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On February 28, 2025, the South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) decided to initiate an anti-dumping investigation into HRC imported from China and Japan. This decision was made based on a petition from domestic steel mills.For more information about the incident, follow the article below by MRS Group.Steel imports from China and Japan are under investigationDetails of the incidentPlaintiff: Hyundai Steel Co., LtdDefendant: Japan: JFE Shoji Corporation, Nippon Steel Trading Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation Global Metals Co., Ltd., Dongkuk Corporation, Seah Japan Co,. Ltd, Young Steel Co,.Ltd.China: Benxi Iron and Steel Group International Economic and Trading Co,. Ltd., Dalian Woo Ho Hongkong International Ltd., Howa Trading Co,. Ltd., Sharpmap International Hongkong Co,. Ltđ, and Sino Commodities International Pte,. Ltd.Items under investigation: Hot-rolled coilHS code: The products in question fall under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of Korea numbers HSK: 7208101000, 7208109000, 7208251000, 7208259000, 7208261000, 7208269000, 7208271000, 7208279000, 7208361000, 7208369000, 7208371000, 7208379000, 7208381000, 7208389000, 7208391000, 7208399000, 7208400000, 7208531000, 7208539000, 7208541000, 7208549000, 7208900000, 7211130000, 7211141000, 7211149000, 7211191000, 7211199000, 7225301000, 7225309010, 7225309091, 7225309092, 7225401000, 7225309099, 7225409092, 7226200000, 7226911000, 7226912000 và 7226919000.The plaintiff in the case is Hyundai Steel Co,.LtdWhy does Korea impose tariffs on Japan and China? South Korea decided to investigate and possibly impose anti-dumping duties on HRC imported from Japan and China for the following main reasons:Dumping damages the domestic steel industryIn the petition, Hyundai Steel claimed that hot-rolled coil from Japan and China was priced 10-30% lower than the prices of Hyundai Steel's and POSCO's own products. This puts pressure on prices and profits at domestic manufacturing enterprises.Protect domestic industryThe steel industry is a strategic industry in Korea, contributing greatly to the economy and employment. Importing cheap steel in large quantities could make domestic producers unable to compete, leading to a decline in production. Specifically, according to information from the Korea Steel Association, from January 2024 to November 2024, Korea imported 3.43 million tons HRC, of which China was 1.53 million tons and Japan was 1.77 million tons, accounting for a total of 96.2% of total imports.Increased inventory and decreased profitsCheap steel from China and Japan is flooding the Korean market, causing domestic inventories to rise. This reduces revenue and forces businesses to reduce prices, directly affecting profit margin.Korea's steel industry is under threatWhat opportunities are there for steel industry?South Korea's investigation and the possible imposition of anti-dumping duties on HRC from Japan and China could open up many opportunities for the steel industry.Increase steel exports to South KoreaIf anti-dumping duties are imposed, steel from China and Japan will become pricier in South Korea. This is an opportunity for steel enterprises to increase exports to this market with more competitive price advantages. Steel products that can be concentrated include hot-rolled coil, cold rolled coil, and galvanized steel coil.Expanding market share in Southeast AsiaChina may increase exports to Southeast Asian nations as a result of restrictions in South Korea. If maintains and expands trade defense measures such as the recently applied anti-dumping duty, domestic enterprises can gain an advantage at home and in the region. increase exports to South Korea as China and Japan face tariffsOpportunities to increase domestic supply chainsIf it reduces its dependence on imported steel, the steel industry can expand its domestic supply chain, from raw materials to finished products. This trait also helps reduce the risk of trade defense measures from abroad.To take advantage of opportunities to boost exports hot-rolled coil to the Korean market. However, it also comes with significant challenges:Price competition: This is not only an opportunity but also for other countries in the region. Countries with low production costs will have a more competitive price advantage.Quality requirements: Korea and developed countries require high-quality standards, requiring to invest more heavily in production technology.Sources of raw materials:  steel production still relies heavily on imported materials, which puts pressure on costs.The article on MRS Group has provided you with the latest information about the case of Korea conducting an anti-dumping duty investigation against China and Japan. Stay tuned to MRS for the latest updates on the incident.

