Iron Ore & Steel
Rio Tinto bags Chinese supplies for global mining
Source: China Daily
If you peeked into Rio Tinto’s global “shopping cart” for 2025, you wouldn’t just find the usual mining essentials. FULL STORY
Iron ore traders weigh up production cuts against the stimulus promises
Source: Energy News
Iron ‘ore futures were unable to find a direction on Thursday as traders weighed the reduced demand for feedstock due to imminent production -cuts against signs that Beijing will implement more ‘property stimuli’ measures. The daytime trading of the most traded May iron ore contract at China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange ended flat at 748.5 Yuan ($109.46). The benchmark March ore at the Singapore Exchange rose 0.13% to $0.13 per ton. Chinese steelmakers in the northern region of the country will have to reduce production by at least 30% from March 4, to maintain clean air during the annual parliament meeting on March 5. FULL STORY
As the annual parliament meeting approaches, some Chinese steelmakers have been asked to reduce production
Source: Energy News
Analysts and consultancies have said that some Chinese steelmakers will need to reduce production by at least 30% starting March 4, in order to maintain a clean air quality for the annual parliamentary meeting. FULL STORY
China’s Yahua starts building lithium sulfate plant in Zimbabwe
Source: Mining
Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group Co. said it has started building a lithium sulfate plant in Zimbabwe as the southern African country pushes mining investors to upgrade their processing operations. FULL STORY
BHP CEO confident China iron ore talks will be resolved
Source: Mining
BHP Group CEO Mike Henry said on Tuesday he was confident that issues with Chinese customers over new iron ore contracts would be resolved, although talks could take some time. FULL STORY
Column: Can Africa win as the West and China scramble for minerals?
Source: Mining
Two multi-billion dollar rail projects in Africa. One headed west, the other east. One backed by Western countries, the other by China. Both aiming to ship vast quantities of critical minerals. Welcome to the new scramble for Africa. FULL STORY
WEEKLY: China mines’ iron ore output declines further, stocks rise
Source: Mysteel
Production of iron ore concentrates among Chinese mining companies continued to decline during February 13-26, as some miners switched to holiday mode for the Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday over February 15-23, Mysteel’s survey showed. FULL STORY
Global iron ore exports rebound sharply w-o-w post Chinese New Year holidays
Source: Mysteel
Australian, Brazilian shipments surge on Chinese restocking demand. Freight sentiment mixed; Pacific rates uneven, Atlantic remains firm. FULL STORY
WEEKLY: China’s iron ore port stocks accumulate during CNY holiday
Source: Mysteel
Inventories of imported iron ore stockpiled at China’s 45 major ports under Mysteel’s regular tracking rose to 170.9 million tonnes as of February 26, higher by 1.5 million tonnes or 0.9% from February 12, according to the latest survey results. The latest survey period spanned two weeks, covering the nine-day Chinese New Year holiday. FULL STORY
WEEKLY: Chinese mills draw down on imported iron ore stocks during holiday
Source: Mysteel
Chinese steelmakers saw their imported iron ore stocks drop steeply during the just past Chinese New Year holiday (February 15-23), as their uninterrupted operations during the holiday entailed steady consumption of the raw material while they were unable to replenish with traders and logistics firms generally closed. FULL STORY
China mines’ iron ore output falls, concs prices soften
Source: Mysteel
Production of iron ore concentrates among Chinese mining companies dipped further during February 6-12 due to increased maintenance stoppages at mines ahead of the Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday, Mysteel’s latest survey showed. FULL STORY
High stocks, steel production curbs in Tangshan and a decline in iron ore are the main reasons for this
Source: Energy News
Iron ore prices fell on Monday. They were impacted by production curbs at China’s top steel hub Tangshan as well as a slow recovery of the?steel market after the holiday season and high portside stocks. FULL STORY
Coal
China coal demand faces structural headwinds from weaker steel and construction sectors
Source: The Coal Hub
China coal demand faces structural headwinds as weaker steel and construction activity weigh on industrial consumption. While power-sector coal use remains relatively resilient, softer heavy-industry conditions point to a structurally weaker demand outlook. FULL STORY
