According to SMM, although the center of quoted prices for high-grade NPI has risen, the upstream smelters are still facing cost inversion, and their willingness to sell remains low. On the consumption side, due to the price correction and the lack of significant improvement in end-use consumption, downstream stainless steel mills have limited acceptance of the prices. Overall, the price center continues to rise, but both upstream and downstream players have low willingness to trade at the current prices, with fixed-price transactions in the market dominated by traders.