Weak Plate Steel Price in Tokyo

Plate steel market price is decreasing to 105,000 yen per tonne for standard sized products with 19 millimeters thick, 5 feet width and 10 feet length and around 110,000 yen for cut processed materials around Tokyo. Dealers have advanced the inventory adjustment against decreasing sales. The demand keeps low from building materials, construction machines and industrial machines.

Shearing processors’ inventory is increasing. There are few plate trades among shearing processors. Processing charge is depressed when plate makers haven’t decreased their selling price.

Dealers’ sales volume keeps low. A shearing processor said the demand is worsening month by month. Operating rate of shearing processors is as low as 50%. Users are reducing plate orders due to anticipation of a price fall.