[SMM Stainless Steel Flash] Walsin Lihwa Forecasts Q2 2026 Growth Driven by Stainless Steel and Cable Sectors

On May 12, SMM #1 refined nickel prices fell 1,450 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Spot premiums: Jinchuan #1 refined nickel averaged 1,200 yuan/mt, unchanged from the previous trading day, and mainstream domestic electrodeposited nickel brands ranged from -700-500 yuan/mt.

Brazil's Secretariat of Foreign Trade (SECEX) issued Circular No. 33, confirming preliminary dumping and injury findings regarding hot-rolled stainless steel imports from China, Indonesia, and India. The calculated dumping margins are 50.1% for China, 25.3% for Indonesia, and 17.9% for India. However, authorities have opted not to impose provisional duties at this stage, citing the complexity of the multi-origin investigation and the need for further review. The final determination, which affects HRC and sheets with thicknesses of 2mm to 50.8mm (including NCM 7219 and 7220 headings), is scheduled for release on November 25, 2026.

Turkish exporter Nikel Paslanmaz has unveiled a $150 million investment plan to enhance its production and global reach. The company will spend $100 million on an integrated stainless steel bar facility in Sakarya, set for a late 2028 launch, and another $50 million on a 50,000-ton cold-rolling sheet plant in Kocaeli by late 2027. Internationally, it plans to establish a 50,000-ton stainless service center in the UK with a $4 million investment. Board member Kemal Yalgın emphasized that with Turkey importing nearly 700,000 tons of stainless steel annually, shifting toward integrated domestic production is a strategic necessity for the nation's industry.