Brazil is exporting sinter feed fines of 65 percent iron contents at $43/mt, lumps at $47/mt and pellets at $73/mt, all FOB conditions, a market source told SteelOrbis.
Such prices compare respectively with $40.50/mt, $45.50/mt and $72.50/mt, earlier last week, reflecting the recent price increase in the Chinese spot market, the source said, adding that in his view the increase is punctual and should not be sustained in the medium term, as supply/demand fundamentals will be affected by fresh iron ore production capacity coming on line in Brazil and Australia.
A second source mentioned that in the domestic market, slab producers are paying the same prices of last week, $36.50/mt for sinter feed fines, $40.50/mt for lumps and $68.50/mt for pellets, CFR conditions, as the higher prices in China did not affect so far the domestic market, but eventually it will have to increase if the higher Chinese prices are sustained.