H-beam Price Maintains Flat in Tokyo

H-beam price is flat at 75,000-76,000 yen per tonne in Tokyo at dealers’ sites without freight for products with 100 x 200 millimeters widths. The demand is still stagnant and the orders are mainly for small lots. However, dealers are not concerned about the price when makers aim to sustain the current price level by the output reduction. The price is likely to keep flat for a while.H-beam inventory increased by 7.6% to 66,397 tonnes in Tokyo area among distributors dealing Nippon Steel’s products at the end of February from a month ago. The monthly shipment increased by 5.3% to 29,954 tonnes thanks to more business days in February than in January, while the shipment per day decreased. The shipment maintains the same level in March.H-beam price is unlikely to change until March 20 when Tokyo Steel Manufacturing announces its H-beam selling price for April. The demand would not turn into increase in the market for a while. On the other hand, makers’ output reduction and order reception regulation could contribute to the improvement of H-beam inventory and price. Then the market price would maintain the present level.