Why China could deliver BHP, Rio and FMG a double blow

This isn't exactly a startling revelation. BHP chief executive Mike Henry, who released a solid set of production numbers for the March quarter on Thursday, has been warning for some time that iron ore demand is at or near its peak; his big move into future-facing commodities such as copper and potash is designed to prepare the Big Australian for exactly that. Nevertheless, the RBA paper does serve to underscore that the outlook for Chinese property remains bleak, which is a reminder that the nature of Chinese demand for iron ore is changing in important ways as activity shifts from…