August 2025
Iron Ore & Steel
Steel sector makes strides in profitability
Source: China Daily
China’s steel industry is stepping up efforts to establish a practical self-regulatory framework aimed at enhancing profitability and improving operational quality through a more regulated production mechanism. FULL STORY
Baosteel expects China’s steel exports to stay above 100Mt in 2025
Source: Mining
China’s biggest listed steelmaker Baoshan Iron & Steel Co expects the country’s total steel exports to stay above 100 million metric tons in 2025, it said on Friday, while monitoring potential curbs on national steel output. FULL STORY
Iron ore prices rise on demand and lower inventories
Source: Energy News
Iron ore futures prices traded in a narrow band on Friday but were poised for a gain of about 5% this week, thanks to a steady demand from China, the world’s largest consumer, and declining inventories. FULL STORY
Danantara and China’s GEM will develop nickel processing hubs in Indonesia
Source: Energy News
An official announced on Tuesday that the Indonesian sovereign fund Danantara would invest in developing a nickel-processing hub with Chinese battery recycler GEM. The funds, which total $8.3 billion, will be available for investment by 2025. FULL STORY
Document shows China wants to reduce steel production and prune overcapacity
Source: Energy News
According to an official document and a source familiar with the issue, China will try to reduce steel production from 2025 to 2026 as it tries to combat overcapacity, which has impacted prices and caused a global protectionist backlash. FULL STORY
WEEKLY: China mines’ iron ore concs output, stocks slide further
Source: Mysteel
Production of iron ore concentrates by Chinese mining companies continued to decline during the past week, with the reduction being observed mainly in the northern regions of the country, Mysteel’s latest survey showed. FULL STORY
China’s imported iron ore pellet premium hit over 1.5-y high
Source: Mysteel
Stocks of imported iron ore pellets stored at China’s ports have been generally declining since early May, providing upward momentum to the country’s pellet premium, Mysteel Global found. FULL STORY
WEEKLY: China’s iron ore port stocks slip slightly
Source: Mysteel
Inventories of imported iron ore stockpiled at China’s major 45 ports under Mysteel’s regular tracking stood at 137.6 million tonnes on August 28, falling by 821,800 tonnes or 0.6% on week after three weeks of slow increases, according to Mysteel’s latest survey results. Compared with the year-ago level, the portside inventories were 10% lower. FULL STORY
Iron ore shipments to China via Port Hedland retreat in July
Source: Mysteel
After hitting a record high of 49.2 million tonnes in June, the volume of iron ore shipped to China in July from Port Hedland, the top iron ore dispatch terminal in Western Australia, declined by a notable 20.6% on month to reach 39 million tonnes, according to latest data released by the Pilbara Ports Authority (PPA). Nonetheless, the tonnage was still 14.4% higher than a year ago, the same data show. FULL STORY
NBS: China’s ROM iron ore output jumps 22% YoY in July
Source: Mysteel
China produced 86.3 million tonnes of run-of-mine (ROM) iron ore in July, lower by 2.6% from June but higher by a substantial 21.8% on year, according to new data released by the country’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). FULL STORY
MYSTEEL: Production restriction updates in Tangshan city – iron ore demand estimation
Source: Mysteel
According to Mysteel, some steel mills in Tangshan City of Hebei Province have received verbal notices of environmental production restrictions, with a 30% reduction in sintering machine production from August 25 to September 3. FULL STORY
Coal
Russell: China’s thermal coal imports surge as India’s tumble
Source: Energy News
In August, China’s seaborne thermal coal imports are expected to reach their highest level this year while India, the second largest buyer of seaborne coal, will see theirs fall to a three-and-a half-year low. FULL STORY
WEEKLY: China’s met coal demand dips on downstream output cuts
Source: Mysteel
Chinese users’ appetite for domestic metallurgical coal weakened further during the week of August 25-29, in tandem with production reductions at some downstream steel mills and coke producers, Mysteel observed. FULL STORY
Top analysts and miners say that China has capped coal production in order to maintain prices.
