Iron ore futures were mixed on Tuesday as investors assessed soft economic data out of top consumer China, after the country’s latest stimulus measures underwhelmed and took the wind out of markets in the previous session.
The most-traded January iron ore contract on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) DCIOcv1 ended daytime trade 0.26% higher at 766.0 yuan ($105.87) a metric ton, after falling nearly 3% on Monday.
Meanwhile, the benchmark December iron ore SZZFZ4 on the Singapore Exchange slipped 0.26% to $100.4 a ton as of 0725 GMT.
New bank lending in China tumbled more than expected to a three-month low in October, data showed on Monday, as a ramp-up of policy stimulus to buttress a wavering economy failed to boost credit demand.
The world’s second-largest economy had unveiled a 10 trillion yuan debt package on Friday to ease local government financing strains and stabilise economic growth, as it faces fresh pressure from the re-election of Donald Trump as U.S. president.
“A lack of further support for China’s property market weighed on the iron ore market and was exacerbated by signs of weak demand,” said ANZ analysts in a note.
Port holdings of iron ore in China have expanded for the past four weeks to their highest level since early September, ANZ said.
Chinese imported iron ore prices continued losing ground in both portside and seaborne markets on Nov. 11, while trading for port stocks cooled as well, Chinese consultancy Mysteel said.
Other steelmaking ingredients on the DCE were weaker, with coking coal DJMcv1 and coke DCJcv1 down 1.65% and 1.13%, respectively.
Most steel benchmarks on the Shanghai Futures Exchange posted marginal gains. Rebar SRBcv1 ticked up 0.06%, hot-rolled coil SHHCcv1 edged 0.03% higher, and wire rod SWRcv1 gained nearly 0.5%, although stainless steel SHSScv1 declined by 0.74%.
Source: Reuters