Methodology
Contact us
Support
Login
Markets
Agriculture
Forest products
Metals and mining
Battery raw materials
Carbon
Industries
Automotive
Aviation
Construction
Fast-moving consumer goods
Food and beverage
Products
Price data
News and market analysis
Forecasting analysis
Risk management
Consulting
Platform
Fastmarkets platform support
Fastmarkets dashboard
Excel Add-in
Mobile app
API
Channel partners
Insights
Key topics
Hotter Commodities
Fast Forward podcast
Events
Agriculture events
Coal events
Energy events
Forest products events
Metals events
Webinars
Industry events
About us
Careers
Our people
Methodology
Newsroom
Become a customer
Menu
Markets
Agriculture
Forest products
Metals and mining
Battery raw materials
Carbon
Industries
Automotive
Aviation
Construction
Fast-moving consumer goods
Food and beverage
Products
Price data
News and market analysis
Forecasting analysis
Risk management
Consulting
Platform
Fastmarkets platform support
Fastmarkets dashboard
Excel Add-in
Mobile app
API
Channel partners
Insights
Key topics
Hotter Commodities
Fast Forward podcast
Events
Agriculture events
Coal events
Energy events
Forest products events
Metals events
Webinars
Industry events
About us
Careers
Our people
Methodology
Newsroom
Become a customer
Become a customer
Show Search
Clear
Search Query
Submit Search
RESEARCH: Iron ore prices to remain strong into 2021, Australian coking coal prices hint recovery
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets’ team of analysts are ready to view.
December 17, 2020
By
Alexander Kershaw
China
Ferrous scrap
Iron ore
Steel raw materials
The bullish price run in the iron ore market continued for a sixth week in a row with the 62% Fe benchmark soaring to a near eight-year high. Looking ahead, iron ore demand in 2021 is projected to be stronger than initially expected earlier in the year. We not only anticipate continued demand growth in China, but a recovery in the rest of the world as well, with crude steel production resuming in other Asian and European countries. As the year approaches the end, it has become clear that the Chinese crude steel output recovery after the lockdown in the first quarter was not just a temporary phenomenon, but it drove the appetite for iron ore persistently higher throughout this year. But the recent price rally has caught the attention of Chinese steel mills and China Iron & Steel Association (Cisa) called for a probe into the price rise and the alleged increased speculative trading in the market. A similar action was taken by Cisa last summer. It has been argued that this scrutiny later helped trigger a downward trend in the iron ore price.
In the coking coal market, prices hinted a recovery last week beyond the Chinese market after China import and Australia export prices had been diverging since early November, following an introduction of a verbal ban on imports of Australia-origin coals. The ban also affected export volumes out of Australia to an extent. In both October and November, coal shipments from North Queensland Bulk Ports (NQBP) were below the 10-million-tonne mark, which is a rare scenario. As prices still continue the uptrend within China, for both metallurgical coke and coal, the downside risks to coal prices elsewhere are anticipated to recede further. Although the Chinese ban is likely to last, with European steel producers expected to continue to successfully raise prices and not lose market share during the next few months, this trend will support import coking coal and coke demand in the region, and consequently Australian export coal prices.
Click here
to view the Steel Raw Materials Market Tracker in full.
What to read next
Fastmarkets launches 61% iron ore index to track pricing shifts
The playing field for global iron ore brands could be poised to be leveled, given a recent announcement on lower iron content in a key mainstream Australian direct shipping ore, iron ore market participants told Fastmarkets, adding that the development could narrow the price disparities between major Australian mid-grade iron ore brands.
June 13, 2025
·
By Paul Lim
Launch of US rebar to heavy melting scrap differential
This strategic launch is intended to offer the market a single reference price denoting the differential between US Midwest rebar and heavy melting-grade scrap, a key component in the production of that grade. Details of the previous launches can be found via this link. The methodology specification for this differential is: MB-STE-0930 Steel reinforcing bar […]
June 12, 2025
·
By Amy Hinton
Graphite at a crossroads: Trade wars, tax credits and the future of EVs
The graphite industry in 2025 faces major challenges, including trade wars, high US tariffs on synthetic graphite and policy changes affecting EV manufacturing and tax credits. Low natural graphite prices, oversupply and slow EV growth make diversifying supply chains essential for market stability.
June 12, 2025
·
By Amy Bennett
Key iron ore and green steel topics at Fastmarkets’ International Iron Ore & Green Steel Summit 2025
At Fastmarkets’ International Iron Ore & Green Steel Summit 2025, we expect topics such as iron ore pricing trends, green steel developments and growing demand for high-grade pellets to emerge. The event will address decarbonization, Europe’s green steel growth and shifts in scrap and pellet markets driven by supply and cost changes.
June 11, 2025
·
By Julia Bolotova
Delayed publication of Turkish domestic steel scrap price assessments
Due to the Eid -Al-Adha public holiday, which began on Thursday June 5 and will run through to Monday June 9 inclusive, these prices will be published instead on Tuesday June 10, in accordance with Fastmarkets’ policy. These prices are usually published weekly on Mondays. This change was not initially noted on Fastmarkets’ 2025 pricing […]
June 9, 2025
·
By Ross Yeo
Soybean trading futures steady amid soyoil and crude oil drops
Soybean futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange held broadly steady in the front end of the curve on Thursday May 29, while contracts for farther delivery months faced some downward pressure.
June 6, 2025
·
By the Fastmarkets team