Copper Tube Market Price Keeps Flat in Tokyo

Copper tube market price keeps flat at around 1,275 yen per kilogram for products with 50 millimeters diameter and 5mm thick in Tokyo. The price would stay at the level for a while unless Japanese official copper ingot price fluctuates widely, which is the indicator for market prices of copper fabricated products.Dealers set the reselling price unchanged even after the official copper price was raised to 950,000 yen per tonne on October 10. They are cautiously watching how the official price fluctuates when overseas copper markets are not so strong.Dealers are also concerned about slower demand for copper tube than other copper products. Copper tube demand is inactive for plumbing except for factories, while brisk for boiler and automotive parts.Some of Japanese major copper tube makers are seeking price hike. Hitachi Cable announced the firm would raise rolling charge by 50-100 yen per kilogram for copper tube with more than 24.5 millimeters of outer diameter used as plumbing inside air conditioners. Dealer source said they could not decrease the reselling prices due to the hike by makers.