SINGAPORE: Dalian iron ore futures prices slid to a one-year low on Monday, as a weakening steel market in top consumer China clouded demand prospects for the steel-making ingredient.
The most-traded September iron ore contract on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) ended morning trade 0.64% lower at 702.5 yuan ($98.33) a metric ton.
The contract hit its weakest level since August 2023 at 688.5 yuan earlier in the session.
The benchmark September iron ore on the Singapore Exchange, however, was 1.62% higher at $93.5 a ton, as of 0420 GMT.
Iron ore markets have stabilised after a volatile week, but remain vulnerable given increasing supply and moderating demand, Westpac analysts said in a note.
Imports of iron ore to China during January to June rose 6% year-on-year to 611.6 million tons, Chinese financial information site Hexun Futures said.
Meanwhile, Chinese crude steel output during January-July fell 2.2% to 613.7 million tons, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.
Sentiment in the domestic steel market remained weak from Aug. 12-16 amid weak performance of major ferrous futures and dull downstream demand, said Chinese consultancy Mysteel.
Total iron ore stockpiles across ports in China fell 0.5% week-on-week to 149.6 million tons as of Aug. 16, Steelhome data showed.
Considering that demand has entered the off-season period and supply remains strong, iron ore inventory is expected to remain stable and it will be difficult to continue destocking, said Hexun Futures.
Steel mills are likely to pull back on iron ore purchases amid weak margins and subdued demand, said ANZ analysts. Other steelmaking ingredients on the DCE lost ground, with coking coal and coke down 2.23% and 0.95%, respectively.
Steel benchmarks on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were mixed.
Hot-rolled coil slid 2.36%, rebar edged down 0.1%, wire rod dipped 0.06%, while stainless steel firmed 0.84%.