Recently, prices of hot-rolled coil (HRC) and hot-dip galvanized (HGI) have stopped falling and started to rise in Taiwan, but actual demand for carbon steel pipes remains sluggish, with a significant decline in buying interest. 

Taiwanese carbon steel pipe manufacturers announced to keep the January price flat, and market price competition continued. Some factories are aggressively securing orders by lowering processing costs to improve production line efficiency, leading to weaker distribution prices. Furthermore, local stockists, burdened by inventory pressure, are also following suit by lowering prices to compete for orders, further pushing sales pressure. 

Despite the decline in distribution prices, the offers of HRC and HGI, which are the substrates for pipe manufacturing, have risen. Even with difficult sales, carbon steel pipe manufacturers are still looking for opportunities to raise prices.