Firm Plate Price in Tokyo

Plate steel market price is enhancing with rising tone at around 120,000 yen per tonne for standard sized product with 19 millimeters thick, 5 feet width and 10 feet length and at around 145,000 yen for cut processed materials at dealers’ sites around Tokyo. The demand for shipbuilding and construction machinery keeps strong. Makers’ output is keeping up with the demand. The supply and demand is very tight. Users are expected to increase the order volume in the last half of fiscal 2008 at ended March 2009. Japanese steel plate makers will continue the price hike for stable supply.Nippon Steel raised plate selling price by 10,000 yen per tonne for the contract in August. JFE Steel announced the price hike by 10,000 yen per tonne for the contract in September, too.On the other hand the demand for building keeps low. The market price hit the selling due to slower shipment of dealers. However, dealers are seemed to raise the selling price by makers’ price hike.