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Singapore - Iron ore in Asia soared after Chinese policy makers signalled their willingness to buttress economic growth, with prices rising even as the authorities reiterated pledges to cut excess industrial capacity, including steel.
Futures surged to their daily limit of 407 yuan ($62.47) a metric ton on the Dalian Commodity Exchange, the highest level in almost six months, while in Singapore, the SGX AsiaClear contract jumped as much as 13% to $55.86 a ton. Benchmark steel prices in China rallied and mills’ shares also advanced.
Iron ore has climbed in 2016, countering expectations it would see further losses on mounting low-cost supply from Australia and Brazil and weakening demand for steel in China, which accounts for about half of global output. At the annual National People’s Congress at the weekend, authorities said they’d allow a record high deficit and higher money-supply target to support growth of 6.5% to 7%. The nation will also subsidize cuts to excess capacity in industries such as steel.
“Reducing excess steel capacity would be a boost to steel prices, so market sentiment toward iron ore and raw materials has improved as well,” Wu Zhili, an analyst at Shenhua Futures in Shenzhen, said by e-mail on Monday.
Investors have grown more upbeat about prospects for China’s economy after policy makers signalled they’d take measures, he said.
Iron ore’s upswing this year has accompanied a revival in other commodities including oil and base metals such as copper. State efforts to cushion the loss of steel capacity in China, including helping retrenched staff, may help to improve the profit margins at mills that remain by reducing competition.
Advances in Asian iron ore markets typically presage gains in the benchmark Metal Bulletin price for 62% content spot ore in Qingdao, which is updated once a weekday. That was at $53.75 a dry ton on Friday, the highest since October 16. The price surged 19% in February after weather- related disruptions to supplies.
On Monday, steel in China also rose by the daily limit, with steel reinforcement bar for May up 5% to 2 073 yuan a ton on the Shanghai Futures Exchange, and hot-rolled coil climbing the same amount to 2 256 yuan a ton.
As much as 150 million tons of capacity will be shut under a five-year blueprint that’s part of supply-side reforms directed by President Xi Jinping. In the run-up to the Congress, Moody’s Investors Service forecast steel demand in China would contract 5% this year after a 5% drop in 2015. Separately, BMI Research sees output down by about 50 million tons by 2020.
Steelmakers’ shares rose in China on Monday, with Baoshan Iron & Steel up as much as 9.7% in Shanghai. Angang Steel gained as much as 5.2% in Hong Kong, while Maanshan Iron & Steel rose 6.5%.
Rio Tinto Group said last week it expected the global supply of seaborne iron ore to outpace demand growth in the near term. BHP Billiton said last year the raw material will probably extend declines, finding a level well below $50.
