SMM Morning Meeting Summary: Overnight, LME copper opened at $12,724.5/mt. In early trading, it fluctuated upward to a high of $12,829.5/mt, after which the center of copper prices shifted straight downward to a low of $12,721/mt. It then fluctuated upward in a pullback and finally closed at $12,780/mt, down 1.07%. Trading volume reached 17,000 lots, and open interest stood at 293,000 lots, down 8,255 lots from the previous trading day, mainly due to longs reducing positions. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE copper 2604 contract opened at 99,120 yuan/mt. In early trading, it rose to 99,530 yuan/mt, then fluctuated downward all the way to a low of 98,900 yuan/mt. Afterwards, the center of copper prices moved upward and finally closed at 99,140 yuan/mt, down 0.92%. Trading volume reached 27,700 lots, and open interest stood at 177,000 lots, down 1,993 lots from the previous trading day, mainly due to longs reducing positions.
Mar 18, 2026 09:06Spot #1 copper cathode prices in North China were quoted at an average discount of 60 yuan/mt against the front-month contract today, unchanged from the previous trading day. The average transaction price was 99,020 yuan/mt, down 1,240 yuan/mt from the previous trading day.
Mar 18, 2026 11:42[Shanghai Spot Copper] Intraday trading in the spot market improved somewhat from yesterday. Suppliers still showed willingness to hold prices firm, but some suppliers’ sell-offs temporarily weighed on the market, causing spot premiums to decline somewhat in the second trading session. Coupled with the narrowing Contango price spread between nearby futures contracts, suppliers’ willingness to ship to delivery warehouses weakened somewhat, and spot premiums remained under pressure. Demand side, as copper prices fell, downstream enterprises may have had some restocking demand, but the current copper prices had limited actual appeal. Supply side, social inventory remained at a high level, but spot cargo available for actual circulation was relatively tight. Some warrants were already seen flowing out during the day, which may ease some pressure on spot supply. Meanwhile, the import window remained open, and expectations for subsequent inflows of cargo from outside China increased. Overall, amid the tug-of-war between sellers and buyers, Shanghai spot copper is expected to maintain the current discount structure overall tomorrow.
Mar 18, 2026 12:02[SMM Tungsten Daily Review: Strong Wait-and-See Sentiment as the Tungsten Market Awaited Stabilization in Transactions] SMM News, March 18 Tungsten market prices were largely stable today, with only minor fluctuations, and the market showed strong wait-and-see sentiment. Trading volume in segments such as tungsten ore and APT was sparse, with transaction prices mostly hovering around the quoted price range. Transactions for downstream products such as powder were also limited, and transaction prices showed a slight downward trend.
Mar 18, 2026 11:31[China Iron Ore Brief Comment: Iron Ore Concentrates Prices in Tangshan Might Have Some Room to Move Higher] Iron ore concentrates prices in Tangshan were relatively stable today, with the ex-factory prices of 66-grade dry-basis iron ore concentrates including tax at 970-980 yuan/mt. The intensity of environmental protection inspections weakened, and steel mills as well as ore beneficiation gradually resumed production, but producers turned cautious in their operations, market inquiries were not active, and beneficiation plants considered costs as well as inventory
Mar 17, 2026 17:26SMM, March 18: The SHFE aluminum 04 contract moved lower today. Affected by the decline in aluminum prices, overall purchase sentiment rose today. Sellers held prices firm, with mainstream quotations and transaction prices in the market mostly ranging from the average price to +10 yuan/mt. Today, the east China market shipment sentiment index was 3.17, up 0.05 MoM; the buying sentiment index was 3.03, up 0.33 MoM. Today, SHFE aluminum futures prices pulled back, and buying sentiment in the central China market surged. Bullish sentiment in the market was strong, and willingness to buy the dip was significant. Meanwhile, suppliers tended to hold back from selling and turned to purchasing at lower prices to profit from the price spread. Only some trading firms engaging in both spot and futures market took profits on premiums and shipped goods, while the overall reluctance to sell was evident. Market quotations ranged from parity with the central China price to a premium of 60 yuan, but final actual transactions were mainly concentrated at premiums of 30-40 yuan over the central China price. Today, the central China market shipment sentiment index was 2.59, down 0.01 MoM; the buying sentiment index was 2.42, up 0.04 MoM. Inventory side, aluminum ingot inventory in major consumption regions increased 8,500 mt MoM today, with the inventory buildup mainly coming from Guangdong. In the short term, aluminum ingot inventory continued its seasonal buildup after the Chinese New Year. Affected by bullish market sentiment, premiums were expected to remain on a narrowing trend.
