Taiwan’s upstream stainless steel mills released their January price lists before the New Year holiday, delivering a substantial increase for 304 hot-rolled and cold-rolled products. The price rose by NT$5,000/ton, representing the largest jump in nearly three years. This sharp climb was due to rising costs from Indonesia’s Tsingshan, which implemented multiple price hikes on hot-rolled black coils.
In the distribution market, some sellers immediately raised quotes for 304 cold-rolled coils. Mills and distributors remain in negotiations over final ex-factory figures, and the upward trend appears firm.
Market activity previously showed signs of a rebound, but the scale of this January adjustment exceeded initial expectations. Precise mainstream pricing will become clearer next week as the industry reacts to these new costs.