Taiwan's stainless steel mills still adopt individual negotiations for flat steel product prices for June. However, downstream quotations remain at May levels, displaying an upward trajectory. Despite downstream players' intentions to raise circulation prices in line with steel mills' announcements, market conditions dictate their actions.

Following announcements by Taiwan's stainless steel factories last week regarding maintaining individual negotiations for June rates, downstream manufacturers are being quoted one after another. Price increases from various factories have largely remained at about NT$1.5 per kilogram at the beginning of this week. This is attributed to recent high procurement costs of raw and imported materials, coupled with continued reliance on export orders.

While circulation prices typically follow steel mill increases, the recovery of terminal demand has delayed the market's response to the upstream raises. Consequently, circulation prices continue to be adjusted based on industry peers and prevailing market conditions.