HANOI, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The price of construction steel in Vietnam is on the rise despite weak demand triggered by standstill real estate and infrastructure development projects, according to industry insiders.

The selling price of steel in the capital Hanoi is 18 million Vietnamese dong (762 U.S. dollars) per tonne, which is approaching its peak recorded in mid-2022, local newspaper Vietnam News reported on Friday.

This year the steel price may not reach its peak as in 2022, but it is on the rise because the actual demand is not high, the newspaper said, citing Nguyen Van Sua, a steel industry expert.

According to Hoang Cuong, a local iron and steel dealer, since the beginning of this year, steel prices have increased seven times.

According to the Vietnam Steel Association, the selling price of finished steel has increased slower than the growth rate of input materials, affecting the performance of steelmakers.