Samsung SDI announced on July 14 that it has met all evaluation criteria in the Indoor Large Scale Fire Test (Indoor LSFT) conducted by global safety certification body UL Solutions. Indoor LSFT is a safety test that forcibly burns a module inside a UPS battery rack and verifies whether the fire spreads to adjacent racks or systems.

The first half of 2026 has come to an end, with China's galvanized steel sheet market facing persistent demand pressure. Most market participants reported weaker order books compared with previous years, as both domestic and export orders declined to varying degrees on a year-on-year basis. Demand performance varied significantly across downstream sectors. How did each end-use segment perform in the first half of the year? And what can be expected for the market in the second half?

According to local media in the DRC on July 10, the country’s General Directorate of Taxes (DGI) sealed off some offices and facilities of Kamoto Copper Company (KCC) in Kolwezi, Lualaba Province, on July 9. The DGI stated that KCC is involved in a tax arrears situation of nearly $3 billion. The sealing action led to the evacuation of some personnel, and copper and cobalt production at the affected sites was temporarily suspended. The exact scope of the sealing, its duration, and the actual impact on the mine and smelting systems remain to be further confirmed. As SMM has learned, KCC’s copper cathode production over the past two years has been around 190,000 mt each year. If the sealing measures persist and materially affect production or product deliveries, it is expected to cause periodic disruptions to copper and cobalt supply from the DRC. Going forward, close attention should be paid to the resumption of KCC’s operations and the progress of the tax dispute resolution.

According to local media in the DRC on July 10, the country’s General Directorate of Taxes (DGI) sealed the offices and some facilities of Kamoto Copper Company (KCC) in Kolwezi, Lualaba Province, on July 9. The DGI stated that KCC is involved in a tax arrears case amounting to nearly $3 billion. The sealing action led to the evacuation of some personnel and a temporary halt to copper and cobalt production activities at the relevant sites. The extent and duration of the sealing, as well as its actual impact on the mine and smelting systems, remain to be further confirmed. Local media, citing sources close to the matter, reported that the tax authority and relevant companies under Glencore had been in negotiations over the dispute for nearly 12 months. The DGI allegedly questioned the relevant enterprises for understating transfer prices in mineral export transactions and transferring some value to overseas affiliates. Glencore denied the tax authority’s assessment, calling the claims “utterly baseless.” Therefore, the approximately $3 billion is still the amount sought by the DRC tax authority and has not yet been finalized as a judicial ruling. Public information shows that KCC is a large copper-cobalt project controlled by Glencore, with its main products including copper cathode and cobalt hydroxide. According to SMM, KCC’s copper cathode production has been around 190,000 mt in each of the past two years. If the sealing measures continue and materially affect production or product shipments, it is expected to cause periodic disruptions to copper and cobalt supply from the DRC. Going forward, close attention should be paid to the progress of KCC’s operational recovery and the resolution of the tax dispute.

H1 2026 silver saw a sharp spike to 30,900 yuan/kg in January, then plunged 55% to 13,816 yuan/kg by June, driven by squeezed spot liquidity and Fed policy reversal from easing to hawkish. Supply grew steadily; PV silver demand fell 21% YoY. H2 outlook: wait for inflation signals and Fed pivot, silver likely remains under pressure.

From a supply-demand balance perspective, China's lithium carbonate market exhibited a tight balance in H1 2026, with sellers and buyers continuously seeking new equilibrium points amid bargaining.