By Reuters
SINGAPORE: Iron ore futures prices edged higher on Monday, buoyed by resilient Chinese trade demand, though production restrictions in key steelmaking regions weighed on investor sentiment.
The most-traded September iron ore contract on China鈥檚 Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) traded 0.2% higher at 766 yuan ($106.83) a metric ton, as of 0311 GMT.
The benchmark August iron ore on the Singapore Exchange was 0.27% higher at $99.55 a ton. Iron ore prices have been bolstered by macro news that is fuelling demand, said broker Everbright Futures. Top consumer China鈥檚 iron ore imports rose 8% in June as some miners increased shipments to hit quarterly targets, following a first quarter slump caused by cyclones in top supplier Australia. Stronger-than-expected steel demand boosted appetite for iron ore. China鈥檚 exports gained momentum in June while imports rebounded, as exporters accelerated shipments to take advantage of a fragile tariff truce between Beijing and Washington ahead of an August deadline. A