Slight gains for DCE as market wait for clearer directions from Two Sessions

Chinese futures ended the week on slight gains as trade participants waited for further market direction from China’s Two Sessions. The most-actively traded iron ore futures on the Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE), for September delivery, gained slightly by 0.77% day-on-day to RMB 716.50 per tonne on Friday. On the contrary, the steel rebar contract on …

Nickel Drops From Two-Month High After Sudden Slump in Shanghai

Nickel in London fell from a two-month high after futures in Shanghai slumped by the daily limit in a sudden move during overnight trading. Prices on the London Metal Exchange fell more than 4% on Friday, trimming their weekly gain. Nickel on the Shanghai Futures Exchange pared losses after tumbling as much as 8.6% in …

Li’s Fiscal Boost Fails to Spark Metals

Premier Li Keqiang delivered his speech to the National People’s Congress against a risk-averse backdrop of Beijing’s tightening grip on Hong Kong and increasingly testy relations with Washington. Li reported that China has dropped its numerical growth target — a move perceived as negative for metals like steel — but plans to boost fiscal support …

Iron Ore’s Strength Set to Linger Longer on Brazil Supply Woes

Escalating concerns that the coronavirus pandemic may curb iron ore supply in Brazil are set to further support prices — already at an eight-month high — and are pushing back forecasts for the timing of a descent into the $70s. Citigroup Inc., which said in early May that a fall to $70 a ton was …

China Abandons Hard Growth Target, Shifts Stimulus Focus to Jobs

The Chinese government abandoned its decades-long practice of setting an annual target for economic growth amid the storm of uncertainty unleashed by the coronavirus pandemic, and said it would continue to increase stimulus. Speaking at the National People’s Congress in Beijing on Friday morning, Premier Li Keqiang delivered an annual policy address that instead laid …

Iron ore blips back on supply fears, stimulus hopes

Iron ore futures recovered from yesterday’s blip to trade above $95 as investors become increasingly concerned over the coronavirus crisis in Brazil. Brazil’s iron ore shipments had their slowest start to a year in the last five years. Brazilian miner Vale downgraded its production guidance early in the year, Morgan Financials Ltd noted that more …

DCE on a bull run over anticipation of stimulus packages

Chinese futures spiked up further, over tight supply concerns and expectation of more Chinese stimulus measures. The most-actively traded iron ore futures on the Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE), for September delivery, jumped by 2.05% day-on-day to RMB 722 per tonne on Thursday. On the contrary, the steel rebar contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange increased …