Strong Stainless Plate Price in Tokyo

Stainless plate steel price is strong at 420,000-440,000 yen per tonne for SUS304 hot cut sheet and 520,000-540,000 yen for plate mill products around Tokyo. The demand is firm due to higher order from large specific users for such as chemical plant or semiconductor equipment. The supply and demand is tight. The market price is continuing to up trend for few months.The order from small and middle users is increasing to distributors. Japanese hot rolled stainless flat steel shipment by processors was at over 14,000 tonnes in August, and was high-record for several years, and which the inventory ratio against shipment of hot rolled stainless steel sheet is at 3 months according to association of stainless plate shearing processors. The inventory is like shortage.The makers’ price hike is advancing for mainly specific users smoothly. One distributor said that the firm aims the selling price at 550,000 yen per tonnne for plate mill products after October. Distributors around Tokyo are raising the selling price adamantly.