Open consultation on methodology review for Fastmarkets’ iron ore indices

Fastmarkets is inviting feedback from the industry on the pricing methodology for its iron ore indices, as part of its announced annual methodology review process.

The prices subject to this annual review are as follows:
MB-IRO-0016 Iron ore 58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0017 Iron ore 58% Fe fines high-grade premium index, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0015 Iron ore 58% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0021 Iron ore 62% Fe fines, % Al2O3 VIU, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0018 Iron ore 62% Fe fines, % Fe VIU, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0020 Iron ore 62% Fe fines, % Si VIU, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0024 Iron ore 62% Fe fines, 0.01% P VIU, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0008 Iron ore 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0022 Iron ore 62% Fe fines, fot Qingdao
MB-IRO-0011 Iron ore 62% Fe fines, fot Qingdao
MB-IRO-0144 Iron ore 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0010 Iron ore 62.5% Fe Australia-origin lump ore premium, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0012 Iron ore 65% Fe blast furnace pellet, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0009 Iron ore 65% Fe Brazil-origin fines, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0019 Iron ore 65% Fe fines, % Fe VIU, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0189 Iron ore 65% Fe concentrate premium, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0013 Iron ore 65% Fe concentrate, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0177 Iron ore pellet premium over 65% Fe Brazil-origin fines, cfr China
MB-IRO-0187 Iron ore 67.5% Fe pellet feed premium, cfr Qingdao
MB-IRO-0188 Iron ore 67.5% Fe pellet feed, cfr Qingdao

This consultation, which is open until April 7, 2025, seeks to ensure that our methodologies continue to reflect the physical market under indexation, in compliance with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) principles for Price Reporting Agencies (PRAs). This includes all elements of our pricing process, our price specifications and publication frequency.

You can find the current methodology for Fastmarkets’ iron ore indices here.

Please send responses in writing, preferably in electronic format, to the following address: pricing@fastmarkets.com. Please add the subject heading “FAO: Alice Li, re: Iron ore indices methodology annual review, 2025.” Please specify whether your response is confidential. Opinions offered in confidential responses may be referenced but will not be attributed in any way.

Fastmarkets will publish the outcome of this methodology review by April 10, 2025, including a summary of the feedback, with the exception of those responses marked as confidential. Any proposals to make material changes, discontinue or launch prices will involve a separate market consultation, the length of which will depend on how substantial the change is.

To see all Fastmarkets’ pricing methodology and specification documents, go to https://www.fastmarkets.com/methodology.

What to read next
The following price was affected: FP-LBR-2227 Kiln-dried southern yellow pine (eastside) #2 2×4 rl, daily price, fob mill, $/mbf This price is part of the Fastmarkets wood products package. For more information or to provide feedback on this correction notice or if you would like to provide price information by becoming a data submitter, please […]
The publication of Fastmarkets’ MB-ALU-0002 Alumina index, fob Australia, $/tonne and inferred alumina prices for Thursday April 23 was delayed because of a procedural error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.
The publication of Fastmarkets’ price assessments of steel hot-rolled coil index domestic, exw Italy and steel hot-rolled coil index domestic, exw Northern Europe for Wednesday April 22 was delayed due to a reporter error. The Fastmarkets pricing database has been updated.
The proposed methodology update will reflect the following: AG-UCO-0015 Used cooking oil, flexi-tank, fob China, $/tonneQuality: Free fatty acids (FFA) max. 15%, moisture, impurities and unsaponifiable matter (MIU) max 2%, iodine value (IV) min. 80 g iodine/hg, sulfur content max. 50 ppmQuantity: Minimum 500 tonnesLocation: China, fobTiming: Shipment within 45 days following date of saleUnit: USD/tonnePublication: Daily, 4:30pm Singapore time AG-UCO-0014 […]
The assessment dates for both prices have been corrected to March 1 to accurately reflect the March pricing period, in alignment with the methodology. These markets are always listed against the first of the month in which they are applicable to. The published prices are unaffected by this change. This price is a part of […]
Fastmarkets proposes to launch monthly price assessments for Polish virgin containerboard and white-top testliner with effect from June 2026.