Strong Stainless Steel Plate Price in Tokyo

The market price is strong at 500,000 yen per tonne for SUS304 grade hot cut plate and at 600,000 yen for plate mill products around Tokyo. There is high possible that the market price would rise in the beginning of next year. The supply and demand is tight. Stainless plate processors’ inventory decreased by 2.7% to 39,668 tonnes for total nickel and chrome series products in November from the previous month, according to domestic processors association. The inventory rate was 2.54 months of shipment. The tight situation of the supply and demand is stronger. The demand is increasing for industrial equipment such as chemical tanker and liquid natural gas plant. Because the market inventory is less, the distributors’ price hike stance of is strong. The stainless steel makers are taking precedence for specific users’ order. Some makers are cutting the accepted order from distributors by about 30% for their superiors. Nickel price is rising more and more. The market price is expected to increase.