Dalian iron ore futures traded with a firm bias during today’s daytime session. Prices experienced a rapid surge in the afternoon before retracing slightly from their highs. The main contract, DCE I2605, eventually closed at 801 RMB/mt, representing an increase of 0.69% compared to the previous trading day. In the spot market, portside prices rose slightly by 1–3 RMB/mt compared to yesterday. Steel mills primarily engaged in “hand-to-mouth” procurement, resulting in average inquiry levels. While traders showed a fair willingness to ofload stock, the overall market trading atmosphere remained mediocre. Regarding supply and demand, SMM’s blast furnace maintenance survey data indicates that the volume of production affected by maintenance this week is 1.8371 million tonnes, a week-on-week decrease of 58,300 tonnes. As maintenance intensity eases, hot metal production is expected to see a phased recovery, providing a level of support for iron ore demand. On the macro front, intensified geopolitical disturbances have driven a general strengthening in precious metal prices, which has, in turn, boosted sentiment across the broader metals and commodities markets. Concurrently, the gradual release of pre-holiday restocking demand from steel mills has further bolstered market confidence. In summary, the marginal improvement in iron ore fundamentals, coupled with supportive macroeconomic sentiment, suggests that iron ore prices are likely to continue their firm, range-bound trend in the short term.

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Source: Metals Market Index (MMI)