China iron ore futures jump after India hikes export duties

Asia’s third-largest economy raised export duties for iron ore and steel intermediates, with new iron ores and concentrates tariffs increased to 50% from 30% and duties on pellets hiked to 45% from zero. The government also removed import tariffs for coking coal and coke.

India is one of the major non-mainstream iron ore suppliers for China, accounting for nearly 3% of China’s total imports in 2021. However, China’s purchase from the country fell sharply in the first four months of this year due to increasing demand in India and falling iron ore prices. “Impact from the changes in iron ore export tariffs in India is not that significant,” said Cheng Peng, an analyst with SinoSteel Futures. “The key issue is on the supply side, and that would have bigger impact on market expectations (that India could offset disruptions caused by the Ukraine-Russia conflict).”

The most-traded iron ore futures on the Dalian Commodity Exchange, for September delivery, were up 4.4% at 864 yuan ($129.18) a tonne, as of 0208 GMT, after rising as much as 6.9% to 884 yuan, their highest May 6, in early trade. Singapore iron ore futures, for June delivery, rose 1.4% to $136 a tonne. Other steelmaking ingredients on the Dalian bourse were mixed, with coking coal falling 0.9% to 2,610 yuan a tonne while coke prices jumped 1.2% to 3,437 yuan per tonne. Steel rebar on the Shanghai Futures Exchange, for October delivery, edged up 0.2% to 4,622 yuan a tonne and hot-rolled coils gained 0.3% to 4,762 yuan per tonne. Shanghai stainless steel futures declined 1.9% to 18,595 yuan a tonne.