The price of the Brazilian high-grade iron ore, 65 percent iron contents, was $119/mt on June 11, against $121/mt on June 5, CFR China.
Over the last days, the iron ore price in China remains under pressure by higher global iron ore shipments destined to the country, while steel production remains affected by lower production determined by authorities to reduce emissions.
The higher volume of iron ore in Chinese ports is also playing a role in the decline of prices.
The export price of blast furnace grade pellets is $131/mt, against $133/mt previously, reflecting a stable premium ascribed to the product, in relation to the equivalent sinter feed fines.
The premium of the Brazilian high-grade ore, in relation to the Australian 62 percent iron ore, when considering their iron units, is 9.5 percent, the highest in recent years, against 9.2 percent previously, reflecting the interest by the integrated steel producers for the higher productivity and lower emissions of the premium ores when processed in blast furnaces.
In the Brazilian domestic market, the prices are estimated at $91/mt for the iron ore and $104/mt for the pellets, against respectively $94/mt and $106/mt previously, ex-works, no taxes included.
In May, Brazil exported 30.82 million mt of iron ore (pellets excluded) and 2.01 million mt of pellets, against respectively 27.20 million mt and 2.50 million mt in April.
The iron ore exports were destined to Asia (25.00 million mt, of which 21.27 million mt to China), followed by the Middle East (2.72 million mt), Europe (2.32 million mt), South America (451,100 mt), Africa (203,000 mt) and the US (128,600 mt).
The pellets were destined to Egypt (314,000 mt), Trinidad and Tobago (244,700 mt), the US (237,900 mt), the Arab Emirates (176,500 mt), South Korea (242,100 mt), Argentina (177,000 mt), Japan (184,100 mt) and Libya (150,000 mt), while smaller volumes were shipped to Belgium, The Philippines, Germany and the Netherlands.