Gold Prices Mixed as Stronger Dollar Offsets Safe-Haven Demand Amid U.S.-Iran Peace Talks 
Asian Stocks Slip as Oil Rebounds Amid Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Yen Near 40-Year Low as USD/JPY Approaches Key 162 Level, Raising Intervention Concerns 
China’s AI Manufacturing Boom Masks Weak Consumer Economy, Citi Says 
Japan Keeps Markets Guessing as Yen Nears 40-Year Low, Raising Intervention Risks 
Oil Prices Fall as Iran Peace Talks Progress, Hormuz Reopens, and U.S. SPR Hits 1983 Low 
Dollar Holds Firm as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Tensions, GBP/USD Slips Amid UK Political Uncertainty 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
France Faces Long Road to Economic Rebalancing as Weak Demand and High Rates Weigh, Says Citi 
Japan, U.S. Discuss Yen Weakness as Currency Intervention Concerns Grow 
US Stock Futures Recover as Iran Signals Progress in Peace Talks 
Italy’s Economy Outpaces Eurozone Peers as Investment Spending Fuels Growth 
US Dollar Hits One-Year High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Overshadows Middle East Developments 
Gold Price Rises as Investors Weigh U.S.-Iran Talks and Fed Policy Outlook 
Oil Prices Drop as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Supply Concerns 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Iron ore futures fell on Friday, poised for modest monthly losses as U.S. tariffs and escalating trade tensions pressured Chinese steel exports.
The most-traded May iron ore contract on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) dropped 0.43% to 802 yuan ($110.07) per metric ton as of 0250 GMT, losing 0.93% in February. Singapore’s benchmark March iron ore contract declined 0.89% to $104.15 a ton, marking a 0.59% monthly loss.
U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed a 25% tariff on Mexican and Canadian imports starting March 4, alongside an additional 10% duty on Chinese goods, totaling a cumulative 20% tariff. Trump also announced a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, exacerbating trade tensions with China.
Vietnam and South Korea have implemented temporary tariffs on Chinese steel, further pressuring China’s struggling steel sector. The U.S. steel tariffs are expected to disrupt China’s $7 billion steel transshipment market, impacting a crucial revenue source.
Meanwhile, concerns over China’s trade-in scheme inefficiencies could prompt consumer-focused policies when the annual parliamentary meeting begins on March 5.
Steel futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchange mostly declined. Rebar fell 0.42%, hot-rolled coil dipped nearly 0.5%, and wire rod lost 0.34%, while stainless steel gained 0.3%. Domestic steel demand showed signs of recovery, with major steel product inventories decreasing 2.3% to 5.37 million tons, according to consultancy Mysteel.
Other steelmaking ingredients on the DCE edged up, with coking coal rising 0.09% and coke increasing 0.3%.
As global trade tensions persist, investors remain cautious about iron ore and steel market trends.
