Fluctuations in iron scrap prices

「While raw material prices (iron scrap) fell by ¥3.5 thousand, or 7.4%, from the previous fiscal year on a full-year basis, in the fourth quarter export prices rose, affected by international market movements driven by the weakening yen and rising tensions in the Middle East, among other factors, sending domestic prices sharply higher.」

「鉄スクラップ価格は上昇基調が続いています。」

「The company sought to maintain product prices by focusing on production in line with demand, but they fell by ¥1.8 thousand, or 1.7%. Meanwhile, ferrous scrap prices rose by ¥0.5 thousand, or 1.0%, causing the selling and purchasing price spread, the difference between product and raw material prices, to narrow by ¥2.3 thousand, or 4.2%.」

「Ferrous scrap prices fell by ¥2.9 thousand, or 5.3%, year on year as global demand for steel products slowed amid the downturn in China's property market and other factors. Meanwhile, product prices rose by ¥4.9 thousand, or 4.8%, as the company worked to raise them against a backdrop of higher manufacturing and freight costs, widening the selling and purchasing price spread, the difference between product and raw material prices, by ¥7.7 thousand, or 16.5%.」

「Ferrous scrap prices remained weak from April onward and fell by ¥5.2 thousand, or 9.3%, year on year, but product prices rose by ¥6.5 thousand, or 6.5%, as the company worked to raise and maintain them. As a result, the selling and purchasing price spread, the difference between product and raw material prices, widened by ¥11.8 thousand, or 27.0%.」

「Ferrous scrap prices remained weak from April onward and fell by ¥11.0 thousand, or 17.7%, year on year, but product prices rose by ¥9.0 thousand, or 9.2%, as the company worked to raise and maintain them against a backdrop of higher costs, including electricity and transportation costs. As a result, the selling and purchasing price spread widened by ¥20.0 thousand, or 56.3%.」

「Meanwhile, iron scrap prices remained below expectations, widening the spread between selling and purchasing prices (the difference between product prices and raw material prices).」

「However, because steel scrap prices fell below expectations, the trading spread, the difference between product prices and raw material prices, expanded.」

「As steel scrap prices, which had been trending upward year on year, began to decline after peaking in late April, customers in the domestic construction steel market adopted a wait-and-see stance and demand remained sluggish. However, because steel scrap prices fell below expectations, the trading spread, the difference between product prices and raw material prices, expanded.」

「Ferrous scrap prices rose by ¥23.0 thousand, or 77.2%, from the previous fiscal year, but product price increases were limited to ¥18.2 thousand, or 28.3%, causing the selling and purchasing price spread to narrow by ¥4.8 thousand, or 13.7%.」

「Ferrous scrap prices surged again after the end of September, and the selling and purchasing price spread, the source of profit, narrowed year on year, resulting in continued challenging business conditions.」

「Product prices rose by ¥14.6 thousand per ton, or 23.2%, year on year, but ferrous scrap prices rose by ¥25.4 thousand, or 107.2%, causing the selling and purchasing price spread, the difference between product and raw material prices, to narrow by ¥10.8 thousand, or 27.5%.」

「Product prices rose by ¥10.4 thousand per ton, or 16.4%, year on year, but ferrous scrap prices rose by ¥25.4 thousand, or 116.7%, causing the selling and purchasing price spread to narrow by ¥15.0 thousand, or 35.9%.」

「Steel scrap prices had continued to rise gradually from the beginning of the period, but surged in November last year in response to the prospect of China resuming steel scrap imports and other factors, and continued to trend upward thereafter.」

「Meanwhile, steel scrap prices, the raw material, surged during the third quarter of the fiscal period and remained on a strong trend, due to a decline in scrap generation accompanying the stagnation of economic activity and the growing prospect of China resuming steel scrap imports.」

「Steel scrap prices, the raw material, turned upward from late May due to overseas factors, but fell by ¥6.4 thousand per tonne, or 21.2%, year on year.」

「In the domestic construction steel market, a major source of demand for our Group, customers continued to take a wait-and-see approach and make hand-to-mouth purchases as steel scrap prices remained low, resulting in generally weak market conditions.」

「Meanwhile, steel scrap market conditions, which had been trending downward since April, bottomed out and turned upward from November. However, prices remained below initial expectations, expanding the trading spread, the difference between product prices and raw material prices that generates profit.」

「However, steel scrap prices trended downward from the beginning of the period, expanding the selling-price spread, the difference between product prices and raw material prices, which is the source of profit.」

「In addition, the rise in steel scrap prices, the raw material, which had continued since the beginning of the year, stopped, and market conditions continued to soften from April, expanding the trading spread, the difference between product prices and raw material prices that generates profit.」

「Steel scrap prices, the raw material, remained weak globally due to the impact of trade friction between the United States and China and other factors, expanding the trading spread, the difference between product prices and raw material prices that generates profit.」

「In addition, steel scrap prices, the raw material, turned upward from July, but the gradual pass-through of product price increases progressed, improving the trading spread, the difference between product prices and raw material prices that generates profit.」

「In addition, the rise in steel scrap prices, the raw material, which had continued since last summer, stopped, and prices moved sideways at a high level, resulting in an improvement in the trading spread, the difference between product prices and raw material prices that generates profit.」

「Although product price increases were implemented, steel scrap prices, the raw material, remained in a high range, narrowing the trading spread, the difference between product prices and raw material prices that generates profit.」

「Steel scrap prices, the raw material, rose further under the influence of demand for steel products in China, narrowing the trading spread, the difference between product prices and raw material prices that generates profit.」

「Steel scrap prices, the raw material, surged from July onward under the influence of demand for steel products in China, narrowing the trading spread, the difference between product prices and raw material prices that generates profit.」

「Steel scrap prices, the raw material, rose at the beginning of the period before turning downward, leading to growing expectations of lower product prices, while our Group worked to maintain and raise product prices.」

「Steel scrap prices, the raw material, surged from mid-October and remained at high levels.」

「Product prices fell by ¥9.9 thousand per tonne year on year, while steel scrap prices, the raw material, fell by only ¥3.7 thousand, narrowing the trading spread, the source of profit, by ¥6.1 thousand.」

「Steel scrap prices, the raw material, fell by ¥3.9 thousand per tonne, or 15.3%, year on year, but product prices fell by a further ¥11.4 thousand, or 19.0%, narrowing the trading spread, the difference between product and raw material prices that generates profit, by ¥7.5 thousand, or 21.8%.」

「Steel scrap, the principal raw material, may experience sharp price fluctuations because supply and demand for steel scrap can change significantly in response to steel production trends in East Asian countries, particularly China and South Korea.」