China could lift coal output this year due to Indonesian curbs
Source: Mining
China’s main coal industry body sees a drop in imports this year and potentially higher domestic production after Indonesia moved to restrict shipments in an attempt to boost prices. FULL STORY
MYSTEEL: Supply worries drive modest recovery in China-bound seaborne coal
Source: Mysteel
Global seaborne coal shipments to China, the world’s largest coal consumer, showed signs of a modest recovery from recent lows, reflecting renewed interest among some Chinese buyers as tightening supply concerns lifted market sentiment, Mysteel learned. FULL STORY
WEEKLY: China’s coking coal production recovers after CNY holiday
Source: Mysteel
Production activity in China’s coking coal mining regions recovered quickly during February 24-27, as miners returned from the Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday earlier this month. However, the increase in supply has begun to weigh on coal prices. FULL STORY
China Shenhua’s coal output, sales both jump 10% YoY in January
Source: Mysteel
China Shenhua Energy Co., Ltd., a listed arm of the country’s top coal and power producer China Energy Investment Corporation, saw its coal output in January jump 10% on year to 27.4 million tonnes, the company said in its latest monthly operation report. FULL STORY
WEEKLY: Holiday halts trim China’s coking coal production
Source: Mysteel
The widespread mine stoppages for the Chinese New Year holidays have significantly reduced coking coal output in China this week. This, coupled with fading purchases from end-users and traders, has left the market at an impasse ahead of the festival. FULL STORY
Coal exports via Australia’s Newcastle port fall 17% MoM in January
Source: Mysteel
Exports of Australian coal through the Port of Newcastle in New South Wales totalled 12.73 million tonnes in January, down 17.3% from last December, according to the latest port data on February 11. FULL STORY
China shifts coal-fired power from baseload to flexibility
Source: The Coal Hub
China coal-fired power is being repositioned from a baseload generation source to a provider of system flexibility as renewable energy expands rapidly. FULL STORY
Grain
Argentine wheat shipment opens new link to China
Source: China Daily
A cargo ship carrying about 65,000 metric tons of Argentine wheat — set to soon arrive in China — may open a new trade route that growers and shippers on both sides say could grow quickly, as China looks to diversify supply sources and Argentina hunts for new export markets. FULL STORY
China to expand agricultural trade while ensuring food security
Source: China Daily
China will expand high-level opening-up in agriculture and deepen its participation in global farm product trade, while firmly safeguarding national food security, a senior official said in a recent interpretation of this year’s No 1 central document. FULL STORY
COFCO delivers sustainable Argentinean soybeans to Vietnam
Source: World Grain
COFCO International delivered its first COFCO Responsible Agriculture Standard-certified soybeans from Argentina into Vietnam, for use in the nation’s rapidly growing feed markets. FULL STORY
COFCO ships first certified sustainable soybeans to Bangladesh
Source: World Grain
COFCO International is shipping its first certified sustainable soybeans from Brazil to Bangladesh for the Meghna Group of Industries (MGI), Bangladesh’s largest agribusiness group. FULL STORY
Exclusive: China is our largest, most irreplaceable soybean customer; stable US-China trade ties essential for American farmers, exporters: USSEC head
Source: Global Times
China is, quite simply, our largest and, in many ways, our most irreplaceable customer for US soybeans, said Jim Sutter, CEO of the US Soybean Export Council (USSEC), in a written interview with the Global Times, stressing the high importance of the Chinese market for the American soybean industry. FULL STORY
China expands traceability requirements for many agricultural products
Source: Ukr Agro Consult
China recently published a list of 2,589 agricultural products in 20 commodity groups whose imports now require approval letters from relevant authorities and commercial registration. FULL STORY
Brazil may boost soy exports to China after record 2025 harvest
Source: Ukr Agro Consult
Brazil, which harvested a record soybean crop in 2025, may increase exports of the oilseed to China in 2026 amid lower shipments from Argentina, despite stronger competition from U.S. farmers, Hedgepoint Global Markets analyst Luiz Fernando Roque said. FULL STORY
