Copper Plate Price Keeps Flat in Tokyo

Copper sheet market price keeps flat at around 1,095 yen per kilogram for small sized products with 0.3 millimeters thick and at around 1,265 yen per kg for large sized products with 2 mm thick in Tokyo.Copper product dealers prepared for price reduction last week when Japanese official copper ingot price continued decreasing in February, which is the indicator for copper related product prices. However, the official price rebounded by 20,000 yen to 710,000 yen per tonne on Tuesday. Market dealers changed their stances to keep the reselling price flat for a while.The wholesalers cannot decrease their reselling prices with several factors. One is that copper plate makers are trying to raise their rolling charges toward the end of March 2007. The wholesalers must absorb cost price up by themselves if they decrease the reselling price.Another factor is that the wholesalers still hold inventories purchased at much higher prices last year. The dealers keep the reselling price at the profitable level, even though copper plate shipment maintains inactive to reflect adjustment in semiconductor market.Copper plate market price could keep flat for a while unless copper ingot price plunges down again.