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Billions of dollars were wiped off the market value of the world’s biggest mining companies yesterday after fresh concerns about slowing demand from China prompted one of the steepest falls in the price of iron ore on record.
全球几家大型矿企的市值昨日蒸发了数十亿美元，原因是中国需求放缓再度引起担忧，导致铁矿石价格出现有记录以来最大跌幅之一。
Benchmark iron ore delivered into China dropped 8.3 per cent to an 18-month low of $104.70 a tonne – its second-biggest one-day percentage fall on record – according to the Steel Index price reporting agency.
价格报告机构钢铁指数(Steel Index)数据显示，发往中国的基准铁矿石价格下跌了8.3%，至每吨104.7美元的18个月低位，创下有记录以来第二大单日跌幅。
Iron ore is the main commodity used in steel making and is critical to the profitability of mining companies such as Anglo American, BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Vale. They are spending billions of dollars expanding operations to meet expected demand for steel from Chinese construction projects.
铁矿石是用于炼钢的主要大宗商品，对于英美资源集团(Anglo American)、必和必拓(BHP Billiton)、力拓(Rio Tinto)和淡水河谷(Vale)等矿企的盈利能力至关重要。这些矿企正投入数十亿美元扩大经营规模，以满足预期的中国建设项目对钢材的需求。
However, if the iron ore price were to stay low for a sustained period of time, it would call into question the ability of miners to fulfil promises of higher returns for shareholders.
然而，如果铁矿石价格持续徘徊在低位，矿企能否兑现承诺、为股东提供更高回报将成为疑问。
Investors have been warming to the mining sector after several years of underperformance as a new generation of chief executives promises a greater focus on returns rather than investment in big new projects. BHP and Rio, the two largest mining companies by market value, last month held out the prospect of higher dividends and potential share buybacks as early as this year.
矿企数年表现偏弱之后，投资者此前对矿业板块态度回暖，因为新一代矿企首席执行官承诺将更加注重提高回报，而不是投资于大型新项目。上月，全球市值最大的两家矿企——必和必拓和力拓——承诺最早于今年提高股息，并可能实施股票回购。
Analysts at BMO Capital Markets expect iron ore to generate 58 per cent of the pre-tax profits made by the seven largest diversified miners this year.
蒙特利尔银行资本市场(BMO Capital Markets)分析师预计，今年铁矿石对全球七大多元化矿企税前利润的贡献将达到58%。
“Expectations that some miners may be able to return cash to shareholders later this year are built on a strong iron ore price. Certainly for BHP and Rio, prices under $100 per tonne would significantly cut the chances of a special cash return,” said Tony Robson, co-head of global mining research at BMO.
蒙特利尔银行资本市场矿业研究全球联合主管托尼•罗布森(Tony Robson)说：“有些矿企今年晚些时候向股东返还现金的预期，建立在铁矿石价格维持在高位的基础上。对于必和必拓和力拓而言，如果铁矿石价格低于每吨100美元，向股东提供特别现金回报的几率肯定会大大降低。”
Shares in BHP have fallen almost 4 per cent in the past two trading sessions, while Rio is down more than 5 per cent. Anglo American, which is investing in iron ore production in Brazil, has dropped more than 7 per cent.
过去两个交易日里，必和必拓股价下跌近4%，而力拓股价下跌逾5%。正投资于巴西铁矿石项目的英美资源集团股价下跌逾7%。
The iron ore price has plunged 22 per cent since the year’s start as fears about slowing growth in China, which consumes two-thirds of the world’s seaborne iron ore, have intensified. That has taken it into a bear market, defined as a 20 per cent drop from a recent peak.
随着中国增长放缓引起的担忧加剧（中国消费量占到全球海运铁矿石的三分之二），铁矿石价格自今年初以来下跌了22%。这意味着铁矿石市场陷入熊市——价格比上一个峰值低20%即为熊市。
The sudden drop in the iron ore price followed disappointing Chinese trade data and a fall in domestic steel futures, which slid to a record low. Traders also said a 90,000 tonne cargo of benchmark Australian iron ore for delivery in May had traded at $104 a tonne. A similar shipment for April delivery had sold for $112.50 tonne on Friday.
铁矿石价格突然下跌，源于中国发布令人失望的贸易数据，以及国内期钢价格跌至创纪录低位。交易员也表示，今年5月交货的9万吨基准澳大利亚铁矿石的价格为每吨104美元。而上周五，今年4月交货的数量差不多的澳大利亚铁矿石的价格为每吨112.50美元。
Chinese steel demand has been tepid since January as slowing economic growth has curbed demand for the material.
中国对钢材的需求自今年1月以来持续低迷，因为经济增长放缓抑制了对这种材料的需求。
