Vale SA shares rise amid resilient Chinese iron ore demand

Vale SA shares rose in New York on August 17, 2026, climbing 0.88% to close at US$13.75. The uptick follows a period of weakness and is supported by resilient iron ore demand from China.

China's iron ore imports for June rose 6.4% year-on-year to 112.69 million tons. While China's crude steel output for the first half of 2026 fell by 3%, the high volume of ore imports has provided a floor for global mining stocks. Other miners, including Rio Tinto and CSN Mineração, also saw gains during this period.

Vale has raised its C1 cash cost guidance for direct mining and shipping to a range of US$22.50 to US$23.50 per tonne, up from the previous estimate of US$20.00 to US$21.50. The company attributed this increase to higher diesel prices and a stronger Brazilian real.