Firm Plate Price in Tokyo

Plate steel market price is increasing at around 120,000 yen per tonne for product with 19 millimeters thick, 5 feet width and 10 feet length and at 145,000 yen for cut processed materials at dealers’ sites around Tokyo. The supply keeps tight due to limited reserve capacity of domestic makers under strong demand for shipbuilding, construction machinery and energy. The price could increase with pressure by makers and distributors despite of very slow demand condition. The supply is expected to get tighter in and after October when major building projects start the construction stage. Nippon Steel and JFE Steel increase the selling price by 10,000 yen per tonne for distributors. However, the dealers’ shipment is very slow. The sales decreased by around 10% in August from a year earlier, according to Tokyo Steel Product Dealers Association. The demand keeps slow in September when the small- and mid-sized building activity slows down. The dealers try to manage to pass higher cost price under the slow demand.