Lead Scrap Market Price Keeps Flat in Tokyo

Lead scrap market price keeps flat at 155-175 yen per kilogram for high grade scrap, at 110-130 yen per kg for electrode plate scrap, at 145-160 yen per kg for typographic lead scrap and at 100-110 yen per kg for low grade scrap around Tokyo. Scrap dealers set their purchasing price unchanged though Mitsubishi Materials revised down the official lead ingot price by 5,000 yen to 364,000 yen per tonne for domestic shipment in February on Monday.A source of a local secondary lead smelter said Japanese primary lead smelters’ break even point seemed at around 370,000 yen per tonne on Monday and they wondered why Mitsubishi Materials revised down the official ingot price. Lead settlement at London Metal Exchange, an indicator for Japanese official lead price, was higher by US$ 33 per tonne than 11 February along which Mitsubishi Materials previously revised the official price. Foreign exchange rate of yen has become weaker against US dollar since 12 February.Scrap collectors keep strong selling stances when lead scrap generation is decreasing in domestic market. Lead scrap market price stays high even though primary lead ingot price downed in Japan. Some dealers pay as high as 180 yen per kg for high grade lead scrap in a large lot.