Firm Cr Series Stainless Price, Weak Ni Series in Tokyo

Stainless cold rolled flat steel market price is 500,000 yen per tonne for SUS304 grade base size and at around 270,000 yen for SUS430 at the dealers’ sites around Tokyo. The price is flat for nickel series products while the chrome series price is firm with firm demand. The price could keep firm for chrome series products with pressure by chrome cost while the nickel series products’ price keeps weak with seasonal slow demand during summer vacation. The nickel series products’ demand is also firm in volume when the national processors’ sales keep more than 30,000 tonnes for April-June. However, the dealer source said the mood is weak despite of the volume level. The chrome series products’ price is expected to keep firm until autumn. Nippon Steel & Sumikin Stainless Steel (NSSC) tries to pass higher chrome cost on the market under the alloy link price mechanism. JFE Steel also studies potential price hike. A maker source said ferrochrome price could increase for another year.