend. Compared with Vietnam,
Indonesia and Sri Lanka, China is losing some competitive
advantage as the Yuan rises. By contrast, exports from Turkey,
Brazil and India are being weakened by stronger increases
in their currencies. TOP |
US
Apparel Imports from Bangladesh in First Half 2007
Growth in US apparel imports
from Bangladesh was less strong in the first part of the
year, in line with a rebound in shipments from rival China.
Bangladesh is highly dependent on US quotas on Chinese products
and may be confronted with a decline in sales after limits
will be eliminated at the end of next year, unless a duty-free
access is granted by Washington. TOP
|
PSF
prices rising in China, but...
Polyester staple
fibers more significantly increased in the past days. The
rise could be short-lived, however, as October holidays
are looming. The current fall in domestic cotton prices
should also limit demand for polyester fibers. TOP |
Textile
exports benefit from stable currency
Because of the rupee appreciation
low-cost textile producers from countries like China and
India have lost their competitive advantage to Sri Lanka,
Vietnam and Pakistan whose currencies are either stable
or on the decline.
TOP |
Textile
export performance not as per expectations
The
exports fell by 1.43 percent in the month of August of financial
year 2007-08 as against the corresponding month of last
year. In preceding month of July, an impressive 10.73 percent
increase was seen against July last year. TOP |
Textile
sector requests for some time to repay outstanding loans
All
Pakistan Textile Association (APTA) met Advisor to Prime
Minister on Finance Dr. Salman Shah in Islamabad yesterday
and put forward a proposal to suspend the payment of outstanding
loans to banks for two years. TOP |
Cotton
prices remain firm on buying support
The
Karachi Cotton market the Sindh and Punjab cotton varieties
were traded at Rs 2900 per maund. The markets consolidated
the overnight gains as ginners held on to their positions
to keep prices within the current range. TOP |
APTA
recommends 14 day layoff for spinning mills
As
the cotton prices continue to rise due to expected late
arrival of the new cotton crop the All Pakistan Textiles
Association (APTA) has asked its members for a 14-day layoff
to avoid going into further loss. TOP |
Unskilled
workforce can be trained for proper utilization
Pakistan Readymade Garments Technical Training Institute
Chairman Ijaz A Khokhar has said that the initiative of
Reconstruction Opportunity Zones to encourage economic development
in Pakistan is a positive step. TOP
|
Government
may approve textile policy in next cabinet meeting
The Textile Industry Development Policy 2007, would be presented
for approval in the next federal cabinet meeting. This was
informed by Mushtaq Ali Cheema, Federal Minister for Textile
Industry at the conclusion of the inaugural session. TOP
|
The
tradition of hand-woven textiles lives on
The traditional hand-spun and hand-woven textiles are probably
the oldest in the country. In ancient times Sindhian cloth
was widely used in Egypt and the Mediterranean region around
500 BC. TOP
|
Tunisia
is keen to have joint ventures in textile, IT
Pakistan and Tunisia have agreed to liberalize visa regime
between the two countries to encourage greater people to
people contact especially in the field of trade and economy.
TOP
|
Research
report on the struggling textile industry
A textile research report of Trade Development Authority
of Pakistan (TDAP) has recommended the government to devise
two-dimensional strategies, one dealing with domestic issues
and second with international market to enhance the dwindling
textile products export in the world market. TOP
|
