Steel Market Contrasts with Steel Sheet and Steel Plate in Tokyo

Steel sheet market price is weak tone while steel plate market is strong around Tokyo. Both steel markets for distributors aren’t recovering. Coil centers or dealers require much more time to break out from cooped-up feeling when steel sheet inventory is excess. However, the supply and demand of steel plate is expected to be tighter for autumn due to good demand and short supply by makers. Searing processors and dealers represent strong selling stance.

Sheet steel market price is flat at 67,000-68,000 yen per tonne for hot rolled sheet, at 72,000-74,000 yen per tonne for pickling sheet and at 78,000-80,000 yen per tonne for cold sheet around Tokyo. Plate steel market price keeps flat at 80,000-83,000 yen per tonne for product with 19 millimeters thick, 5 feet width and 10 feet length and at more than 97,000-99,000 yen for products with cutting process around Tokyo.

Steel sheet demand for manufacturing industry keeps good. Many coil centers’ operation rate is increasing for automobile compared with last year. While the demand for distributors is dull. Dealer source pointed out the purchasing integration by large users is advancing and the order for building construction has been a delay.

Japanese sheet steel inventory is over from 4 million tonnes which is decent level. Steel plate demand is good for shipbuilding and construction machine. The supply and demand keeps tight for the steel plate.

Moreover, the supply and demand is expected to be tighter due to the starting big projects which are the expansion construction of Haneda airport and the building construction of Sharp’s Sakai plant.