Brazilian steelmaker Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (SID), or CSN, is about to raise its flat steel prices by 12.9%, the Estado news agency reported Tuesday.

Estado said the information source was Brazil's second-largest independent steel distributor, Frefer.

According to Frefer, CSN has indicated it will apply the increase from September 7.

CSN told Estado it wouldn't comment on the subject.

Estado also reported market sources as saying another Brazilian steel company, Usiminas (USIM5.BR), had raised its flat steel prices by between 10% and 12% recently.

According to Estado, Usiminas also increased thick steel plate prices by 10%. Owing to the economic crisis, this product had been sold at a discount of 30%.

Thick steel plate is used in shipbuilding and oil industry heavy equipment and pipelines.

Frefer also said it expected Brazil's other steelmakers, ArcelorMittal (MT) and Gerdau SA (GGB), to follow suit in raising prices.

-By John Kolodziejski, Dow Jones Newswires; 55-21-2586-6086; John.Kolodziejski@dowjones.com