• Skip to main content

    CRU

    CRU: Iron Ore at $140/dmt – What’s Driving the Fall?

    Written by Erik Hedborg


    By CRU Principal Analyst Erik Hedborg and Senior Analyst Richard Lu, from CRU’s Steelmaking Raw Materials Monitor

    After reaching a new all-time high of more than $230 /dmt in May, iron ore prices held steady in the following months and traded in the $200-220 /dmt range for most of June and July. However, things have changed dramatically in August and the price has now dropped to $140 /dmt, as assessed by CRU on Aug. 24. This is in line with our expectations of the iron ore price declining in Q3, although the recent collapse has been steeper than we expected. So, what is driving this recent sharp fall in iron ore prices?

    Latest in CRU

    CRU: Global finished steel prices diverge, US the rare bright spot

    CRU: Global finished steel prices have diverged in August, with longs softening while sheet and plate firmed in most regions. Weak construction demand persisted across most longs markets, with the US the notable exception. Higher sheet prices were driven by tightening supply in the US and reduced import attractiveness in Europe, even as APAC sheet prices declined. Plate prices were mostly firmer across APAC, stable to down in Europe, and continued climbing in the US.