Weakening Brass Bar Price around Tokyo

Brass bar market price is flat with potential weakness at around 440 yen per kilogram for free-cutting grade with diameter 25 millimeter, at around 450 yen for 10 mm bar and at around 510 yen for 5 mm bar around Tokyo.

The shipment slows. A dealer source said the shipment decreases significantly for automobile industry and the demand turns downward for stationery, which seemed to improve once, while the demand is lower level for gas appliances and water tap. The source foresees the demand decreases more in March when the customers adjust the inventory toward Japanese fiscal year end. The industry sources concern about more price decline under the demand drop.

When the expectation for price strengthens, the customer may increase the purchase. But the purchase price for brass turning scrap decreased by 10 yen to 239 yen per kilogram when the Japanese official copper ingot price decreased by 10,000 yen to 350,000 yen per tonne due to the price decline at London Metal Exchange as reduction on February 16.

Copper settlement at LME increased by US$ 160 to US$ 3350.5 per tonne on Wednesday from previous day but Japanese dealer source said the price is unforeseeable. The brass bar market price would change in a small range.