Firm Stainless Steel Sheet in Tokyo

Stainless sheet steel market price is firm at 650,000 yen per tonne for SUS304 base size at 245,000 yen for SUS430 around Tokyo. The distributors try to minimize the purchase volume with expectation for lower price under lower nickel ingot price. Nickel ingot price decreased to less than US$ 18 per pound. Some Japanese interests expect the price would decrease to around US$ 13.5 while others hope the price could keep the level. Japanese largest stainless steel maker of Nippon Steel & Sumikin Stainless Steel announced the firm doesn’t accept new order for nickel series stainless sheet from distributors for June order. Nisshin Steel also reduces the order acceptance by 80-90%. The market watches the effect of the output reduction if the reduced supply could reduce the distributors’ inventory and lift the market price again.