Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ Bank) is bearish towards iron ore prices, predicting that they would drop to around $95/mt, citing the following reasons.
1. Sluggish steel demand in China's real estate market during peak construction season is a major drag on iron ore and coking coal demand.
2. Tighter profit margins and efforts to curb losses at steel mills will slow steel production growth in the second quarter.
3. China's steel industry purchasing managers' index (PMI) reached 45 in April, the lowest level since December 2022.
4. The increase in the amount of steel produced using the electric arc furnace process is reducing the demand for iron ore.
More popular news
South China Battles Power Crisis, The Worst This Year

![Port Inventories Slightly Destocked, Port Cargo Pick-up Rebounded; Ore Prices May Be Under Pressure in the Short Term Amid Demand Concerns [SMM Iron Ore Daily Review]](https://imgqn.smm.cn/usercenter/NtHAJ20251217171719.jpg)
![[SMM Bilan quotidien des barres d'armature] Divergence de rentabilité entre les filières longue et courte ; le côté matières premières pourrait encore pousser les prix de l'acier fini à la hausse](https://imgqn.smm.cn/usercenter/aPBtI20251217171717.jpg)
