Is the definition of optimism? Andrew Stocks , the managing director of ­ASX-listed Iron Road – which is aiming to develop a $4 billion iron ore project on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula along with a deep sea port and export facility – said the iron ore price will make a solid comeback.

But he wouldn’t say when the upward move might begin or where iron ore prices might eventually settle, but was basing it on a long-held view that ­commodity prices have a history of ­fluctuating wildly.