On May 25th, 2018, China Steel Corporation (CSC) held domestic price meeting for the third quarter (July– September) shipment and released the following statement: 
In April, IMF estimated global GDP 3.9% for 2018 and raised that of developed countries to 2.5%. Eurozone maintained Quantitative Easing (QE) on stable economy and positive prospects. US PMI kept soaring with financial deregulations prompting robust economy. China economy was going moderately with streamlining economy structure and striking balance between domestic demand and infrastructure investment. Benefiting from rosy export and industrial production, Taiwan economy is lukewarm with strengthened capital expenditure in H2(second half year) 2018.

The World Steel Association (worldsteel) forecasted steel consumption will edge up 1.8% on bullish global GDP in 2018. International steel price was continually on the rise coupled with China strengthening supply-side reform and tightening environmental monitor that led to export down by 20% on y-o-y basis, while Japan and Korea steel mills cut production due to facility outage and maintenance. Hot roll coil (HRC) price of April shipment hit US$970/MT in US, US$670-700/MT in Europe with export offer US$630-650/MT by northeastern players. Although China steel price edged down in early Q2 shortly after steel mills resumed from winter production cut, Baowu and Angang hiked HRC by US$23-35/MT for Jun shipment on account of stabilized steel-consuming demand and inventory destocking.

Taiwan's GDP was stronger than expected in Q1 meanwhile various infrastructure projects were announced in Q2. The prospect of Taiwan market is positive, reflected from uprising export of screw/nut/hand tool manufacturers. New Taiwan Dollar was depreciating by 2% against last quarter. In view of trade protectionism such as EU safeguard and the USA Section 232, CSC keeps cold roll coil (CRC), electro-galvanized (EG) and electrical steel (ES) unchanged and moderately increase the prices for other steel by an average NTD 426/MT, or 1.9% equivalently in Q3.