Mar 18, 2026 11:48Dear Valued Client, To keep pace with the rapid development of the secondary copper industry and meet the market's need for in-depth analysis of the recycling industry and the supply-demand pattern of copper cathode, our company has conducted a deep optimization of our data models. We are now systematically upgrading and adjusting the standards and content of monthly supply-demand balance data related to China's copper scrap, with the following treatment applied to historical data: I. Adjustments Made The following data points have been newly launched: "Copper Scrap New and Old Scrap Production: Domestic Old Scrap: Annual", "Copper Scrap New and Old Scrap Production: Domestic New Scrap: Annual", "Copper Scrap New and Old Scrap Production: Domestic Copper Scrap: Annual", "Copper Scrap New and Old Scrap Production: Domestic Old Scrap - Forecast: Annual", "Copper Scrap New and Old Scrap Production: Domestic New Scrap - Forecast: Annual", and "Copper Scrap New and Old Scrap Production: Domestic Copper Scrap - Forecast: Annual"—a total of six new data points. (Access path for new data: Database - Copper - Copper Scrap - Production - Domestic Copper Scrap Production) II. Historical Data Processing The following four historical data series will cease to be updated starting from December 2025: "Domestic Copper Scrap Supply (Metal Content), ID: a10031747", "SMM Domestic Copper Scrap Supply: YoY, ID: a10031748", "Domestic Copper Scrap Supply (Metal Content) - Forecast, ID: a12731971", and "SMM Domestic Copper Scrap Supply YoY - Forecast, ID: a12731972". Going forward, the new standards will be uniformly applied for data releases, with the revised data traceable back to 2020. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the SMM customer service team at any time. Thank you for your continued support and trust! III. Effective Date February 1, 2026 SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd. SMM Copper Research Team Liang Kaihui, 86-21-5159-5826 January 22, 2026
DataJan 22, 2026 15:31Dear Users, To fully cover price information across all links of the molybdenum industry chain, facilitate upstream and downstream enterprises in grasping market changes, and reduce transaction risks, after thorough market research and industry communication, we hereby decide to add 7 molybdenum industry chain-related price indicators, including molybdenum concentrate (25%-40%), molybdenum oxide (57%) CIF Tianjin Port, waste molybdenum scrap, and waste molybdenum cutting wire. The newly added price indicators are as follows: Molybdenum concentrate 40%-45%: Complies with industry standard YS/T 235-2016, with a molybdenum content of 40%-45%. Unit: RMB/ton-degree (tax-inclusive). Molybdenum Concentrate 35%-40% : Complies with industry standard YS/T 235-2016, with a molybdenum content of 35%-40%. Unit: RMB/ton-degree (tax-inclusive). Molybdenum Concentrate 30%-35%: Complies with industry standard YS/T 235-2016, with a molybdenum content of 30%-35%. Unit: RMB/ton-degree (tax-inclusive). Molybdenum Concentrate 25%-30% : Complies with industry standard YS/T 235-2016, with a molybdenum content of 25%-30%. Unit: RMB/ton-degree (tax-inclusive). Note: The above 4 molybdenum concentrate price indicators are all tax-inclusive. Molybdenum Oxide (57% Mo) CIF Tianjin Port: Complies with national standard YB/T 5129-2012, with Mo ≥ 57%. Unit: USD/pound molybdenum (tax-exclusive). Waste Molybdenum Scrap: Complies with national standard GB/T 27687-2011, with Mo ≥ 99.95%, clean and free of impurities. Unit: RMB/kilogram (tax-exclusive). Waste Molybdenum Cutting Wire: Complies with national standard GB/T 27687-2011, with Mo ≥ 99.95%, clean and free of impurities. Unit: RMB/kilogram (tax-exclusive). Note: The above 3 price indicators are all tax-exclusive. Effective Date: The newly added price indicators will be officially released on December 1, 2025, and updated around 11:30 AM every working day. This addition aims to achieve more refined regional and grade classification. All new price indicators are formulated based on mainstream industry transaction specifications and trade terms, verified through standard sampling and verification processes, and are for market reference only, not constituting trading decision advice. For information on price formation methodology and detailed product specifications, please log on to the official platform. If you have any questions, please contact Li Jiahui from SMM Tungsten & Molybdenum Research Team at +86-21-51666882. SMM Tungsten & Molybdenum Industry Research TeamDecember 5, 2025
