Blast Furnace Production Resumption after Maintenance, Ore Prices May Recover [SMM Daily Imported Ore Briefing]

Today, iron ore futures on the DCE trended weaker, with the most-traded I2609 contract closing at 760 yuan/mt, down 0.20% from the previous trading day. Port spot prices were little changed from the prior day. Most traders followed market trends, with moderate activity; steel mills remained cautious, with fewer inquiries; as of now, spot trading volumes were relatively low.

Looking ahead, iron ore demand is expected to edge up in the short term. According to an SMM survey, the impact of blast furnace maintenance on hot metal production this week was 1.1058 million mt, down 240,100 mt WoW, and next week is expected to be down 6,800 mt WoW from this week. The short-term increase in pig iron production may strengthen support for iron ore prices and prompt price recovery. Nevertheless, against the backdrop of the steel off-season, iron ore inventories have also begun to rise, and the overall upside room for iron ore remains under strong suppression. Therefore, ore prices may stage a brief recovery before continuing to hover at lows in the short term.