Under government pressure, steel prices were subsequently held down.

Many analysts have forecast that steel prices will fall this year by 2 to 5 percent.

The downward pressure on steel prices is the result of several economic factors.

The Asian economic crisis of the late 1990's pushed down global steel prices, which have yet to recover.

Thanks to high steel prices, the situation of the company is improving with the years.

And steel prices are now 10 percent lower on average than they were a year ago.

Moreover, in the last year, steel prices have increased an average of 8 percent.

This, they say, has helped drive steel prices to a 20-year low.

The company was stung by lower steel prices and higher costs.

To assume an increase in steel prices would seem logical.