The Brazilian authorities have postponed the termination of an antidumping investigation on imports of hot rolled coils originating from China and Russia until the beginning of 2018. This is according to local media, quoting sources from the foreign trade secretariat of the Brazilian Ministry of Industry (Secex/MDIC). The Brazilian foreigner trade chamber (Camex) had organised a hearing on the matter on 9 November, Kallanish notes.

According to media reports, Secex/MDIC has maintained its position that there is evidence of dumping and damage to the domestic industry by Chinese- and Russian-origin HRC imports. However, Camex and the Brazilian Ministry of Finance have agreed to extend discussions with representatives from the domestic machine manufacturing sector. Eighteen large steel-consuming companies in Brazil have suggested that AD measures will allow domestic steelmakers to raise prices further.

The investigation began in July 2016, following a request from ArcelorMittal, CSN and Gerdau, after the steelmakers reported dumping margins of $256.35/tonne for Chinese and Russia-origin coils. The authority did not recommend the application of provisional compensatory measures during the investigation.  

The investigated products are classified under HS codes: 7208.10.00, 7208.25.00, 7208.26.10, 7208.26.90, 7208.27.10, 7208.27.90, 7208.36.10, 7208.36.90, 7208.37.00, 7208.38.10, 7208.38.90, 7208.39.10, 7208.39.90, 7208.40.00, 7208.53.00, 7208.54.00, 7208.90.00, 7225.30.00 and 7225.40.90.

According to data issued by local steelmakers’ association Instituto Aço Brasil (IAB), during the January-September period, imports of flat steel totalled 1,115,000 tonnes, or 127.1.% more year-on-year. In September alone, Brazil imported 160,000t of flat steel, up by 102.5% y-o-y.