Iron ore prices declined for a third consecutive session, pressured by growing concerns over a supply surplus as inventories in China continued to build and Brazilian mining giant Vale SA reported higher-than-expected production. On Friday, iron ore futures fell 1.7% to $97.90 per ton, heading for a fifth straight weekly loss. If realized, this would mark the longest losing streak since June. Data showed that stockpiles of the steelmaking ingredient at Chinese ports increased by 0.5% from the previous week to approximately 161 million tons. Inventories have now risen for 11 consecutive weeks, approaching record highs. This accumulation marks a shift from years of relatively low stock levels at Chinese ports, underscoring that supply growth has outpaced demand. Furthermore, consumption is expected to soften as the Lunar New Year holiday, which begins next week, typically leads to a slowdown in activity. Meanwhile, Vale SA, one of the world's largest miners, reported on Friday that its iron ore production reached 90.4 million tons in the previous quarter, exceeding analyst expectations. Full-year output also surpassed the company's guidance and outperformed that of competitor Rio Tinto Group. Strengthening supply from Australia and Brazil, combined with weak demand, continues to weigh on iron ore prices. Since the start of the year, iron ore has fallen approximately 7%.