Weak Flat Rolled Steel Price in Tokyo, Osaka

Flat rolled steel market price is weak in Tokyo and Osaka. The dealers’ selling price is 66,000-68,000 yen per tonne for hot rolled sheet in Tokyo and around 82,000 yen for cold rolled sheet in Osaka.

Hot rolled sheet demand is slow for construction for the dealers in Tokyo due to public and private investment delay or suspension after the major earthquake. Integrated steel makers would increase the price again when the makers couldn’t cover higher raw materials cost fully. However, the dealers are reluctant to increase inventory under demand uncertainty.

The dealers could reduce cold rolled sheet selling price under slower demand in Osaka. Integrated steels’ cold rolled sheet output is 10-20% lower than normal level. The shipment decreases for the dealers and coil centers while the dealers and processors’ inventory is still high at 1.3-1.5 months of the shipment. The dealers’ shipment is decreasing and some dealers are reducing the price to secure the sales.