鐵礦石(煉鋼的關(guān)鍵原料)價(jià)格自2009年以來(lái)首次跌破每噸60美元。目前中國(guó)誓言要削減鋼鐵行業(yè)過(guò)剩產(chǎn)能,并關(guān)停違反環(huán)保標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的鋼廠。
價(jià)格報(bào)告機(jī)構(gòu)“鋼鐵指數(shù)”(Steel Index)數(shù)據(jù)顯示,澳大利亞基準(zhǔn)鐵礦石的中國(guó)到岸價(jià)昨日下跌2.80美元(跌幅4.5%),至每噸59.30美元。中國(guó)大連期貨交易所鐵礦石期貨價(jià)格下跌3.1%,至3個(gè)月以來(lái)的最低水平。
對(duì)于幾家領(lǐng)先的礦業(yè)巨頭——包括力拓(Rio Tinto)、必和必拓(BHP Billiton)和巴西淡水河谷(Vale of Brazil)——鐵礦石是關(guān)鍵的利潤(rùn)來(lái)源。
中國(guó)總理李克強(qiáng)在北京全國(guó)人大年會(huì)上發(fā)言時(shí)表示,經(jīng)濟(jì)下行壓力正在加大,政府將削減過(guò)剩產(chǎn)能并解決污染問(wèn)題。他還將中國(guó)經(jīng)濟(jì)增長(zhǎng)目標(biāo)設(shè)定在7%左右,為1999年以來(lái)的最低水平。
中國(guó)官方鋼鐵業(yè)協(xié)會(huì)表示,今年該行業(yè)高達(dá)70%的產(chǎn)能無(wú)法達(dá)到國(guó)家的環(huán)保標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。
據(jù)中國(guó)媒體報(bào)道,今年,中國(guó)環(huán)境保護(hù)部在山東省臨沂市以及河北省承德市進(jìn)行了檢查,勒令它們關(guān)停違反環(huán)保標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的項(xiàng)目。
南非標(biāo)準(zhǔn)銀行(Standard Bank)數(shù)據(jù)顯示,中國(guó)鋼鐵企業(yè)的資本支出需要高達(dá)每噸100元人民幣(合15.96美元),才能避免被關(guān)停并達(dá)到新規(guī)定要求,盡管它們已經(jīng)在艱難應(yīng)對(duì)糟糕的流動(dòng)性狀況以及微薄的利潤(rùn)率。
去年,中國(guó)鋼鐵消費(fèi)量出現(xiàn)30年來(lái)首次下降,盡管鋼廠的出口達(dá)到創(chuàng)紀(jì)錄水平。
雖然環(huán)保標(biāo)準(zhǔn)將更加嚴(yán)格,但鋼鐵生產(chǎn)并沒(méi)有出現(xiàn)放松的跡象。標(biāo)準(zhǔn)銀行稱,2月上旬,中國(guó)鋼廠日均粗鋼產(chǎn)量增加了8.14%,至177萬(wàn)噸,高于2014年全年日均產(chǎn)量(172萬(wàn)噸)。
隨著今年晚些時(shí)候?qū)⒂写罅啃仑浽催M(jìn)入市場(chǎng),幾家最大的鐵礦石生產(chǎn)商都在準(zhǔn)備迎接價(jià)格進(jìn)一步下跌。
大部分利潤(rùn)來(lái)自鐵礦石的力拓,將裁掉其位于西澳大利亞州皮爾巴拉(Pilbara)地區(qū)鐵礦的數(shù)百個(gè)職位。其競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手必和必拓也已在澳大利亞鐵礦削減成本。(中國(guó)進(jìn)出口網(wǎng))
The price of iron ore, a key steelmaking ingredient, dropped below $60 a tonne for the first time since 2009 as China vowed to cut overcapacity in the steel industry and close mills that violate pollution standards.
Benchmark Australian iron ore for delivery to China fell $2.80, or 4.5 per cent, to $59.30 a tonne yesterday, according to The Steel Index, a price reporting agency. Iron ore futures on China’s Dalian exchange fell 3.1 per cent to a three-month low.
Iron ore is a key profit generator for several leading mining companies, including Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, and Vale of Brazil.
China’s Premier Li Keqiang said downward pressure on the economy was building and the government would cut overcapacity and tackle pollution in his opening speech to the National People’s Congress in Beijing. He also set the country’s economic growth target at about 7 per cent, the lowest since 1999.
China’s official steel industry association said this year that up to 70 per cent of the industry could not meet the country’s environmental standards.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection carried out inspections in the eastern city of Linyi in Shandong province and Chengde in Hebei province this year, ordering them to shut projects that violate standards, according to Chinese media reports.
The country’s steel mills need to spend up to 100 yuan ($15.96) a tonne in capex to avoid closure and meet the new regulations, according to Standard Bank, even as they struggle with poor liquidity conditions and tight margins.
China’s consumption of steel fell for the first time in 30 years last year, even as exports from steel mills reached record levels.
Despite the prospect of more stringent pollution standards, steel production shows no signs of letting up. Chinese mills increased crude steel output for the first 10 days of February by 8.14 per cent to 1.77m tonnes a day, compared with an average of 1.72m tonnes across 2014, says Standard Bank.
The biggest iron ore miners are bracing themselves for a further decline in prices as a wave of fresh supply hits the market later this year.
Rio Tinto, which makes the bulk of its profits from the commodity, is set to cut hundreds of jobs in its mines in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Rival BHP has also been cutting costs at its iron ore operations in Australia.