Brazil is exporting sinter feed fines of 65 percent iron contents at$40.50/mt, FOB conditions, against $45.00/mt two weeks ago, a market source told SteelOrbis.
He mentioned that the decline reflects an increase in logistics costs, rather than a decline in the Chinese iron ore spot market, adding that lumps are exported at $45.50/mt and pellets at $72.50/mt, also FOB conditions.
In the domestic market, slab producers are paying $36.50/mt for sinter feed fines, $40.50/mt for lumps and $68.50/mt for pellets, CFR conditions, the source said.
The source mentioned that the premium for pellets over the price of sinter feed fines should remain the same, at $32/mt, until the end of the year, while the price of sinter feed fines and lumps will gradually decline throughout H2 due to fresh capacity for iron ore production in Brazil and Australia.