Iron Ore Rises for Fourth Straight Session

2026-09-21 04:46 By Jam Kaimo Samonte 1 min. read

Iron ore futures climbed above CNY 715 per ton on Monday, extending gains for a fourth consecutive session on expectations that Chinese steel mills will increase raw material purchases ahead of the long Golden Week holiday in early October.

The demand outlook also improved after several Chinese steelmakers pledged to cut production in an effort to reduce steel inventories as profit margins shrink rapidly.

Profitability across China’s steel industry deteriorated sharply, weighed down by elevated production costs and weak demand for steel.

However, expectations that major coking coal mines will resume operations in September and October following a fatal mine accident in May improved the supply outlook for a key steelmaking ingredient.

Meanwhile, industry data showed that iron ore inventories at 35 major Chinese ports increased by 840,000 tons week-on-week to 144.33 million tons as of September 18, reversing an earlier destocking trend.



News Stream
Iron Ore Rises for Fourth Straight Session
Iron ore futures climbed above CNY 715 per ton on Monday, extending gains for a fourth consecutive session on expectations that Chinese steel mills will increase raw material purchases ahead of the long Golden Week holiday in early October. The demand outlook also improved after several Chinese steelmakers pledged to cut production in an effort to reduce steel inventories as profit margins shrink rapidly. Profitability across China’s steel industry deteriorated sharply, weighed down by elevated production costs and weak demand for steel. However, expectations that major coking coal mines will resume operations in September and October following a fatal mine accident in May improved the supply outlook for a key steelmaking ingredient. Meanwhile, industry data showed that iron ore inventories at 35 major Chinese ports increased by 840,000 tons week-on-week to 144.33 million tons as of September 18, reversing an earlier destocking trend.
2026-09-21
Iron Ore Rises on Pre-Holiday Restocking
Iron ore futures climbed to CNY 715 per ton, recovering from one-month lows as Chinese steelmakers increased seaborne purchases ahead of the extended National Day holidays in early October. Industry data showed that daily trading volumes for seaborne cargoes surged 43% to 1.41 million tons on September 16 from the previous day. The demand outlook also improved after several Chinese steelmakers pledged to curb production in an effort to reduce steel inventories amid rapidly shrinking margins. Profitability across China’s steel sector deteriorated sharply, pressured by high production costs and weak steel demand. Recent data also showed that new home prices in China extended their decline in August, underscoring the continued drag from the country’s prolonged property market downturn.
2026-09-17
Iron Ore Weakens to 1-Month Low
Iron ore futures fell below CNY 710 per ton, reaching one-month lows as weak market fundamentals continued to weigh on prices. Industry data showed global iron ore shipments increased by 1.59 million tons to 35.17 million tons in the week ended September 13, pointing to ample supply. Elevated coke prices also continued to pressure steelmakers’ profit margins, prompting some producers to scale back operations and undertake maintenance. Chinese steel demand weakened further in the third quarter amid a continued slowdown in construction activity. Data showed China’s new home prices extended their decline in August, highlighting the persistent drag from the country’s prolonged property downturn. Meanwhile, steel mills may see some incentive to replenish iron ore inventories ahead of the extended National Day holidays in early October.
2026-09-15