[China Iron Ore Brief Review] Iron Ore Prices in the Tangshan Area May Have Some Room to Move Higher

[Spot Silicon Metal Prices Probe Higher as Market Transactions Remain Stagnant; Polysilicon Price Trend Declines]: On the supply side, production release from silicon metal capacity that resumed production in early March increased total silicon metal supply compared with early March. Recently, there have been scattered production resumptions in Southwest China, but these have not yet become widespread, so their impact on supply growth has been very limited. On the cost side, spot prices of silicon coal and electrodes have remained temporarily stable recently, while petroleum coke prices rose slightly. Coupled with higher gasoline prices, road transport freight rates were raised slightly, providing relatively strong cost support for silicon metal. On the demand side, performance has mainly remained stable recently. During the week, spot silicon metal transactions were stagnant, inventory in the intermediate segment stayed at a high level, and downstream demand was weak, so silicon metal prices had limited room to rise or fall and were mainly range-bound in consolidation.

[SMM Daily HRC Trading Volume] On March 12, the total daily HRC trading volume of sample enterprises in SMM’s four cities (Shanghai, Lecong, Tianjin, Ningbo) was 15,950 mt, up 660 mt, or 4.3% MoM day on day, with Gregorian-calendar YoY down 4.95% and lunar-calendar YoY up 9.25%.

Iron ore futures showed strength today, with the main contract I2605 ultimately closing at 795.5 RMB per ton, up 1.34% from the previous trading session.