Dalian: Iron ore futures closed higher on Thursday in daytime trading at the Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE). The most active iron ore contract for January 2026 delivery gained 3.5 yuan (about 49 U.S. cents) to close at 799.5 yuan per tonne.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the total trading volume of 12 listed iron ore futures contracts on the exchange was 316,298 lots, with a turnover of about 24.88 billion yuan. China, the world's largest importer of iron ore, opened the DCE iron ore futures to international investors in May 2018, allowing for broader participation in the market.