Forging an iron ore derivatives market in Asia

Last year’s shift in the way iron ore price is negotiated – which pushed the industry into more market-based contracts – has helped drive iron ore swaps volumes. The greater liquidity means swaps are increasingly legitimised as a hedging tool but end-users still have a limited role in the market

Iron ore in many ways is emerging as an Asian commodity. Most of the world's steel mills – the buyers – are located in countries such as Japan, South Korea and China. So too are many of the largest producers – the mining operations – with countries such as Australia, India and China among the biggest producers and rubbing shoulders with the likes of Brazil, Russia and South Africa.

The way that contracts between buyers and sellers of ore are agreed changed dramatically in 2010 – and this has