SYDNEY, Jan 7, 2026, 16:56 AEDT — Market closed
- Iron ore futures hit a five-month high this week on resilient Chinese steel demand. 1
- Australia’s CPI eased to 3.4% year-on-year in November, data showed, tempering near-term rate-hike bets. 2
- Fortescue’s next scheduled updates are its December-quarter production report on Jan 22 and half-year results on Feb 25. 3
Fortescue Ltd (FMG.AX) shares slipped 0.18% to A$22.80 at the close on Wednesday, after opening at A$23.35 and fading from near a 52-week peak as early buying cooled. 4
The move matters because Fortescue is one of Australia’s most direct plays on iron ore, the steelmaking ingredient that drives most of its earnings. A fresh push in the commodity has kept the Pilbara miners in focus as investors reset positions after the holiday-thinned start to the year.
Rate bets also shifted after Australia’s inflation print came in softer, helping risk appetite while leaving traders wary about how long the Reserve Bank of Australia can sit tight. Luci Ellis, Westpac’s chief economist and a former RBA assistant governor, called the CPI outcome a “very pleasant surprise” for the headline number. 5
Company-specific catalysts are now close enough to matter for price action. Investors are looking to Fortescue’s next quarterly update for shipment volumes and “cash costs” — the cost to dig, process and ship ore — and any change to its fiscal 2026 guidance for 195 million to 205 million tonnes.
Macro still sits in the frame. The RBA’s next policy meeting is scheduled for Feb. 2–3, and core inflation remains above the central bank’s 2%–3% target band, keeping a February hike on the table even after the softer headline CPI. 6
But the stock’s sensitivity cuts both ways. Any setback in iron ore — whether from weaker Chinese steel demand or policy steps that curb output — can hit Fortescue faster than more diversified peers, while a stronger Australian dollar can also weigh on miners’ offshore earnings.
