Ningbo HRC Inventory Drops 1.58% WoW, Down 21.64% YoY

【SMM Steel】South Africa's ITAC issued an affirmative final AD ruling on certain flat-rolled steel from China, Japan, and Taiwan. Chinese exporters face 6.99-47.92% duties; Japan 44.95-57.23%; Taiwan 24.20%. Products are ≥600mm wide iron, non-alloy or alloy steel, including HR coils/plate, pickled & oiled, hot-rolled, or uncoated. Excludes stainless and GOES. Duties protect the SACU market from unfair pricing.

【SMM Steel】Taiwan's steel plate market faces a severe supply crunch as Japanese, South Korean, and Malaysian suppliers halt new orders. Japanese and Korean mills normally supply 80-90% of Taiwan's needs. Hyundai Steel's Q1 orders are full; Japanese mills cut exports to avoid AD issues. Malaysian mills, reliant on Chinese parent plants serving other markets, show little interest. The shortage is stabilizing local prices but hurting end-users.

【SMM Steel】South Korea's KTC on Feb 23, 2026, requested five-year AD duties on Chinese and Japanese hot-rolled steel after an affirmative final ruling. Rates: China 28.16-33.10%, Japan 31.58-33.43%. Price undertakings were approved for some firms. Products covered under numerous HS codes.