Firm H-Beam Price in Tokyo

H-beam market price is firm at around 115,000 yen per tonne without freight from dealers’ warehouse for 200 by 100 millimeters width around Tokyo. Buyers’ speculative purchase with expectation for higher price lifted the price when the dealers try to pass higher cost price on the market after Nippon Steel announced additional 8,000 yen hike on April 9. The market price could increase more. The dealers see the buyers reduce the purchase volume in April after they built inventory in February-March. Some dealers report the order receipt decreases by around 15% from March and their inventory increases. The dealers’ inventory balance improves though the inventory had some stock out sizes before and some dealers consider around 20% reduce for new order to makers. Tokyo Steel Manufacturing is expected to increase the selling price again at announcement on April 21 when the firm increased the spot selling price by 3,000 yen to 123,000 yen per tonne to cover higher scrap price. The dealers’ selling price level is likely to increase more with support by higher price expectation of market players.