[SMM Stainless Steel Flash] Chinese Taiwan's Stainless Steel Exports Rebound to Fuel Factory Optimism

Published: Jun 18, 2026 09:46
Chinese Taiwan's stainless steel sector showed a broad recovery in May, with export volumes rising 22% MoM to a yearly high of approximately 77,000 tons while export pricing climbed to its highest level in over a year, confirming international buyers' acceptance of consecutive stainless steel mill price hikes. Incoming shipments fell below recent monthly thresholds, easing market disruption from cheap foreign materials. The turnaround marks an end to a prolonged industry downturn dating back to 2023. With seven consecutive months of domestic price increases and strengthening global demand, markets are expecting a substantial improvement in corporate earnings ahead.

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn
For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn
Related News
[SMM Nickel Morning Meeting Summary] US June nonfarm payrolls added 57,000, missing expectations, and the most-traded SHFE nickel contract surged to the 128,000 yuan level in early trading before pulling back slightly.
36 mins ago
[SMM Nickel Morning Meeting Summary] US June nonfarm payrolls added 57,000, missing expectations, and the most-traded SHFE nickel contract surged to the 128,000 yuan level in early trading before pulling back slightly.
Read More
[SMM Nickel Morning Meeting Summary] US June nonfarm payrolls added 57,000, missing expectations, and the most-traded SHFE nickel contract surged to the 128,000 yuan level in early trading before pulling back slightly.
[SMM Nickel Morning Meeting Summary] US June nonfarm payrolls added 57,000, missing expectations, and the most-traded SHFE nickel contract surged to the 128,000 yuan level in early trading before pulling back slightly.
[July 6 Morning Briefing] The US added 57,000 nonfarm jobs in June, below market expectations of an increase of 110,000. The combined job gains for April and May were revised down by 74,000. The most-traded SHFE nickel 2609 contract surged to the 128,000 yuan/mt level in early trading before pulling back slightly, and by the end of the morning session it was reported at 127,190 yuan/mt, up 0.59%. The US nonfarm payrolls report came in surprisingly weak, leading the market to turn more cautious on the employment outlook. Expectations for US Fed interest rate hikes cooled markedly, and the US dollar fell sharply, providing a catalyst for a rebound in nickel prices. In the short term, nickel prices are expected to be in the doldrums in the 125,000-135,000 yuan/mt range.
36 mins ago
[SMM Analysis]NPI Prices Slump as Futures Decline and Demand Weakens; Market Sees Limited Transactions
Jul 4, 2026 12:03
[SMM Analysis]NPI Prices Slump as Futures Decline and Demand Weakens; Market Sees Limited Transactions
Read More
[SMM Analysis]NPI Prices Slump as Futures Decline and Demand Weakens; Market Sees Limited Transactions
[SMM Analysis]NPI Prices Slump as Futures Decline and Demand Weakens; Market Sees Limited Transactions
The average price of SMM 10-12% high-grade NPI fell WoW by 13.3 yuan/nickel unit to 1,133.7 yuan/nickel unit (ex-factory, tax included), and the average price of the Indonesian NPI FOB index fell WoW by $0.31/nickel unit to $146.69/nickel unit. This week, the high-grade NPI market remained in the doldrums under a supply-demand tug-of-war and persistently sluggish trading, with prices under pressure overall.
Jul 4, 2026 12:03
[SMM Analysis] Weak Nickel Caps Chinese Stainless Steel Futures in a Tight Range as Mill Price Discipline
Jul 3, 2026 18:19
[SMM Analysis] Weak Nickel Caps Chinese Stainless Steel Futures in a Tight Range as Mill Price Discipline
Read More
[SMM Analysis] Weak Nickel Caps Chinese Stainless Steel Futures in a Tight Range as Mill Price Discipline
[SMM Analysis] Weak Nickel Caps Chinese Stainless Steel Futures in a Tight Range as Mill Price Discipline
SMM Weekly Stainless Steel Futures Review — week of June 29 – July 3, 2026. Weak nickel and a softening off-season demand backdrop offset firm mill pricing and low inventories, steadying the benchmark contract near RMB 14,655/mt
Jul 3, 2026 18:19