[ferro-alloys.com]Toyota Motor Corp. will maintain its automotive sheet prices for components makers steady over October-March from the previous six-month period, industry sources said Tuesday.

A trader in Tokyo said Toyota had started informing parts makers this week that it intends to keep autosheet prices for its centralized purchasing scheme for October-March unchanged from April-September, but will lift special steel bars and wire rods by around Yen 3,000/mt ($27/mt).

Officials from Toyota were unavailable for comment.

The trader said he heard that Toyota and integrated mills had settled on a rise in prices for auto sheet and special steel longs for April-September, but the extent of the increase was dependent on the product and grade. He said the hike for special steel long was greater to reflect tight supply.

"Toyota usually shifts the settlement with integrated mills for April-September to their supply prices to parts makers for October-March, but only partially for special steel longs. We are afraid Toyota's decision for parts makers this time will be for market prices for both of these products to rise," he said.

He said the market price of special steel bars and rods has risen more than Yen 10,000/mt since April.

Another trader in Tokyo said current HR sheet prices to components makers from Toyota are believed to be steady at around Yen 73,000/mt ($658/mt) and those for CR sheet at around Yen 85,000/mt.

NSSMC officials declined comment Tuesday, saying price negotiations were confidential, but confirmed the company had lifted its domestic sheet prices for spot sales and secondary processors by Yen 5,000/mt from June.

• [Editor:王可]