Brass Bar Market Price Continues Plunging, Tokyo

Brass bar market price continues declining around Tokyo. The trading price among dealers seems around 620 yen per kilogram for free-cutting round bar with 25 millimeters diameter while some pay as low as less than 600 yen. Brass bar inventory is increasing at dealers’ sites due to slow demand. Japanese major brass bar makers’ purchasing price for brass turning scrap, the indicator for brass bar market price, continues plunging. The market is very weak.

Japan Metal Bulletin’s research price for brass bar became below 700 yen/kg for the first time since April 2006.

Demand for brass bar maintains stagnant from gas appliances, valves and water taps. Dealers’ shipment is slow and their inventories sharply increased in and after August. Brass bar inventory at dealers around Tokyo was 4,258 tonnes in August, increasing by 19.3% in 2 months, according to the survey by Japanese copper alloy product dealers’ association.

Major brass bar makers’ purchasing price for brass turning scrap was revised down by 36 yen to 437 yen/kg on 6 October to reflect copper and zinc ingot price down. The purchasing price declined by total 67 yen/kg within September while by total 68 yen/kg during only 4 business days in October. The price is sharply decreasing.