Iron ore prices rose this week, despite the overall weakness in the steel industry. Analysts are puzzled by this contradiction, particularly as China’s steel production and local consumption are still not recovering at the rate they should be. According to sector experts, the recent surge hints at a gap between actual raw material demand and steel output. Iron ore is one of the most important raw materials in steelmaking. As such, ore futures markets are sensitive to expectations and often react negatively when steel metrics, such as production, demand, or profit margins, are weak. Some analysts believe that ... (full story)