The iron ore price remains below $US100 as analysts deliver a largely bleak outlook for the commodity. Benchmark iron ore for immediate delivery to the port of Tianjin in China is trading at $US97.50 a tonne, down from $US98.80 in the previous session.

Last week, the iron ore price crashed below the $US100 a tonne mark for the first time in nearly two years.

Australian exporters of iron ore -- the cheapest in the world -- still have headroom for exports at current prices, but some smaller companies will likely have to reconsider planned expansions if the price continues to slide.

Credit Suisse said even if iron ore manages some stability in the near term -- or even modest gains -- the second half of the year is likely to see the commodity price fall below 2012's low of $US87 a tonne, The Australian reports.

According to the newspaper, the investment bank sees few positives in China’s ferrous sector currently, posing the question as to what extent these negatives are already reflected in the price.