PriceDec 5, 2025 13:53Dear Users, Since the beginning of this year, imported titanium concentrate has impacted the domestic market, and its price fluctuations have garnered close attention from downstream enterprises such as titanium dioxide and sponge titanium producers. To promote international trade of titanium products, assist global upstream and downstream enterprises in grasping market dynamics, obtaining spot price information, reducing cross-border transaction risks and costs, and deepening industry chain research, SMM has decided to launch five new price points for titanium concentrate and rutile for market reference, effective from December 29th . The specific price point information is as follows: Price Point: Titanium Concentrate (Mozambique TiO₂ ≥46%) Price Definition: VAT included, spot transaction price at port Unit of Account: RMB/tonne Country of Origin: Mozambique Price Generation Regions: Major Chinese ports including Caofeidian Port, Qinzhou Port, Zhanjiang Port, Rizhao Port, etc. Product Standard: Conforms to YB/T 4031-2015 standard, with specifications: TiO₂ (dry basis): ≥ 46.00%, S: ≤ 0.25%, P: ≤ 0.06%, Fe₂O₃: ≤ 8.0%, H₂O: ≤ 1.0% Minimum Quantity Requirement: ≥30 tonnes Release Time: Before 11:30 AM Beijing Time on business days Price Point: Titanium Concentrate (Nigeria TiO₂ ≥50%) Price Definition: VAT included, spot transaction price at port Unit of Account: RMB/tonne Country of Origin: Nigeria Price Generation Regions: Major Chinese ports including Qinzhou Port, Rizhao Port, etc. Product Standard: Conforms to YB/T 4031-2015 standard, with specifications: TiO₂ (dry basis): ≥ 50.00%, S: ≤ 0.20%, P: ≤ 0.040%, Fe₂O₃: ≤ 7.0%, H₂O: ≤ 1.0% Minimum Quantity Requirement: ≥30 tonnes Release Time: Before 11:30 AM Beijing Time on business days Price Point: Titanium Concentrate (Australia TiO₂ ≥50%) Price Definition: VAT included, spot transaction price at port Unit of Account: RMB/tonne Country of Origin: Australia Price Generation Regions: Major Chinese ports including Caofeidian Port, etc. Product Standard: Conforms to YB/T 4031-2015 standard, with specifications: TiO₂ (dry basis): ≥ 50.00%, S: ≤ 0.20%, P: ≤ 0.040%, Fe₂O₃: ≤ 7.0%, H₂O: ≤ 1.0% Minimum Quantity Requirement: ≥30 tonnes Release Time: Before 11:30 AM Beijing Time on business days Price Point: Rutile (Sierra Leone TiO₂ ≥95%) Price Definition: VAT included, spot transaction price at port Unit of Account: RMB/tonne Country of Origin: Sierra Leone Price Generation Regions: Major Chinese ports including Qinzhou Port, etc. Product Standard: Conforms to common industry standards for rutile concentrate, with specifications: TiO₂ (dry basis): ≥ 95.00%, S: ≤ 0.02%, P: ≤ 0.020%, Fe₂O₃: ≤ 0.50%, H₂O: ≤ 0.50% Minimum Quantity Requirement: ≥30 tonnes Release Time: Before 11:30 AM Beijing Time on business days Price Point: Rutile (Sierra Leone TiO₂ ≥90%) Price Definition: VAT included, spot transaction price at port Unit of Account: RMB/tonne Country of Origin: Sierra Leone Price Generation Regions: Major Chinese ports including Qinzhou Port, etc. Product Standard: Conforms to common industry standards for rutile concentrate, with specifications: TiO₂ (dry basis): ≥ 90.00%, S: ≤ 0.05%, P: ≤ 0.040%, Fe₂O₃: ≤ 1.20%, H₂O: ≤ 0.80% Minimum Quantity Requirement: ≥30 tonnes Release Time: Before 11:30 AM Beijing Time on business days SMM Titanium Industry Research Team December 23, 2025
PriceDec 23, 2025 13:23