Lower Angle, Channel Price in Tokyo

Market price of angle and channel steel decreased by 3,000 yen per tonne around Tokyo last week. The price is around 110,000 yen for equal angle with 6 millimeters thick and 50 mm width and 115,000 yen for channel with 5 mm thick, 50 by 100 mm width with around 5,000 yen of higher and lower prices. The price is getting lower when some angle transaction is as low as 105,000 yen. The price is likely to get lower when the price decreased by 13,000 yen from the peak while the makers already reduced the price by 20,000 yen for November order.

A dealer source said the order from the buyers gets lower and lower while the dealers’ shipment is already low level. The shipment decreases by more than 10% from October level when the actual demand decreases and the buyers try to minimize the purchase with expectation for lower price. The transaction price gets lower under the buyers’ market.

JFE Bars & Shapes and other makers will announce the new price for December order in early this week. The price is expected to decrease when ferrous scrap purchase price by electric furnace steel makers decreased by near 60,000 yen per tonne despite of recent 3,000 yen rebound. The dealers watch the makers’ move including major output reduction for better supply balance.