Japan Copper Scrap Price Drops with Lower Appetite from China

Japanese copper scrap export price is decreasing when the largest buyer of China reduces the purchase before a week long holiday from October 1 along with adjustment of international copper price. Japanese exporters are cautious to secure the material when Chinese demand couldn’t recover until November.

Japanese copper scrap export to China represents around 90% of the total export. Japanese copper scrap export decreases usually before Chinese holiday including Chinese New Year and Chinese National Day. The export could decrease more than usual due to slower demand condition when Chinese copper scrap export decreases since June after the large volume of import earlier the year. Peaking international copper market also impacts on copper scrap demand. Potential price decrease cools Chinese buyers’ appetite.

Japanese scrap price decreases mainly for mixed scrap containing ferrous scrap while the price was firm before. The export price decreased by 5-10 yen per kilogram for machinery mixed scrap for Chinese buyers from recent transaction of 55-60 yen. The domestic exporters’ scrap purchase price decreases to less than 50 yen while the purchase price decreases to 310-320 yen for higher grade brass with limited content of ferrous scrap from 330-340 yen in mid-September.