The official end of the winter heating season in China – the world’s largest iron ore consumer – a few days ago has coincided with a pick-up in market interest in the price spreads between different grades of the steelmaking raw material.

Goldman Sachs’ latest comments on the steel industry and its raw materials pricing will make headlines. The bank’s analysts believe that the iron ore market could revert to annual benchmark pricing within the next few years if quarterly mechanisms are abandoned. “It would not be surprising to find the industry revert to the old annual contract system within a few years, though an attempt to move to a pure spot market first is possible,” Goldman said in the report. .

Japan is at the top of its game. The nation’s collective obsession with excellence means that so much is possible. So much that would be impossible anywhere else in the world. Just look at steel.

Debt-ridden Australian iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) is at an advanced stage of talks with a potential strategic partner in a bid to boost its cash reserves, ceo Nev Power has told Steel First.

West African iron ore miners are facing a “perfect storm” of tumbling iron ore prices and the deadliest outbreak of the ebola virus yet seen.

The London Metal Exchange moved to new premises earlier this year, cutting the ribbon on its fourth bespoke trading floor. But with ring-dealing member (RDM) numbers unchanged at nine from this time last year, the new mini-sized ring represents something of a downsize.

What a difference a year makes.