Weak Structural Steel Bar Price around Tokyo

Structural steel bar market price would decline from 120,000-123,000 yen per tonne for machine structural use and around 145,000 yen for chrome molybdenum steel around Tokyo. However, the inventory adjustment progresses and the demand is increasing.

The shipment of structural steel bar recovered to 70-80% level of the peak. However, the demand remains low for construction machinery. The dealers’ shipment is 50-60% level of a year earlier level when the inventory adjustment by construction machinery parts makers delays. One major dealer source said the inventory adjustment progressed when the dealers reduced the purchase significantly. The shipment does not increase and the dealers expect the shipment could increase by 10-20% by December.

The shipment decreased by 7.7% to 75,000 tonnes in August from July, according to the special steel dealers’ group. The shipment was about half of the peak. However, the supply and demand balance gap is shrinking when the inventory decreased.