鐵礦石價格跌破每噸60美元
The price of iron ore, a key steelmaking ingredient, dropped below $60 a tonne for the first time since 2009 as China vowed to cut overcapacity in the steel industry and close mills that violate pollution standards.
鐵礦石（鍊鋼的關鍵原料）價格自2009年以來首次跌破每噸60美元。目前中國誓言要削減鋼鐵行業過剩產能，並關停違反環保標準的鋼廠。Benchmark Australian iron ore for delivery to China fell $2.80, or 4.5 per cent, to $59.30 a tonne yesterday, according to The Steel Index, a price reporting agency. Iron ore futures on China’s Dalian exchange fell 3.1 per cent to a three-month low.
價格報告機構“鋼鐵指數”(Steel Index)數據顯示，澳大利亞基準鐵礦石的中國到岸價昨日下跌2.80美元（跌幅4.5%），至每噸59.30美元。中國大連期貨交易所鐵礦石期貨價格下跌3.1%，至3個月以來的最低水平。
Iron ore is a key profit generator for several leading mining companies, including Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, and Vale of Brazil.
對於幾家領先的礦業巨頭——包括力拓(Rio Tinto)、必和必拓(BHP Billiton)和巴西淡水河谷(Vale of Brazil)——鐵礦石是關鍵的利潤來源。
China’s Premier Li Keqiang said downward pressure on the economy was building and the government would cut overcapacity and tackle pollution in his opening speech to the National People’s Congress in Beijing. He also set the country’s economic growth target at about 7 per cent, the lowest since 1999.
中國總理李克強在北京全國人大年會上發言時表示，經濟下行壓力正在加大，政府將削減過剩產能並解決污染問題。他還將中國經濟增長目標設定在7%左右，爲1999年以來的最低水平。China’s official steel industry association said this year that up to 70 per cent of the industry could not meet the country’s environmental standards.
中國官方鋼鐵業協會表示，今年該行業高達70%的產能無法達到國家的環保標準。The Ministry of Environmental Protection carried out inspections in the eastern city of Linyi in Shandong province and Chengde in Hebei province this year, ordering them to shut projects that violate standards, according to Chinese media reports.
據中國媒體報道，今年，中國環境保護部在山東省臨沂市以及河北省承德市進行了檢查，勒令它們關停違反環保標準的項目。The country’s steel mills need to spend up to 100 yuan ($15.96) a tonne in capex to avoid closure and meet the new regulations, according to Standard Bank, even as they struggle with poor liquidity conditions and tight margins.
南非標準銀行(Standard Bank)數據顯示，中國鋼鐵企業的資本支出需要高達每噸100元人民幣（合15.96美元），才能避免被關停並達到新規定要求，儘管它們已經在艱難應對糟糕的流動性狀況以及微薄的利潤率。China’s consumption of steel fell for the first time in 30 years last year, even as exports from steel mills reached record levels.
去年，中國鋼鐵消費量出現30年來首次下降，儘管鋼廠的出口達到創紀錄水平。Despite the prospect of more stringent pollution standards, steel production shows no signs of letting up. Chinese mills increased crude steel output for the first 10 days of February by 8.14 per cent to 1.77m tonnes a day, compared with an average of 1.72m tonnes across 2014, says Standard Bank.
雖然環保標準將更加嚴格，但鋼鐵生產並沒有出現放鬆的跡象。標準銀行稱，2月上旬，中國鋼廠日均粗鋼產量增加了8.14%，至177萬噸，高於2014年全年日均產量（172萬噸）。The biggest iron ore miners are bracing themselves for a further decline in prices as a wave of fresh supply hits the market later this year.
隨着今年晚些時候將有大量新貨源進入市場，幾家最大的鐵礦石生產商都在準備迎接價格進一步下跌。Rio Tinto, which makes the bulk of its profits from the commodity, is set to cut hundreds of jobs in its mines in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Rival BHP has also been cutting costs at its iron ore operations in Australia.
大部分利潤來自鐵礦石的力拓，將裁掉其位於西澳大利亞州皮爾巴拉(Pilbara)地區鐵礦的數百個職位。其競爭對手必和必拓也已在澳大利亞鐵礦削減成本。