Source: Energy News
According to an official from a major mining company and analysts, China has curbed coal production after an unexpected increase in supply during the first half of this year, which weighed down on prices. FULL STORY
DAILY: China’s coking coal trades slow further, prices dip
Source: Mysteel
China’s coking coal transactions remained lackluster as of August 29 due to the waning interest from both end-users and traders, adding more downward pressure on prices of some coal varieties. FULL STORY
Top 10 Chinese coal miners’ production in July rises 2% MoM
Source: Mysteel
The total output of raw coal among China’s top 10 mining companies reached 200.89 million tonnes in July, up by 2% from June, Mysteel Global calculated based on the year-to-date data from the China National Coal Association (CNCA). FULL STORY
DAILY: Chilling weather curbs China’s demand for Indonesian thermal coal
Source: Mysteel
Indonesian thermal coal prices came under downward pressure as Chinese demand softened amid cooling temperatures in the country’s coastal regions, sources noted. FULL STORY
GACC: China’s July thermal coal imports down 27% YoY
Source: Mysteel
China imported 25.24 million tonnes of thermal coal in July, down by 26.7% from a year earlier, although the volume recovered by 10.9% from June’s low, new data from the General Administration of Customs (GACC) showed. FULL STORY
US soybean exports to ChinChina Shenhua’s coal output up 6.5% YoY in July, but sales down 5.5%
Source: Mysteel
China Shenhua Energy Co., Ltd., the country’s largest listed coal miner, produced 29.3 million tonnes of commercial coal in July, up 6.5% on year and 6.2% on month, the company said in its latest monthly operations report. FULL STORY
Soybean
How China can help rewrite the future of Indonesian palm oil
Source: Ukr Agro Consult
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has launched a campaign against illegal palm oil plantations, seeking to reclaim millions of hectares of forest lost to unchecked expansion. FULL STORY
Uncertainty, challenges weighing on China-US soybean trade partnership
Source: China Daily
As China and the United States recently agreed to further extend the pause on tariff hikes, US soybean producers and industry representatives said they would love to see the two countries’ soybean trade partnership get back on track and Chinese buyers increase their purchases from US producers. FULL STORY
China soybean imports continue surge
Source: World Grain
China, the world’s largest soybean consumer, set a second straight monthly import record in July, Reuters reported, citing customs data calculations. FULL STORY
China’s grain imports have slumped big-time
Source: Ukr Agro Consult
China’s grain purchases are way down, and the long-term outlook is not promising, says an analyst. FULL STORY
U.S. loses out on sales of soybean to China
Source: Producer
U.S. soybean exporters risk missing out on billions of dollars worth of sales to China this year as trade talks drag on and buyers in the top oilseed importer lock in cargoes from Brazil for shipment during the key U.S. marketing season, according to traders. FULL STORY
China becomes a supplier of soybean oil
Source: Ukr Agro Consult
China is cementing its status as the world’s largest buyer of soybeans and quietly reshaping the trade in oilseed products, Bloomberg reports. FULL STORY
China sets record soybean imports in July amid strong exports from Brazil and trade uncertainty with the US
Source: Reuters
In July 2025, China imported a record amount of soybeans for this month — 11.67 million tons, which is 18.5% more than in the same period last year. This is evidenced by Reuters calculations based on customs statistics of the PRC. The main supplier remains Brazil, which, thanks to a high harvest, ensures stable export volumes. FULL STORY
US agricultural exports to China fell by 53% in first half of year
Source: Ukr Agro Consult
Agriculture has become a major point of contention between China and the United States as the superpowers are locked in a tariff war started by President Donald Trump. Beijing’s ambassador to Washington said it is U.S. protectionism that is undermining agricultural cooperation with China, Reuters reported. FULL STORY
China’s soybean meal stocks top one million tons and continue to grow
Source: Ukr Agro Consult
Chinese soybean processors are facing record pressure from meal inventories, which for the first time in history exceeded the psychologically important mark of 1 million tons by the beginning of August. According to the analytical system SunSirs, in the week ending August 6, inventories reached 1.07 million tons. FULL STORY
Energy
CNPC’s high-quality development in the UAE
Source: China Daily
