Lead Scrap Market Price Slightly Rebounds in Tokyo

Market price of lead scrap slightly rebounded by 2 yen per kilogram around Tokyo on Monday, when Mitsubishi Materials revised up its lead ingot selling price by 6,000 yen to 151,000 yen per tonne, the market indicator. The market price became around 45-55 yen per kg for high grade scrap, 30-35 yen per kg for electrode plate scrap and 40-45 yen per kg for typographic lead scrap. Some secondary lead smelters and typographic lead makers pay as high as 65 yen for high grade scrap and 60 yen for typographic lead scrap.

Lead price at London Metal Exchange has fluctuated in a narrow range around US$ 1,100 per tonne since the beginning of this year. Lead inventory at warehouses designated by LME hasn’t increased so much though LME inventories of copper, aluminium and zinc have expanded. A source of Japanese secondary lead smelter said, LME lead price seems more stable than other nonferrous metals.

Lead scrap supply and demand are balanced at the low level in Tokyo when both demand and generation are decreasing. Meanwhile, the secondary lead smelter said, lead scrap generation volume fluctuates every month. Some scrap dealers are increasing lead scrap stocks with a concern that scrap generation might stop when LME lead price turns upward. Scrap dealers are accelerating the purchase since LME lead price keeps stable.