Today， DCE iron ore futures generally strengthened today. The most-traded contract I2605 finally closed at 816.5 yuan/mt, up 1.81% from the previous trading session. Meanwhile, the spot price rose by about 5 yuan from the previous trading day.

[China Iron Ore Brief Comment: Iron Ore Concentrates Prices in Tangshan Might Have Some Room to Move Higher] Iron ore concentrates prices in Tangshan were relatively stable today, with the ex-factory prices of 66-grade dry-basis iron ore concentrates including tax at 970-980 yuan/mt. The intensity of environmental protection inspections weakened, and steel mills as well as ore beneficiation gradually resumed production, but producers turned cautious in their operations, market inquiries were not active, and beneficiation plants considered costs as well as inventory

Dalian iron ore futures were generally stronger today. The most-traded contract, I2605, eventually closed at 816.5 yuan/mt, up 1.81% from the previous trading session. Meanwhile, the spot price rose by about 5 yuan from the previous trading day. Traders were moderately active in offering quotes, while steel mills made relatively few inquiries. Overall spot market transactions were limited. The latest SMM survey showed that the impact of blast furnace maintenance on hot metal production was 1.751 million mt, down 250,000 mt WoW. This impact is expected to further decline by 229,800 mt next week to 1.522 million mt. As blast furnace maintenance intensity gradually eases, iron ore demand is expected to show signs of rebounding in the short term. Looking ahead, although current port iron ore inventory has reached 155 million mt, the overhang is mainly concentrated in certain varieties. Overall, market demand for some high-demand varieties has seen a structural shift. In particular, varieties represented by IOCJ fines and PB lumps continued to destock rapidly, while MAC fines and Indian fines saw an inventory buildup. The structural contraction on the supply side is expected to lend favorable support to iron ore fundamentals in the short term. Therefore, iron ore prices are expected to fluctuate at highs or remain relatively strong this week.

Australia’s iron ore output is anticipated to reach 993.4 million tonnes in 2026, a 2.6% year-on-year increase. Growth is driven by the ramp-up of the Onslow, Western Range, and Iron Bridge projects. This will be partially offset by the planned closures of the Yandi and Wonmunna mines, which together contributed 27.2 million tonnes in 2024.

21 Feb 2026, India and Brazil signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at securing long-term supplies of iron ore and metallurgical coal. The partnership focuses on stabilizing supply chains for Indian mills as they target massive capacity expansions of up to 300 MTPA by 2030

Champion Iron Limited announced on March 12, 2026, that it has secured 90.07% shareholder acceptance for the acquisition of Rana Gruber ASA in Norway. This adds a high-grade iron ore producer to Champion's portfolio, alongside its 15 MTPA Bloom Lake complex in Quebec, which is currently being upgraded to produce 69% Fe DRI-quality pellet feed