Plate Price to Decline in Tokyo

Plate steel market price would decrease from 87,000 yen per tonne for standard size products with 19 millimeters thick, 5 feet width and 10 feet length and 95,000 yen for cut processed material around Tokyo. The dealers’ shipment to construction slows excluding a few projects. The market price would decrease more despite of the dealers’ effort to keep the price.

The demand is expected to remain low around Tokyo for the rest of the year, a dealer sources said. While steel frame demand shows sign to bottom out, small- and ?mid sized construction is expected to stay at low level.

Despite the demand slowdown, the dealers have been held the price due to high integrated steel makers’ selling price. In addition, the dealers expect the demand would not increase even when they would reduce the selling price.

However, Tokyo Steel Manufacturing’s selling price decreased to 68,000 yen per tonne for November shipment. The price gap between integrated steels and Tokyo Steel Manufacturing increases. The price lower price also helps the market price decrease.