[China Iron Ore Brief] Iron Ore Prices in West Liaoning May Remain in the Doldrums

Published: May 20, 2026 17:29

Save

[Domestic Iron Ore Brief] The trading atmosphere in the western Liaoning domestic ore market was cautious. Local iron ore concentrates prices edged down by 5-10 yuan, with the current ex-factory price of 66-grade iron ore concentrates on a wet basis and tax-exclusive at 730-740 yuan/mt. Local iron ore concentrates resources were relatively tight, and most mines held back from selling. Steel mills recently saw profit margins shrink, with domestic iron ore procurement mostly on an as-needed basis and a relatively strong desire to bargain down prices. Overall, market transactions were relatively sluggish. Combined with the recent weak trend in iron ore futures, this may weigh on domestic ore prices.

The trading atmosphere in the western Liaoning domestic ore market was cautious. Local iron ore concentrates prices edged down by 5-10 yuan. Currently, the ex-factory price of 66-grade iron ore concentrates on a wet basis and tax-exclusive basis was 730-740 yuan/mt. Local iron ore concentrates resources were relatively tight, and most ore beneficiation plants held back from selling. Steel mills recently saw profit margins shrink, and their procurement of domestic iron ore was mostly on an as-needed basis, with a relatively strong desire to bargain down prices. Overall, market transactions were relatively sluggish. In addition, iron ore futures have recently trended weak, which may affect domestic ore prices. In the short term, local iron ore concentrates prices are expected to be in the doldrums. [SMM Steel]

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM‘s internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or to learn more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn

For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn

Related News

1 min ago

[SMM Sheets & Plates Daily Review] Futures First Declined Then Rebounded, Short-term Trend Unchanged

Today, the most-traded hot-rolled coil (HRC) contract first declined then rebounded, closing at 3,428 at the end of the session, down 0.03% intraday. HRC spot prices mostly fell 10-20 yuan/mt today, with some markets remaining stable. In terms of supply, the impact from maintenance on hot-rolled production this week was 137,500 mt, down 98,500 mt WoW. Next week, the impact from maintenance on hot-rolled production will be 185,500 mt, up 48,000 mt WoW, with overall pressure being neutral. Demand side, end-users still mainly purchased at low prices, and futures-spot arbitrage continued to ship at low prices. Cost side, after macro front disturbances diminished, short-term cost support weakened somewhat. Looking ahead, the supply-demand imbalance in HRC fundamentals showed some diverg

1 min ago

13 mins ago

MMi Daily Iron Ore Report (May 20)

Iron ore futures saw intense trading today, with the most-traded contract I2609 closing at 800 yuan/mt, up 0.19% from the previous trading session. Port spot prices were basically flat compared to the previous day. Traders showed moderate quoting activity; steel mills restocked on an as-needed basis with few inquiries; overall spot market transactions were limited.

13 mins ago

22 mins ago

Ninggang June 2026 Product Price Policy Adjustment Information

[Ninggang June 2026 Product Price Policy Adjustment Information] On May 20, Ningbo Steel adjusted its hot-rolled coil product prices for June 2026. The details are as follows: Ex-factory prices for June were raised by 100 yuan/mt from the May basis, with Q235B executed at 3,900 yuan/mt. The above prices are cash-inclusive-of-tax prices, effective from June 1, 2026.

22 mins ago