Brazil's Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade Thursday postponed until January 

a decision on the application or non-application of antidumping duties on imports of Chinese an

d Russian hot-rolled coil steel. 

According to the ministry, it would apply the antidumping duties based on an investigation carrie

d out by its technical unit, which found there was dumping and damage to the local industry. But 

steel  end-users  have  asked the government not to apply the duties in an effort avoid an inflati 

onary impact on products' final prices. 

At  a  meeting  Wednesday,  "it  was  agreed  that these industries should receive more time to 

demonstrate  what  they  claim: that the suspension of [antidumping] duties serves the national 

interest, avoiding impacts on inflation," said a source close the matter. "A decision is expected 

January 20." 

The petition for this investigation was filed by Brazilian steel producers ArcelorMittal, CSN and 

Gerdau. The investigation started in April 2016.