China's imported iron ore prices rose by $5 this week, supported by a bullish outlook.

The nickel price on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) bucked the trend during Asian morning trading hours on Wednesday October 18, amid a broadly weak performance by the complex.

Good morning from Metal Bulletin’s offices in Asia, bringing the latest news and pricing stories on Friday February 23.

Brazilian miner Vale’s upgrade of Mozambique’s Sena rail line, which transports coking coal from its Moatize project in Tete province to the port of Beira, has been delayed until the end of 2012.

Metal Bulletin proposes changes to the pricing methodology for its Aluminium P1020 cif quarterly main Japanese ports (MJP) premium and Aluminium P1020 cif MJP spot premium.

The displacement cycle in the iron ore market is likely to continue over “at least” the next two years, according to Macquarie.

Australia’s Atlas Iron shipped a record of 10.9 million tonnes of iron ore in fiscal 2014, beating the miner’s target of 10.7 million tonnes for the period.

High and volatile aluminium prices are likely to persist in the near term on uncertainty caused by the US Treasury Department's sanctions on Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska and aluminium producer UC Rusal, investment bank Goldman Sachs said in a report on Thursday April 12.

The seaborne iron ore market fell on Tuesday January 23 in line with the weakening steel billet prices and a falling futures curve.

The seaborne iron ore market was quiet at the start of the week, although news of output cuts at mills in a key steel production region in north China, shook market confidence.