Iron ore prices are expected to remain volatile in the short term [SMM Brief Review]

[SMM Stainless Steel Daily Review] SS Futures Pull Back Again, Stainless Steel Spot Market Trading Halts Pre-Holiday SMM, February 12: SS futures ended their previous strengthening trend and fluctuated downward during the day, closing at 13,970 yuan/mt. In the spot market, despite intra-week fluctuations in futures and rising high-grade NPI prices, most spot traders were already on holiday, logistics were suspended, and prices saw little significant change, with daily quotations remaining stable. The most-traded SS futures contract fell. At 10:30 a.m., the SS2604 contract was quoted at 14,080 yuan/mt, up 70 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. In Wuxi, the spot premium/discount for 304/2B was in the range of 90–290 yuan/mt. In the spot market, the average price of cold-rolled 201/2B coil in Wuxi was 8,500 yuan/mt; the average price of cold-rolled edged 304/2B coil was 14,100 yuan/mt in Wuxi and 14,050 yuan/mt in Foshan; the price of cold-rolled 316L/2B coil was 26,600 yuan/mt in Wuxi and 26,600 yuan/mt in Foshan; the price of hot-rolled 316L/NO.1 coil was 25,750 yuan/mt in Wuxi; the price of cold-rolled 430/2B coil was 7,800 yuan/mt in both Wuxi and Foshan. On the futures side, driven by weakening macro influences and narrowing fluctuations in nonferrous metal futures, the market showed a relatively stable fluctuation trend at the beginning of the week, with trading activity pulling back. As the Chinese New Year holiday approached, market participants adopted a wait-and-see attitude due to risk aversion and the fact that previous bullish factors had largely been realized. Mid-week, stimulated by news of Indonesian nickel mine approvals being finalized, SHFE nickel futures…

[SMM Silicone Weekly Review: Overall Market Gradually Enters Holiday Season, All Product Prices Remain Stable] This week, domestic silicone DMC prices continued to remain stable, with the mainstream transaction range at 13,800-14,000 yuan/mt, flat WoW. By region, monomer enterprises in Shandong quoted 13,800 yuan/mt, while other major monomer enterprises quoted 14,000 yuan/mt. Demand side, as the Chinese New Year holiday approaches, midstream and downstream enterprises increased holidays, market transactions generally decreased, and new order activity was overall sluggish.

This week, HRC social inventory stood at 2.6792 million mt, up 123,700 mt WoW, an increase of 4.84% WoW, down 5.83% YoY, and up 36.18% on a lunar calendar basis. This week, HRC mill inventory was 1.0832 million mt, up 12,500 mt WoW, an increase of 1.17% WoW, down 9.62% YoY, and down 4.11% on a lunar calendar basis. This week, total HRC inventory reached 3.7623 million mt, up 136,200 mt WoW, an increase of 3.76% WoW, down 6.95% YoY, and up 21.49% on a lunar calendar basis.