Japan Cable Market Price Keeps Flat with Weakness

Market price of building cable keeps flat with potential decreasing around Tokyo. The price is around 735-750 yen per meter of cut length for 3-core 600 volt CVT (triplex-type XLPE cable) with 38 square millimeters of copper cross section and around 30 yen per meter for 2-core 600V VVF (vinyl insulated vinyl sheathed flat-type cable) with 1.6mm diameter.

Japanese official copper ingot price remains at 340,000 yen per tonne from January 4 and the cable price is flat based on 330,000 yen ingot level. No wholesalers apparently quote the extreme low price.

Procurement by electric constructors and cable wholesalers is at lower level.

They expect the price decline from the shipment decrease though they take a wait-and-see stance. Some cable makers seemed to reduce the VVF offer by 1 yen per meter.

The dealers’ inventories are not at excess level when cable dealers decreased the inventory volume after the copper ingot price plunge in 2008. Meanwhile, cable makers reduce the output when their inventories are increasing.