Optimism spreads across regions

摘要

Stainless steel suppliers and distributors across regions have startecLthe new year with cautious optimism. January mill orders in the US are up and a recovery in shipments is expected throughout the first quarter. Asian traders and end-users are also confident about consumption prospects in early 2010, despite the upcoming seasonal slowdown during the Chinese New Year holiday in February. Positive sentiment is perhaps most fragile in Europe; although there have been signs of a modest pick-up in stainless enquiries, concerns about potential changes to credit insurance and ultimately end-user survival endure.