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LAUNCESTON, Australia, Dec 4 (Reuters) - The two main spot prices for iron ore diverged last week, with Singapore-traded contracts gaining but China's domestic futures posting a decline. The exchange said on Nov. 30 that it will continue to strengthen its supervision of iron ore futures to maintain what it termed the safe and stable operation of the market. But despite the travails of the property sector, China's iron ore imports have been relatively robust so far in 2023. In the same week last year iron ore stockpiles were 137.5 million metric tons and were 155.4 million in the same week on 2021. History suggests that the authorities can cool iron ore prices, but only for a relatively short period, especially if the market conditions are supportive for stronger prices.

Persons: Sonali Paul Organizations: Singapore Exchange, Dalian Commodity Exchange, National Development, Reform, it's, Reuters, Thomson Locations: LAUNCESTON, Australia, Singapore, Beijing, Dalian

☆ China's big pig breeders dig in as losses and debts mount
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Dominique Patton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

BEIJING, Dec 4 (Reuters) - The biggest pig breeders in China, consumer of fully half the world's pork, seem to have bitten off more than they can chew. More huge losses are expected next year, putting China's pig enterprises under pressure to slim down their breeding herds and sell off farms, many of which are sitting empty. But now, especially given the companies' high debt levels, the analyst said: "It's hard for them to borrow any money from the banks." That follows a 17% surge in the first nine months of this year at China's 15 big market-listed breeders even as they reported 200 billion yuan in combined net losses. China's agriculture ministry has warned of heavier losses for the sector in early 2024 than a year ago and urged pig producers to cut output.

Persons: Lyle Jones, Hope Liuhe, they're, Flora Zhu, Dominique Patton, Edmund Klamann Organizations: Inc, Dalian Commodity Exchange, Tech - Bank, Jiangxi Zhengbang Technology, Analysts, Muyuan Foods, Foodstuff, WH, HK, Smithfield Foods, Hua'an Securities, China Corporate Research, Fitch, Beijing, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Fujian Aonong, Jiangxi, Beijing

The strength in iron ore is being driven by renewed optimism that China's vast property sector is emerging from the gloom of recent months. However, there are some fundamental reasons supporting iron ore, chief among them the low port inventories. Stockpiles at China's ports rose to 108.8 million metric tons in the week to Nov. 10, according to data from consultants SteelHome. This was up a modest 3.9 million metric tons from the previous week's 104.9 million, which was the lowest since October 2016. Stockpiles were 136 million metric tons in the same week in 2022 and 147.6 million in 2021, according to SteelHome data.

Persons: Ping, SteelHome, haven't, Miral Organizations: Dalian, Ping An Insurance, HK, Reuters, Thomson Locations: LAUNCESTON, Australia, China, Singapore, Beijing

LAUNCESTON, Australia, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The spot price of iron ore has climbed to a five-month high amid improving sentiment and some supportive fundamentals in China, the world's top buyer of the steel raw material. China, which buys about 70% of global seaborne iron ore, imported 106.42 million metric tons in August, the most since October 2020, according to customs data. For the first eight months of the year, imports were 775.66 million metric tons, up 7.4% on the same period in 2022. The need to rebuild stockpiles and nascent signs of a recovery in the property sector do support the recent rally in iron ore prices. This works out at around 76.7 million metric tons a month, which is well below the 90.8 million produced in July.

Persons: It's, it's, SteelHome, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Dalian Commodity Exchange, Reuters, Thomson Locations: LAUNCESTON, Australia, China, Singapore, July's, Beijing

LAUNCESTON, Australia, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Bad news for China's economy appears to spell good news for commodities, with prices of copper and iron ore gaining on hopes for new stimulus measures after yet another weak indicator. Dalian Commodity Exchange contracts ended daytime trade 0.5% higher at 841.5 yuan per metric ton, snapping two sessions of declines. Imports are estimated at 101.39 million metric tons by commodity analysts Kpler and at 100.96 million by Refinitiv. If the official figure is in line with these estimates, it would be the strongest month for iron ore imports since January's 103.6 million metric tons. Inventories have dropped for five straight weeks and are now 10% below the 13.5 million metric tons for the same week in 2022.

Persons: Beijing's, Miral Organizations: PMI, London, Reuters Graphics, Singapore, Dalian, Exchange, Reuters, Thomson Locations: LAUNCESTON, Australia, Beijing, Shanghai

The hope can be seen in the domestic iron ore price, with contracts on the Dalian Commodity Exchange outperforming Singapore futures. There are also some fundamental supports for the iron ore price, most noticeably declining inventories at China's ports. In the same week last year, inventories were at 128.3 million metric tonnes, or 1.6% above the current level. China iron ore imports vs SGX price:SOFT ECONOMIC DATACountering the positive indicators for iron ore demand is a raft of underwhelming economic data that shows China's rebound after ending its strict zero-COVID policy in December has been uneven. The weak data may actually boost iron ore sentiment, as investors will expect further stimulus measures from Beijing.

Persons: SteelHome, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Dalian, Exchange, China Iron and Steel Association, National Bureau of Statistics, Retail, Reuters, Thomson Locations: LAUNCESTON, Australia, China, Beijing, Singapore, Dalian, April's

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