On March 3, 2025, the Mexican Ministry of Economy officially initiated an anti-dumping investigation on hot rolled steel imports from ChinaThis move aims to protect Mexico’s domestic steel industry from the risk of unfair competition posed by low-priced imported goods.Reason for initiating the investigationThe investigation was launched following a petition filed by Ternium México, S.A. de C.V., one of Mexico’s leading steel manufacturers. The company alleged that HRC imports from China are being sold at prices lower than their fair market value, causing material injury to the domestic industry. According to the petition, this dumping practice has placed significant pressure on local steel producers, necessitating government intervention to maintain fair competition.The exporters under investigation include:China: Major companies such as Ansteel Group, Baoshan Iron & Steel, Jiangsu Shagang Group, among others.Scope and objectives of the investigationAccording to the Mexican Ministry of Economy, the investigation covers hot rolled steel, including flat steel products made of iron or carbon steel, whether pickled or unpickled and uncoated, with a maximum thickness of 25.4mm.The relevant tariff codes fall under HS 7208.10.03; 7208.25.02; 7208.26.01; 7208.27.01; 7208.36.01; 7208.37.01; 7208.38.01; 7208.39.01; 7208.40.02; 7208.51.04; 7208.52.01; 7208.53.01; 7208.54.01, 7208.90.99; 7211.13.01; 7211.14.91; 7211.19.99; 7225.30.91; 7225.40.91; and 7226.91.07 of the Mexican HTS.The dumping investigation period is set from September 1, 2023, to August 31, 2024, while the injury analysis period spans from September 1, 2019, to August 31, 2024. The primary objective of the investigation is to determine whether imported steel from China  poses a threat of material injury to Mexican domestic steel industry.The relevant tariff codes for the investigation include HS 7208 and 7211 under the Mexican HTSSince China are classified as non-market economies (NME) by Mexico, the Ministry of Economy has applied the surrogate country methodology to determine the normal value of the imported steel. Specifically, Brazil has been chosen as the reference country, meaning that the price of hot rolled steel in Brazil will be used as a benchmark to compare with the export prices from China. If the export prices are significantly lower than those in Brazil, this may serve as evidence of dumping. Hoa Phat exported 8,000 tons of rebar to Mexico in 2022 

Recently, on February 21, 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued a decision to apply a temporary anti dumping duty on some hot - rolled coil (HRC) products imported from China. The range of relevant duty rates is 19.38% to 27.83%.For a more thorough analysis of the situation, read the article from MRS Steel below. an anti-dumping duty on Chinese HRCBackground and causes of the incidentItems under investigation: Hot-rolled coil HS Code: 7208.25.00, 7208.26.00, 7208.27.19, 7208.27.99, 7208.36.00, 7208.37.00, 7208.38.00, 7208.39.20, 7208.39.40, 7208.39.90, 7208.51.00, 7208.52.00, 7208.53.00, 7208.54.90, 7208.90.90, 7211.14.15, 7211.14.16, 7211.14.19, 7211.19.13, 7211.19.19, 7211.90.12, 7211.90.19, 7225.30.90, 7225.40.90, 7225.99.90, 7226.91.10, 7226.91.90Plaintiff: Hoa Phat Group and Formosa Ha Tinh Steel CorporationPeriod of investigation: 26/7/2024Duty decision date: 21/02/2025Cheap imported steel damages the domestic steel industryDetails of the duty decisionThe duty rates applicable to Chinese enterprises are as follows:Baoshan Iron & Steel, Maanshan Iron & Steel: 27,83%Guangxi Liuzhou Iron and Steel Group: 19,38%.The Ministry of Industry and Trade collaborated with pertinent organizations throughout the inquiry to examine and evaluate the effects of dumping on the domestic manufacturing industry. The agency also investigated the level of dumping by Indian and Chinese exporters. According to the investigation's findings, HRC steel from India is exempt from anti-dumping duty because the country's import rate is so low, less than 3% despite the evidence of dumping. The application period is 120 days from the date of effect, and the provisional anti-dumping duty goes into force 15 days after the decision is made. Following the implementation of interim anti-dumping levies, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will keep collaborating with pertinent stakeholders to gather and validate data. It is believed that a temporary anti-dumping tariff must be implemented in order to shield the domestic steel industry from pressure from low-cost imported steel.The duty takes effect after 15 days and is applicable for 120 daysImpact of this decisionFor domestic steel millsSafeguard domestic steel mills: Enterprises such as Hoa Phat Group and Formosa Ha Tinh Corporation will benefit when cheap steel imports from China are restricted. This helps to reduce unfair competition and promote the development of domestic enterprises.Increasing domestic output: Domestic steel mills are encouraged to invest in increasing output and raising the caliber of their products when the importation of steel products declines. Additionally, growing output lessens reliance on imports, improving steel industry initiative.  

