Dalian iron ore extends decline despite more China property stimulus

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Iron ore futures prices moved sideways on Wednesday, with the Dalian benchmark extending itrs declineto a third straight session, as weakening fundamentals of the key steelmaking ingredient outweighed more property stimulus in top consumer China.

The most-traded September iron ore contract on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) ended daytime trade 1.11% lower to 891yuan a metric ton after falling more than 2% on Tuesday.

The benchmark June iron ore on the Singapore Exchange was, however, 0.81% higher at $118.85 a ton.

“I am not that optimistic about iron ore, as the hot metal output is close to a ceiling while supply has hovered at a relatively high level,” said Chu Xinli, a Shanghai-based analyst at China Futures, adding that persistently rising portside stocks are further weighing on prices.

The persistent price decline came even as China’s city of Shenzhen, a key technology and manufacturing hub, will lower the minimum downpayment ratio required of first-time home buyers to 20%, while southern city Guangzhou will lower the ratio to 15%, local media reported on Tuesday.

The commercial hub Shanghai announced on Monday to lower the ratio for first home purchases to 20%, and cut the ratio for second home purchases to 30% for suburban areas and to 35% for the rest of the city.

Other steelmaking ingredients on the DCE were mixed, with coking coal dropping 1.06% and coke edging up 0.38%.

Steel benchmarks on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were broadly down. Rebar dipped 0.4%, hot-rolled coil lost 0.21%, wire rod fell 0.67%and stainless steel shed 0.17%.

Steel fundamentals turned weaker with rebar demand falling at a faster-than-expected pace while destocking of steel products slowed,” analysts at Yongan Futures said in a note.

Source: Reuters