Lead Battery Scrap Market Price Levels Off in Japan

Used battery market price levels off in Japan, which is main material for electrode plate of automotive lead battery. Electrolytic lead market price, the indicator, is slightly surging while strong yen trend is easing South Korean importers’ aggressive purchasing of Japanese battery scrap. Additionally battery scrap generation has increased in Japan due to hot summer.

Lead smelters around Tokyo pay 55-60 yen per kilogram for battery scrap, main material for secondary lead ingot, which is supplied to battery makers. The price has leveled off since August.

Electrolytic lead price at London Metal Exchange presently exceeds US$ 2,400 per tonne, surging by 15% from average US$ 2,075 in August. Meanwhile, telegraphic transfer selling rate is currently 82-83 yen per US dollar, much stronger than 85-87 yen in August. Thus lead market price is not surging in Japan as strongly as at overseas.

Battery scrap users in South Korea recently slow down their aggressive purchasing for Japanese used battery due to strong yen trend. One battery scrap collector around Tokyo says offer price gap is presently narrow between Japanese lead smelters and South Korean importers.

In addition, demand for automotive battery replacement increased in Japan due to hot summer. As a result, battery scrap generation increased.

However, supply and demand of lead battery scrap are expected to keep balanced thanks to Japanese battery makers’ high operations in the second half of fiscal 2010 ending in March 2011. The market price is likely to maintain stable. Battery makers’ demand for scrap will increase especially in the yearly demand season of November-December.