London, Feb 11, 2026, 07:45 GMT — Premarket
- On Tuesday, Rio Tinto shares ended the day 0.45% higher, closing at 7,083p in London.
- China’s inflation figures and weakening demand continue to pressure iron ore and copper prices.
- Investors are gearing up ahead of Rio Tinto’s annual results, set for Feb. 19.
Rio Tinto (RIO.L) shares are set to open Wednesday in London after climbing 0.45% Tuesday, closing at 7,083 pence. That puts the stock close to the upper edge of its recent trading range.
The timing matters because the miner’s annual results drop in just a few days. Traders have turned their eyes back to China, hunting for demand clues that could shift iron ore and copper prices—Rio’s top two market indicators.
Rio Tinto plans to release its 2025 annual results on Feb. 19, kicking off with a statement around 05:30 GMT. CEO Simon Trott and CFO Peter Cunningham will follow up with a presentation and Q&A session.
China’s latest inflation figures failed to ease concerns over weak end-demand. Consumer prices inched up just 0.2% year-on-year in January, while factory-gate prices dropped 1.4%, continuing a prolonged stretch of producer deflation. “With the imbalances between supply and demand set to persist, we doubt China’s deflationary pressures will fade any time soon,” said Zichun Huang, China economist at Capital Economics. Reuters
Copper, commonly viewed as a key indicator of industrial demand, remained steady during Asian trading as volume dwindled ahead of China’s Lunar New Year holiday. The benchmark three-month copper contract on the London Metal Exchange held firm around $13,108 per metric ton, Reuters reported.
Iron ore held steady as well. According to Trading Economics, the benchmark price ticked up to roughly $100.84 a ton on Feb. 10, edging higher by 0.21% from the day before.
Rio Tinto’s ADRs ended Tuesday at $97.24 in New York, per Yahoo Finance, providing scant guidance for London before trading kicks off.
Rio’s jump on Tuesday outpaced the broader FTSE 100, which rose roughly 0.31%. Investors now face the question: is this latest surge driven by commodities, or is it simply traders positioning ahead of upcoming results?
When Rio reports, all eyes will be on costs, shipment and production forecasts, plus any hints about shareholder returns. Dividends and buybacks tend to drive quick stock moves, even if the operational results remain steady.
Short-term risk leans the opposite direction. China’s data continues to show weak domestic demand, and the holiday lull could dampen spot buying right as markets factor in 2026 growth. If iron ore dips again, miners usually yield fast.
