Taiwan’s China Steel Corp (CSC) will keep its domestic list prices unchanged for December, the company said, citing a mixed outlook for global and regional demand.
CSC noted that although US interest-rate cuts may support economic activity and Europe’s recovery is improving modestly, China continues to face export pressure and a weak property market. The IMF expects global GDP growth to ease slightly to 3.2pct this year and 3.1pct next year. Taiwan’s economy, supported by semiconductors and AI hardware, is forecast to grow more than 5.5pct this year, but traditional industries still face soft end-user demand and rising supply chain risks.
Raw material trends were also mixed. Iron ore hovered around USD 100-105 per ton, while metallurgical coal rose to USD 195-200 per ton, lifting steelmaking costs. US HRC prices climbed to USD 960-970 per ton, EU prices rebounded to USD 700-710 per ton following new quota rules, and Chinese policies continued to push structural upgrades and capacity cuts. Baosteel kept December flat steel prices unchanged, as did Formosa Ha Tinh in Vietnam. Asian export offers softened slightly, resulting in a weak but stable regional price trend.
CSC said its decision aligns with year-end inventory adjustments and slowing demand recovery at home and abroad. With downstream sectors still facing competitive pressure, keeping December prices flat aims to maintain market stability and support customer competitiveness, while the company continues to promote diversified solutions to secure orders.