The Indian government will need to carefully consider the interests of all stakeholders before making a final decision on imposing anti-dumping duties on HRC steel imports.The recent anti-dumping investigation into HRC imports has been met with strong opposition from the Indian steel user community. They fear that the imposition of such duties could lead to higher steel prices, negatively impacting industries that depend on steel, such as automotive parts, agricultural tools,...Balancing trade protection and steel user interests in India's HRC probeAccording to Upkar Singh Ahuja, President of the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) in Punjab, "We do not want anti-dumping duties applied." He argues that imposing these duties would create a financial burden on SMEs, raising input costs and reducing their competitiveness. Some industrialists oppose the anti-dumping duties on HRC, concerned that large steel corporations in India might gain monopolistic control over the market by raising prices unreasonably.Akash Bassi, Vice President of CICU, also emphasized that anti-dumping measures could hinder free trade, create trade conflicts and disrupt supply chains. Other industry representatives, such as Honey Sethi and Rajnish Ahuja, also noted that the steel industry is currently profitable, the additional duties are unnecessary and could threaten the sustainability of SMEs.India's anti-dumping investigation into HRC imports is generating mixed opinions within the industry. While some large producers support the duties to protect their interests, many SMEs are concerned that this will increase production costs, reduce competitiveness and harm the local economy. The Indian government will need to carefully weigh the interests of all parties involved before making a final decision on imposing these anti-dumping duties.

India's target to double its steel production capacity to 300 million tons by 2030 may face difficulties due to recent restrictions on scrap steel exports by the European Union. This move could directly disrupt the Indian steel industry as the country hasn't developed a strong recycling industry and relies heavily on imported scrap steel for production.The production capacity of Indian steel industry facing limitations by shortage of scrap steel supplyIndia is currently the world's second-largest producer of crude steel after China, with 124.7 million tons of crude steel in 2022. In a conference in February 2023, the Indian government set the target of increasing steel production capacity to 300 million tons by 2030. "The current 15% scrap usage will increase to nearly 25% within the next 5 years, meaning that the proportion of scrap used in steel production will increase to 50%," as stated by the Indian Steel Minister in the MRAI Material Recycling Conference 2023.Analysts predict that India's ambitious production growth target will lead to a significant demand for scrap materials. Specifically, by 2030, the demand for scrap materials is projected to reach 65 million tons per year, while the domestic scrap supply at that time is only 59 million tons per year. This raw material shortage will force the Indian steel industry to rely more on imported scrap materials to fill the gap.Forecast chart of India's scrap steel consumption demand until 2030Therefore, in 2021, the government attempted to expand the scrap steel industry by utilizing vehicles. Specifically, vehicles over 20 years old had to undergo emissions tests, and if they failed, they were recommended for disposal and used as a source of scrap steel for the manufacturing industry. Implementing the policy of collecting scrap steel from vehicles could provide the steel industry with an average of 6 million tons per year. While the policy may address recycling supply needs, in the long term, it has not achieved effectiveness because most recycling infrastructure in India is still in its early stages, and there are still very few old vehicles available for disposal.The new challenge comes from the import of scrap steelTo enhance the supply of scrap steel for production, the current import plan is considered the most feasible approach while the number of steel recycling plants in the country is being limited. In 2022 alone, India spent over 12 billion USD on importing metal scrap, and within the next 5 to 6 years, India is expected to become the world's largest importer of scrap steel, with imports reaching approximately 20 million tons by 2030. Currently, India is ranked as the second-largest scrap steel importer in the European Union, as well as in the United States, Asia, and the Middle East.Top Indian exporting scrap steel countries in the first 6 months of 