SINGAPORE: Iron ore futures prices strengthened on Friday as prospects of fresh monetary stimulus from China lifted trading sentiment, but were headed for a weekly fall as the top consumer’s faltering economic recovery and stronger global supply clouded the commodity’s broader market outlook.

The most-traded January iron ore contract on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) ended morning trade 1.47% higher at 689.0 yuan ($97.82) a metric ton. The benchmark October iron ore on the Singapore Exchange was 0.09% higher at $92.75 a ton, as of 0335 GMT.

China unexpectedly left benchmark lending rates unchanged at the monthly fixing on Friday, confounding market expectations that were primed for a move after the Federal Reserve delivered an outsized interest rate cut earlier this week.

However, market watchers widely believe Chinese policymakers will roll out further stimulus to prop up the ailing economy and help it meet its increasingly challenging 2024 growth target, following a string of August economic data that surprised to the downside.

The recovery in iron ore on Sept. 19 was related to the Fed’s rate cut and expectations of Beijing’s rate cut, but broad macroeconomic sentiment at home and abroad means iron ore should still be treated with a bearish mindset, Chinese financial information site Hexun Futures said in a note.

There remains little support for substantial gains as the pace of supply growth is greater than that of demand growth, following the recent rebound in overseas supply, Hexun Futures said. Meanwhile, imported iron ore stocks at 45 Chinese major ports dipped 0.5% during Sept. 13-19, Chinese consultancy Mysteel said in a note, adding that sales of the commodity rose on Sept. 19.

Other steelmaking ingredients on the DCE were stronger. Coking coal and coke rose 0.63% and 0.85%, respectively. Most benchmarks on the Shanghai Futures Exchange posted gains. Hot-rolled coil added 0.75%, rebar rose almost 0.3%, stainless steel was up 0.45%, although wire rod lost 0.7%.