China domestic steelmaking raw material markets continue recovery
Singapore (Platts)--13Jan2009 The prices of Chinese steelmaking raw materials, including iron ore, scrap, and coke, have climbed up slightly on stronger downstream demand, industry sources said. The Purchase prices (including 17% VAT) of Chinese iron ore concentrate (grading 66% Fe) have climbed to Yuan 860-880/mt ($126-129/mt) in northern China, up by around Yuan 50-60/mt from late December 2008, according to a purchase executive of a Tangshan-based private mill. The demand for iron ore has recovered as most local private mills have resumed production. The recent upward movement in iron ore prices, however, has more to do with the increase of the VAT for iron ore from 13% to 17%, effective as of January 1, 2009, the executive noted. The purchase prices of first-grade coke have moved up slightly to Yuan 1,850/mt in northern China, compared with the January reference ex-works prices of Yuan 1,750/mt by the Shanxi Coking Industry Association, the executive said. This compares with a low of Yuan 1,300-1,400/mt in November 2008. The purchase prices of Chinese scrap have also climbed up further to around Yuan 2,600/mt in eastern China, up by around Yuan 100-150/mt since December 2008, a Jiangsu-based trader said. "Now that market prices [ex-carrier, including 17% VAT, at local trading places] of billet have recovered to a level of around Yuan 3,200-3,300/mt, local steel mills have a profit of up to Yuan 200/mt based on the current raw materials' costs," the executive of the Tangshan-based mill said. Meanwhile, iron ore stocks at China's major sea ports totaled 60.15 million mt on Jan 9, up by 0.25 million mt from a week ago, according to a report by the Shanghai-based brokerage firm Orient Securities on January 11. This compares with a high of nearly 90 million mt in October 2008. --Reggie Lee, newsdesk@platts.com
http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/...ge=channelinfo&ChannelID=4393 ----------- An der Börse sind 2 mal 2 niemals 4, sondern 5 minus 1. Man muß nur die Nerven haben, das minus 1 auszuhalten.
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