2023However, India's ambitious import plan to expand steel production is facing several challenges. The European Union, a significant market for supplying scrap steel to India, is considering imposing restrictions on the export of metal scrap to reduce emissions and protect the environment. Additionally, major scrap steel exporters like the United States, Asia, and the Middle East are also contemplating export restrictions to preserve this valuable resource. Import barriers for scrap steel have hindered the Indian steel industry’s target to double its steel production capacity, forcing steel producers to search for alternative supply sources.The Indian steel industry is confronted with numerous challenges in addressing the scrap steel supply issue due to strict scrap steel export policies from the European Union. Nevertheless, the country is working on improving its recycling capacity by building a series of steel recycling plants starting in 2021. Although there are still many obstacles to increasing production capacity, India continues to seek new opportunities to expand its steel industry.In recent years, trade relations between Vietnam and India have been strengthening, particularly in the steel sector. India is considered a potential export market for Vietnam, with increasing demand for scrap steel and hot-rolled coils (HRC). In the first 9 months of 2023, India unexpectedly became the second-largest importer of HRC from Vietnam, with a production volume exceeding 386,000 tons. Based on infrastructure construction needs and the ambition to secure raw materials for production from India, the Vietnamese steel industry expects to expand its export market in the future, especially with HRC being one of its key products.

Europe, with its well-developed steel industry and strong potential, is confidently anticipating a surge in the price of hot rolled coil in the final months of the year. Positive indicators and specific factors have created an ideal situation for steel price increases and mark the recovery of the steel industry after a challenging period.HRC price in EuropeBetween October 13th and October 20th, 2023, the price of hot rolled coil in Western Europe decreased by €10 per ton compared to the previous week, reaching a range of €610-€630 per ton. This price decrease started at the beginning of October, with a €50 per ton drop on September 29th, equivalent to 7.3%. Meanwhile, the Italian market also experienced a similar price reduction, with hot rolled coil prices dropping by €10 per ton compared to the previous week and €20 per ton compared to the end of September. The price difference between Western and Southern Europe has narrowed, and the market is facing pressure from low-cost imported hot rolled coil.Service centers and distributors are currently experiencing low sales volumes due to reduced consumer demand. The significant volume of imports from Asia and India continues to put pressure on the market, and the European automotive industry is going through a slump, significantly impacting the purchase of hot rolled coil. Some steel companies are temporarily halting operations to balance supply and demand and prevent further price declines.Despite the weak market conditions, European steel producers are reducing production capacity to maintain balance, and it is anticipated that the market may face a supply shortage in November and December, potentially leading to an increase in hot rolled coil prices.HRC prices in other marketsIn the hot rolled coil steel market, prices in major countries like the United States, China, and India have experienced notable fluctuations. In the United States, hot rolled coil prices have been trending upwards from $680-700 USD per ton to $692-720 USD per ton. This is the result of factors such as trade policies, regulations on steel imports, and domestic industry protection measures. However, prices can still vary due to factors like supply and demand in the construction and manufacturing sectors.In China, one of the largest players in the global steel market, hot rolled coil prices have remained relatively stable recently. Additionally, China's steel production policies and output can impact both domestic and export steel prices. Factors like production restrictions or policy changes may not significantly alter prices in the short term.In India, hot rolled coil steel prices are often influenced by domestic supply and demand as well as imports. Currently, hot rolled coil prices in India are stable, and economic growth and infrastructure development are creating increased demand for steel. However, factors such as trade policies and anti-dumping measures can influence steel prices in the near future.