SMX to launch iron ore futures contract on Aug 12

Singapore Mercantile Exchange (SMX) today said it will launch trading for the world's first iron ore futures contract on a global platform from August 12.

It would be settled based on the Metal Bulletin Iron Ore (MBIO) Index, said SMX, the first pan-Asian multi-product commodity and currency derivatives exchange.

The futures contract would complement Singapore as a major trading centre of iron ore and would be an ideal hedging tool for smaller exporters, traders and importers.

The physical market for iron ore is valued at about $200 billion a year, making it second only to the market for crude oil. 

China alone accounts for more than $100 billion of the iron ore market, with production at 250 million tonne (based on equivalent grade 62% iron) and imports of 619 million tonne.

Metal Bulletin is the leading independent provider of premium information and pricing for the metals industries, and its MBIO index is a good reflection of the seaborne merchant market for sinter fines delivered to China, said SMX.

V Hariharan, Interim Chief Executive Officer of SMX, said, "Based on the unique contract design of smaller trading unit, optimal tick size and monthly single day expiry, the physical players of all sizes across the supply and value chain of iron ore can participate in the SMX MBIO Index futures contract for effectively covering their price and counter-party risk".  

Raju Daswani, Managing Director of Metal Bulletin, said, "Metal Bulletin has no financial interest in the level or the direction of the MBIO Index, which is an open and transparent representation of the iron ore market."

"We are pleased to play a crucial role in offering the MBIO Index futures contract on SMX and would expect it to become the industry benchmark over a period of time".