SunSirs: Mixed Long and Short Positions, China Palm Oil Market Is Weak and Declining in February
Source: Sun Sirs
According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of SunSirs, the palm oil market weakened in February, with price fluctuations and a decline of over 5%. At the beginning of the month, the average market price of palm oil was 9,196 RMB/ton. On February 27th, the average market price of palm oil was 8,800 RMB/ton, a decrease of 5.76%. FULL STORY
China expands feed meal imports from the Black Sea region
Source: Ukr Agro Consult
China has stepped up imports of feed meals from Black Sea countries — Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan — amid global market shifts and a strategic push to secure stable supplies of protein feed ingredients. According to customs statistics, import volumes increased significantly in 2025 as Beijing intensified efforts to diversify supply sources for its vast livestock sector. FULL STORY
Brazil Sends First Sorghum Shipment to China in a Decade
Source: Agriculture
Brazil exported its first shipment of sorghum to China since 2014 in January, but in a volume small enough to fit inside a single shipping container, according to Brazilian government data seen by Reuters. FULL STORY
China increases corn imports
Source: Ukr Agro Consult
According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, China’s corn harvest in 2025 reached a record 301.2 million tons, up from 294.9 million tons the previous year. While this volume was previously expected to reduce import needs, the quality of the corn has proven to be quite low due to prolonged rainfall, forcing China to increase imports. The USDA forecasts that China’s corn imports will reach 8 million tons by the end of the 2025/26 season, up from 1.8 million tons the previous season. FULL STORY
Energy
Energy security remains robust despite risks
Source: China Daily
China’s energy security is expected to remain fundamentally unaffected by the United States-Israel attack on Iran that has cast a shadow on maritime operations through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international waterway for oil and gas shipments, according to industry experts. FULL STORY
Energy independence set to improve
Source: China Daily
China’s energy self-sufficiency rate is on track to reach 84.6 percent this year, as the country intensifies efforts to insulate its economy from global supply volatility, according to a report released by a think tank recently. FULL STORY
China isn’t importing any US LNG, but it’s still in the game
Source: Energy Now
China this month marks a year since it last imported liquefied natural gas from the U.S. amid a tense trade war between the world’s two largest economies. Yet throughout the past year, Chinese firms have continued purchasing U.S. LNG under long-term supply contracts with American producers. Instead of delivering the super-chilled fuel home, they have often diverted it to Europe, where demand has surged in recent years. FULL STORY
As China’s Oil Giants Look Abroad, A Serbian City Finds Itself In Their Sights
Source: The Global Eye
Residents of Smederevo, a Serbian industrial city already blanketed by pollution from a Chinese-owned steel mill, are pushing back against plans for a $2.8 billion oil refinery backed by Chinese state-owned companies — a project negotiated largely out of public view.FULL STORY
Russell: China is changing its crude oil purchases in response to the price rally
Source: Energy News
China’s role in setting the floor and ceiling prices for crude oil is one of the less discussed dynamics of the global market. FULL STORY
Angola’s Sonangol in talks with China for $4.8 billion refinery loan
Source: Africa News
Angola’s state-owned oil company Sonangol announced Wednesday it is negotiating a $4.8 billion loan with Chinese financial institutions to partially finance a new refinery in the Atlantic port of Lobito, marking the country’s first such borrowing from China since 2017. FULL STORY
China refiners turn to Russian oil as Iran faces rising uncertainty
Source: World Ports
China appears to be replacing disrupted Venezuelan oil shipments with Russian crude rather than Iranian barrels, despite steeper discounts being offered by Tehran.FULL STORY
China Oil Refiners Feel Safe From Iran Conflict Disruption with Crude Stockpile
Source: World Ports
Refiners in China, the world’s top oil importer, have enough supply on hand to weather near-term disruption from the Iran conflict, bolstered by recent record purchases of Iranian and Russian crude and robust government stockpiling, traders said.FULL STORY