Major Taiwanese upstream stainless steel producers, including Yieh United Steel Corp. (Yusco), Tang Eng Iron Works, and Walsin Lihwa, increased their prices for January amid a strengthening market. This upward trend was due to the US Federal Reserve’s ongoing interest rate cuts, which improved global liquidity and pushed up raw material costs. Besides, LME nickel prices surged to a nine-month high, exceeding US$16,600/ton after Indonesia announced production cuts.
Furthermore, China’s new export licensing system, effective on January 1, 2026, aims to stabilize international supply by curbing excessive exports. Although these cost and policy factors provide price support, market participants said that sustained growth depends on the recovery of actual end-user demand in the coming months.