Building Wire Market Price Slightly Surges, Tokyo

Market price of building wire is slightly surging around Tokyo. The price is around 860-880 yen per meter of cut length for 3-core 600 volt CVT (triplex-type XLPE cable) with 38 square millimeters of copper cross section and around 28 yen per meter for 2-core 600V VVF (vinyl insulated vinyl sheathed flat-type cable) with 1.6 mm diameter.

Japanese official copper ingot price reached 510,000 yen per tonne last week and building wire market price is following the copper price upsurge. Some cable makers and wholesalers seem delayed to reflect rapid increase of copper price on their selling price.

Price hike is difficult for cable makers and wholesalers when the demand for building wire keeps very stagnant. Some maker sources say the market price of 1.6mm-diameter 2-core 600V VVF should have already reached 30 yen per meter in comparison with copper ingot price. VVF market price dropped during January-March with severe demand decline and price competition.

Market price is slightly increasing for major items such as CVT. As to VVF, the bottom price is gradually pushed up along copper ingot price upsurge. VVF makers and wholesalers aim 30 yen per meter for 1.6mm-diameter 2-core 600V VVF in a short term.