The negotiation of export price of carbon steel hot rolled coil (HRC) from Japan to Korea for December is confronting the stalemate owing to price down required by Korean customers. However, Japanese steel mills still refuse the request from Korean customers because of hectic local demand for HRC in Japan and price rebounding in Chinese domestic steel market since early November. Japan insists to surge their export prices to Korea. If Japanese mills decrease their export prices by US$20/ton to Korea, it will be so close to their export prices to Middle East and South & Central America. Therefore, the negotiation will be based on price concern rather than quantity due to low shipment charge to Korea and regular maintenance on hot rolling mills.
