The price of stainless steel has risen sharply, and the fastener industry is facing heavy cost pressure.

In December 2025, the stainless steel market set off a new round of price increase. According to industry data, the 304 futures increased by nearly 200 yuan/ton! The Shanghai nickel price increased by nearly 5000 yuan/ton! This rapid price fluctuation is having a impact on the downstream fastener industry.

The fastener industry, as an important application field of stainless steel, is facing the pressure of soaring raw material costs. 304 stainless steel is of the main raw materials for bolts, nuts, screws and other fasteners, and this round of price increase directly pushed up the production costs."This is the biggest of stainless steel prices this year," said a Zhejiang-based fastener producer. "We have to reassess the profit margin of recent orders, and some long- contracts are already at a loss risk."