Japan Integrated Steels Target US$ 100 Tin Plate Export Hike

Japanese integrated steel makers’ tin plate and tin mill black plate export price increases in January-March shipment from October-December. The users would accept the price hike. The bid of users in Middle East is about US$ 50 per tone higher than the level in October-December. However, Japanese integrated steels try to realize US$ 100 hike to pass higher cost for steelmaking raw material and tin.

Middle East is test market for world tin products when the users in Middle East depend on import for almost all required flat steel to make can and the users’ import price change is more dynamic than other markets. The Japanese integrated steels expect they can get higher export price from the users when the Middle Eastern users increase the bid by around US$ 50 per tonne for January-March shipment from October-December.

However, the integrated steels continue the negotiation to realize about US$ 100 per tonne higher price at C&F US$ 1,400 for tin plate and US$ 1,100 for tin mill black plate to improve the profitability.

The can material steel price in Asia slightly decreased in October-December shipment when Chinese tin plate maker, which manufactures the product from not tin mill black plate but normal hot rolled coil, offered lower price to increase the export. The price is getting bottom recently. Baoshan Iron & Steel in China apparently notifies the domestic buyers of the intention to keep the price for January shipment while Baosteel eyes price hike in and after February.