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China Nov iron ore imports drop on expectation of weak seasonal demand

China's iron ore imports in November fell 1.91% from October, customs information revealed on Tuesday, as deliveries slowed throughout a typically sluggish season for steel need when colder weather condition interferes with construction operate in the north of the country.

The world's biggest iron ore customer imported 101.86 million metric tons of the steelmaking ingredient last month, information from the country's General Administration of Customs revealed. This was below 103.84 million heaps in October and lower than the 102.74 million lots in November 2023.

The pattern is in line with our expectations as pressure on miners to lift deliveries to achieve yearly targets has alleviated after a wave of high deliveries earlier this year, stated Pei Hao, a Shanghai-based expert at worldwide brokerage Freight Financier Provider (FIS).

Ore need did get last month, however that was mainly reflected in the drawdown in portside inventory.

Portside stocks << SH-TOT-IRONINV > fell 0.4% during November to stand at 148.5 million tons late in the month, information from consultancy Steelhome showed. In the first 11 months of 2024, China's iron ore imports climbed 4.3% from the year before to 1.124 billion loads, the information showed.

(source: Reuters)