· Metals: Copper -0.4% to $4.26lb, iron ore +2.6% to US$153/t,...

· Metals: Copper -0.4% to $4.26lb, iron ore +2.6% to US$153/t, Gold +0.1% to US$1,792/oz

· Energy: Brent crude -1.3% to US$71.3/bbl, WTI -1.4% to US$67.4/ bbl, thermal coal +0.0% to $166.3/t

· Keyovernight stock moves: BHP LND -1.5%, Rio Tinto LND -2.0%, S32 (LDN) -1.5%, Anglo -1.4%, Glencore -1.2%, Vale -1.6%, Alcoa -1.5%, Shell 0.0%, BP -0.6%, Exxon -1.4%, Chevron -1.3%, ConocoPhillips -1.6%

· GlobalIndices: S&P 500 -0.58%, DOW -0.54% & FTSE -0.35%

Iron ore rebounded back above $150 a ton as investorsbet China’s push to reach its economic targets will boost demand, whileconcerns about supply added to gains. China will strive to achieve key economic and social development objectives this year, while maintaining strict virus controls, President Xi Jinping said in a front-page article of the People’s Daily on Thursday. Xi added that industrial development is the top priority of China’s efforts to revitalize rural areas. Steel and iron ore markets are often seen as barometers of the country’s infrastructure plans as well as broader growth prospects. (Bloomberg)

The Iron ore price rose on Thursday, buoyed by hopes ofa pick-up in steel demand in China. China’s success in stamping out its covid-19 outbreak also bolstered the outlook for commodities from copper to oil. According to Fastmarkets MB, benchmark 62% Fe fines imported into Northern China were changing hands for $152.92 a tonne, up 2.7% from Wednesday’s closing. The most-traded iron ore contract for January delivery on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange ended daytime trading 0.7% higher at 816 yuan ($125.89) a tonne. (Mining.com)

High levels of dust at two of BHP Group’s iron ore minesin Western Australia are impairing the health of workers and nearby residents,a union said this week, as BHP said it had undertaken a raft of measures tolimit dust in the arid region. The state’s environmental regulator this month began a review into elevated levels of airborne dust at BHP’s Whaleback and Newman mines in the Pilbara, as part of a review into BHP’s licence conditions and public submissions closed this week. The review will be undertaken over the second half of this year and could result in changes to BHP’s license conditions. The mines are some 1 065 km (662 miles) north east of Perth. (Reuters)