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Largest Director Share Purchases in January Week 4

Largest Director Share Purchases in January Week 4

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Lykeshares Staff 19h

China, BHP and the Iron Ore Standoff: Who Really Takes the Hit?

Imagine the world’s busiest …

China, BHP and the Iron Ore Standoff: Who Really Takes the Hit?

Imagine the world’s busiest iron ore port, with hundreds of ships lining up each year, waiting to haul Australia’s fortune away. That’s Port Hedland in Western Australia, the beating heart of the global iron ore trade.

From BHP’s massive Pilbara mines, trains stretch almost 400 kilometres to reach the coast. Day and night, they tip their cargo into waiting carriers bound for steel mills around the world. The largest share? China — by far Australia’s biggest customer.

But this week, the trade hit a bump. Reports out of Beijing suggest China’s state iron ore buyer has told steel mills to pause purchases from BHP. Analysts describe it as a negotiating tactic — a way for Beijing to apply pressure during tense price talks.

The stakes are enormous. Billions of dollars flow through these trains and ships every year. Iron ore is not just another export; it underpins Australia’s economy and helps drive China’s construction boom.

Could China really cut BHP off for long? Probably not. Alternatives like Rio Tinto, Fortescue, Brazil’s Vale, or even domestic Chinese ores exist — but none can fully replace BHP’s scale and efficiency. At the same time, BHP depends heavily on the Chinese market, meaning both sides have something to lose.

That’s why most observers see this less as a “ban” and more as brinkmanship. Beijing wants cheaper long-term prices. BHP wants fair value for its ore. The result? Headlines that shake markets, and a share price wobble that reflects investor nerves.

In the end, China can’t build its modern economy without Australian iron ore, and Australia can’t ignore its largest trading partner. The question is: in a high-stakes game of chicken over price, who blinks first — and who really takes the hit?

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Lykeshares Staff 22d

“Buy the dip” only works if people actually have cash to put in. A big reason it’s worked lately is…

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Lykeshares Staff 22d

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Lykeshares Staff 22d

Yeah, that fits the contrarian idea, when hardly anyone’s bracing for a drop, that’s usually when t…

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Lykeshares Staff 22d

After such a strong rally, a pullback feels likely. I’m expecting October and November to be choppy…

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Lykeshares Staff 22d

This chart shows how many people think the stock market’s headed down. Right now, that number’s the…

This chart shows how many people think the stock market’s headed down. Right now, that number’s the lowest it’s been in years, meaning hardly anyone’s expecting a drop. Funny enough, when everyone’s this upbeat, history says it can sometimes be a bad sign. Back in April, for example, the opposite was true with bearish sentiment near record highs

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Lykeshares Staff 27d

Could it be that by 2025 we actually have far more, and much better, rental options compared to 198…

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