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Iron ore loses over 10% on week as weak demand, rising stocks weigh

Iron ore futures costs tumbled further on Friday to a more than sixmonth low, on track for a. weekly drop of more than 10%, amid sluggish spot buying hunger. and bleak need potential customers in top consumer China.

The most-traded May iron ore contract on China's Dalian. Commodity Exchange (DCE) ended daytime trade 3.46%. lower at 781.5 yuan ($ 108.61) a metric ton, the lowest given that. Aug. 22, 2023. It published a weekly drop of 11%.

The benchmark April iron ore on the Singapore. Exchange was 4.1% lower at $99 a heap, since 0747 GMT, the most affordable. because June 1. It has plunged 14% on-week up until now today.

Weaker demand potential customers are increasing possibilities of. steel production cuts ... less steel production implies lower. demand for iron ore, experts at ANZ bank stated in a note.

Threats of faltering ore demand loomed after a couple of provincial. steel associations issued statements to either call for a steel. output cut or just slightly propose local market players to. jointly promote the healthy development of the steel industry,. according to consultancies Mysteel and Lange Steel.

Stockpiles for iron ore have actually almost renewed, with. stockpiles now at a 12-month high. However, we anticipate iron ore. rates to stabilise from expense of production point of view, ANZ. experts included.

Iron ore stocks at 45 major Chinese ports surveyed increased. by 1% on the week to around 142.9 million loads as of March 15,. Mysteel data revealed.

The state-backed China Iron and Steel Association (CISA). held a conference with agents from several major. steelmakers, research companies and the nation's state organizers. to go over the new system on controlling steel capability and. assess the capability swap policy in the sector, without giving. further information though, the association stated in a statement on. its WeChat account on Thursday.

Weighing on belief is also the prolonged decline in brand-new. home costs for February worldwide's second-largest economy,. suggesting the fragile residential or commercial property market.

Other steelmaking components on the DCE were most likely weaker,. with coking coal and coke down 2.89% and. 1.72%, respectively.

Steel benchmarks on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were. broadly down. Rebar shed 1.77%, hot-rolled coil. slipped 1.20%, wire rod lost 1.09% while. stainless steel gained 0.22%.

(source: Reuters)