Has the time come for an orderly restocking of iron ore in China?

Down for 9 consecutive weeks, including a -3.3Mt decline last week, iron ore inventories at Chinese ports now stand at 135Mt (-5.9% YoY).

Chart showing iron ore inventories at Chinese ports from January to April 2025, compared with 2024 and 2023 levels. The chart, presented in IFCHOR GALBRAITHS brand colours, highlights a consistent year-on-year decline, with current inventories at 134.6 Mt, down 5.9% from the previous year. The visual also includes a 5-year minimum and maximum range for reference.

The drawdown reflects both earlier disruptions to Australian and Brazilian shipments due to adverse weather and mediocre domestic mining output, which fell -12% YoY in 1Q’25. Echoing the 2023 destocking pattern – when mills were forced into emergency purchases after excessive drawdowns – iron ore prices CFR China for May have now breached 100$/t, beginning to price in a restocking phase.

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