Tokyo Steel Manufacturing Co Ltd said that it would lift prices of 10 of its products for delivery in January by around 1% to 3% on solid construction demand, although it would keep prices for 5 products unchanged.

The hike comes after Japan's biggest electric furnace steel- maker raised prices of all of its products for December delivery, the first such hike in nine months.

A company official said that "Demand for building and infrastructure materials has been strong and supply is expected to remain tight. Most of the price hike for December delivery has penetrated into the market, and we feel that we are ready to increase prices for some products for a second month in a row."

The company said that prices of H-shaped beams, the main product, will go up by JPY 1,000 or 1.3%, to JPY 80,000 (USD 780) per tonne, while prices for hot-rolled coils will stay flat at JPY 66,000 per tonne.