Iron ore softens on weaker steel margins at Chinese mills
62% Fe fines eased as mill profitability narrowed and port inventories held elevated, capping restocking appetite ahead of maintenance season.
Benchmark: Fe 61% basis (IODEX); 62% Fe shown for reference. The same tonne prices differently by origin — freight, quality, sanctions and policy set the differential. Deep dive →
| Origin | Basis | Market note |
|---|---|---|
🇨🇳 Qingdao delivered China · benchmark | CFR QingdaoBenchmark | The seaborne reference all origins net back from |
🇦🇺 Pilbara Australia · ~900 Mt/yr | FOB Port Hedland | Short freight leg to China — tightest netback |
🇧🇷 Tubarão Brazil · ~350 Mt/yr | FOB Tubarão | Long freight; Carajás 65% Fe trades at a quality premium over this |
🇮🇳 Goa 58% Fe India · swing supply | FOB Goa | Low-grade discount widens when mills chase productivity |
Origin notes are qualitative context. Dollar differentials are not shown, because no public differential series is attached.
Track physical flows on the live vessel map →Converted from 97.70 USD/t · indicative FX
Iron Ore 62% Fe is traded in the bulk / ore segment. The series on this page is the named public source, not a live feed. Physical parcels of Iron Ore 62% Fe can be sourced or placed through the Off Market desk, listed openly on the Marketplace, or intermediated by a specialist broker.
62% Fe fines eased as mill profitability narrowed and port inventories held elevated, capping restocking appetite ahead of maintenance season.
Robust West Africa bauxite and Brazilian ore cargoes tightened Capesize availability, lifting time-charter equivalents across key routes.