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Dalian iron ore inches greater on China's post-holiday need outlook

Dalian iron ore futures edged higher on Monday, helped by hopes that demand will pick up in leading customer China with participants returning to the market after a weeklong Lunar New Year vacation break.

The most-traded May iron ore contract on China's Dalian was up 0.42% at 960.5 yuan ($ 133.48) a metric heap, since 0215 GMT.

Optimism of stronger need from China boosted sentiment in the metals sector ... construction activity need to increase in coming weeks as the seasonal winter lull draws to an end, analysts at ANZ bank said in a note.

Traders bet on the prospect of additional stimulus to be rolled out after China's Premier Li Qiang on Sunday prompted departments under the cabinet to do more work to improve public self-confidence and expectations, state media reported.

China's stocks opened higher on Monday as investors returning from the week-long holiday break bought tourism and film-maker stocks on the back of resilient vacation spending data.

The benchmark March iron ore on the Singapore Exchange was, nevertheless, trading 1.88% lower at $128.8 a lot as bets of early rate cuts by the Federal Reserve faded amid stronger-than-expected U.S. producer rates in January.

The weak point in the Singapore standard came after it had climbed up by over 3% over the holiday break when Chinese bourses were closed.

Such a high cost fall runs out my expectation, as we idea prices would consolidate today; the sharp drops in the coal market might have given a blow to market confidence, dragging down ore rates as well, stated Cheng Peng at Sinosteel Futures.

Other steelmaking components on the DCE posted losses, with coking coal and coke down 3.91% and 2.58%,. respectively.

Steel criteria on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were. combined. Rebar edged down 0.34%, hot-rolled coil. pushed 0.1% lower, wire rod was flat, while. stainless-steel added 1.25%.

(source: Reuters)