When the United Arab Emirates became the first Gulf country to establish a strategic partnership with China in 2012, China National Petroleum Corp, or CNPC, and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co, also known as ADNOC, have continuously expanded their cooperation, jointly building a more comprehensive energy cooperation framework. FULL STORY
Exclusive: China’s Sinochem to Sell Two Bankrupt Refineries to Local Operators, Sources Say
Source: World Ports
China’s state-run Sinochem Group will sell another two bankrupt refineries in eastern Shandong province to local refiners for much less than they are valued via auctions that closed on Friday, according to seven trade sources and auction documents. FULL STORY
Gazprom and CNPC Sign Agreement to Increase Gas Supplies to China, RIA Reports
Source: China Daily
Source: Energy News
Russia’s RIA reported that Gazprom, the Russian energy company, and China National Petroleum Corporation have signed an agreement to increase the annual gas supply to China through the Power of Siberia Pipeline as well as the Far Eastern Route. FULL STORY
CNOOC achieves milestone in heavy oil recovery
Source: China Daily
China National Offshore Oil Corp’s breakthrough in offshore heavy oil thermal recovery has unlocked access to a vast reserve of previously inaccessible heavy oil, bolstering China’s energy security and reducing its reliance on imports, said industry experts. FULL STORY
Russell: China’s imports of LNG are expected to increase for the 4th consecutive month. But it’s still not bullish.
Source: World Energy News
China’s LNG imports are expected to increase for the fourth consecutive month in August. However, this might not be as positive as first seems.FULL STORY
CNOOC subsidiaries sign PSCs for exploration in Indonesia
Source: China Daily
CNOOC Limited announced on Tuesday its wholly owned subsidiaries have entered into two Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) for exploration blocks in Indonesia with SKK Migas, the subsidiaries of other Tangguh partners, EnQuest and Agra. FULL STORY
China’s ocean economy buckles pressure and posts 5.8% rise in marine GDP
Source: China Daily
China’s ocean economy stood firm against pressure and showed a stable and positive development trend in the first half of this year, with a 5.8 percent year-on-year increase in marine GDP that reached 5.1 trillion yuan ($707 billion), the Ministry of Natural Resources said on Friday. FULL STORY
RPT-Private Chinese firm producing oil in Venezuela under rare 20-year pact, source says
Source: World Energy News
China Concord Resources Corp. has started developing two Venezuelan oilfields. The company plans to invest over $1 billion in an investment project that will produce 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day by the end of 2026. An executive involved directly in the project confirmed this. This is a rare private Chinese investment in an OPEC nation that has been struggling to attract foreign capital because of international sanctions against the government of President Nicolas Maduro. This is the first time that the investment amount and production plan have been reported. Beijing is a close ally of Maduro, and of his predecessor, late President Hugo Chavez. It currently purchases more than 90% the total Venezuelan oil exports. FULL STORY
China’s oil throughput in July surges by 8.9% on an annual basis
Source: World Energy News
China’s crude throughput in July increased 8.9% compared to a year ago, according to official data released on Friday. State-owned refineries also maintained high operational rates. FULL STORY
Sources say that China’s Zhenhua Oil has doubled its crude oil purchases from the UAE as part of a new agreement.
Source: World Energy News
Three Chinese sources claim that China’s Zhenhua Oil will double its oil purchases from Abu Dhabi National Oil Co, to 200,000 barrels a day. This is after the company took on a new leadership role in developing one of Abu Dhabi’s most important oilfields. FULL STORY
China’s fossil fuelled power rose to an 11-month peak in July
Source: World Energy News
China’s fossil fuelled power generation, mainly coal, increased in July to its highest level since August 20,24, according to official data released on Friday. The record-breaking heat also pushed the power demand up to new records across a large part of China. FULL STORY
Chinese independent oil companies in Iraq
Source: World Energy News
A few independent Chinese oil companies have poured into Iraq and are planning multi-billion dollar projects to develop the vast reserves. They want to compete with global state-backed majors who dominate production in OPEC’s second largest producer. FULL STORY