Chinese property, banking pain has iron ore in bear pressure
Rio appears to be doing a pretty good job of controlling those costs, and there are new opportunities in terms of improving operational efficiency, including the first ore from the vital new Gudai-Darri mine. But it’s hard to shake off concerns that Australia’s big iron ore miners are facing worrying pressure, with falling demand and rising costs conspiring to stifle profitability. That’s important for investors – Rio’s shares fell 2.6 percent on Friday, picking up losses since their recent peak last month to 21 percent, while BHP fell 24 percent over the same period – but also for Australia’s state and federal governments, for which royalties and strong iron ore taxes have been a boon over the last few years. The supply side is not an issue here, given that large iron ore miners have strong cost discipline and keep volumes under control. But the demand picture is deteriorating as China’s economy continues to suffer. China’s economy is treading water One of Australia’s most senior iro