Iron ore futures prices mixed amid weak China data

BEIJING, Jan 17 (Reuters) – Iron ore futures prices were divergent on Wednesday, with the Dalian benchmark slightly rebounding while the Singapore benchmark fell, as investors were digesting a batch of economic data from top consumer China. The most-traded May iron ore contract on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) ended morning trade 0.48% higher at 937.5 yuan ($130.29) a metric ton. The benchmark February iron ore on the Singapore Exchange was, however, 1.94% lower at $126.8 a ton, as of 0326 GMT. China’s economy grew 5.2% in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, official data showed on Wednesday, missing analysts’ expectations of 5.3% in a Reuters’ poll. Meanwhile, China’s December new home prices fell at the fastest pace since…