印度開征鐵礦石出口稅 加劇供應緊張

Iron ore prices have surged to near a 1½-year high after India, the world's third largest exporter, slapped an export tax on the commodity used to produce steel.

在印度開始征收鐵礦石出口關稅后，鐵礦石價格飆升，逼近一年半高位。印度是鐵礦石這種煉鋼原料的全球第三大出口國。

The imposition of the 5 per cent export duty over Christmas, combined with strong global demand and low domestic production in China, have pushed iron ore prices up almost 30 per cent in the past month, traders and brokers said.

交易員和經(jīng)紀商表示，印度在圣誕節(jié)期間開始對鐵礦石征收5%的出口關稅，加上全球需求強勁以及中國國內(nèi)產(chǎn)量偏低，推動鐵礦石價格在過去一個月里上漲近30%。

The cost of the benchmark Australian ore – 62 per cent iron content – rose yesterday to $124.80 a tonne, including freight, according to swaps data from the Singapore Exchange. It is the highest level since September 2008.

據(jù)新加坡交易所(Singapore Exchange)數(shù)據(jù)，昨日，基準的澳大利亞鐵礦石（鐵含量為62%）價格漲至每噸124.80美元，為2008年9月以來的最高水平。

“The Indian export tax has contributed to tighten the market,” said Michael Gaylard, an iron ore broker at Freight Investors Services in London.

Freight Investors Services駐倫敦鐵礦石經(jīng)紀商邁克爾•蓋拉德(Michael Gaylard)表示：“印度征收出口關稅，令市場吃緊。”

The introduction of the export duty also highlights how iron ore, a commodity that in the past almost never attracted attention as prices were stable and supplies were considered abundant, is slowly becoming a sensitive geopolitical issue.

印度征收鐵礦石出口關稅也表明，鐵礦石正慢慢成為一個敏感的地緣政治問題。過去，這種大宗商品幾乎從未引起注意，因為價格穩(wěn)定，供應也顯得充足。

Jim Lennon, a commodities analyst at Macquarie in London, said India wanted to discourage iron ore exports and protect supplies for its own steel industry with the tax.

麥格理(Macquarie)駐倫敦大宗商品分析師吉姆•列農(nóng)(Jim Lennon)表示，印度希望借助關稅抑制鐵礦石出口，保護本國鋼鐵行業(yè)的供應。

Some analysts believe that the steel-intensive urbanisation of emerging countries means that iron ore is now more integral to the global economy than any other commodity, with the exception of crude oil.

一些分析師認為，新興國家在工業(yè)化過程中需要消耗大量鋼材，這意味著，對全球經(jīng)濟來說，除了原油以外，鐵礦石如今比哪一種大宗商品都更加不可或缺。

China is the world's largest importer of iron ore and Beijing is very sensitive to the cost of the mineral. India supplies about a fifth of Beijing's overseas purchases.

中國是全球最大的鐵礦石進口國，北京方面對這種礦物的成本極為敏感。中國進口的鐵礦石中，約五分之一來自印度。

The rally in ore prices comes as miners Vale of Brazil, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton and global steelmakers start their price negotiations for the 2010-11 contracts.

在鐵礦石價格飆升之際，巴西淡水河谷(Vale)、力拓(Rio Tinto)以及必和必拓(BHP Billiton)等礦業(yè)企業(yè)正同各國鋼鐵公司啟動2010-11年鐵礦石合約價格談判。

譯者/何黎