SMM May 11 News: Metals market: As of the midday close, domestic market base metals mostly rose. SHFE copper was up 1.01%, SHFE aluminum up 0.86%, SHFE lead edged down slightly, SHFE zinc fell 0.6%, SHFE tin was up 0.38%, and SHFE nickel up 0.86%. In addition, the most-traded casting aluminum futures rose 1.09%, the most-traded alumina contract fell 0.81%, the most-traded lithium carbonate contract rose 3.1%, the most-traded silicon metal contract rose 1.66%, and the most-traded polysilicon futures fell 2.8%. Ferrous metals mostly rose. Iron ore was up 0.86%, rebar up 0.52%, hot-rolled coil up 0.46%, and stainless steel down 0.07%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract rose 0.85%, and the most-traded coke contract rose 1.65%. Overseas market base metals, as of 11:46, LME metals were nearly all up. LME copper rose 0.59%, LME aluminum up 0.67%, LME zinc down 0.31%, LME lead edged up slightly, LME tin up 1.16%, and LME nickel up 1.29%. Precious metals, as of 11:46, COMEX gold fell 0.77% and COMEX silver rose 0.66%. Domestic market precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold contract fell 0.96%, and the most-traded SHFE silver contract rose 0.68%. In addition, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures rose 0.14%, and the most-traded palladium futures fell 0.62%. As of the midday close, the most-traded Europe containerized freight index contract rose 5.07% to 2,474.5 points. As of 11:46 on May 11, midday futures quotes for selected contracts: Spot and Fundamentals Lead: An SMM survey showed that in April, refined lead supply from secondary lead enterprises edged up MoM, mainly driven by production resumptions at previously idled enterprises and restocking of raw materials to boost output... Macro Front China: [NBS: April CPI Up 1.2% YoY, PPI Up 2.8% YoY, PPI Growth Expanded] NBS data showed that in April 2026, the national consumer price index rose 1.2% YoY. Among them, urban areas were up 1.2% and rural areas up 1.0%; food prices fell 1.6%, while non-food prices rose 1.8%; consumer goods prices rose 1.4%, and services prices rose 0.9%. On average from January to April, the national CPI was up 0.9% YoY. In April, the national CPI rose 0.3% MoM. Among them, urban areas were up 0.3% and rural areas up 0.1%; food prices fell 1.6%, while non-food prices rose 0.7%; consumer goods prices rose 0.1%, and services prices rose 0.5%. In April 2026, national industrial producer ex-factory prices rose 2.8% YoY and 1.7% MoM. Industrial producer purchase prices rose 3.5% YoY and 2.1% MoM. For the January–April average, industrial producer ex-factory prices were up 0.2% from the same period last year, and industrial producer purchase prices were up 0.5%. Dong Lijuan, Chief Statistician of the Urban Division of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), interpreted the April 2026 CPI and PPI data. The main characteristics of PPI MoM movements this month were as follows: First, international input factors drove up prices in China's petroleum-related industries. Rising international crude oil prices drove up prices in domestic petroleum-related industries. Specifically, prices in the petroleum and natural gas extraction industry rose 18.5% MoM, petroleum, coal, and other fuel processing industry prices rose 16.4%, chemical raw materials and chemical products manufacturing prices rose 8.3%, chemical fiber manufacturing prices rose 5.6%, and rubber and plastics products industry prices rose 1.7%. Second, increased demand in some domestic industries drove prices higher. Rapid growth in computing power demand and accelerated electrification pushed optical fiber manufacturing prices up 22.5% MoM, external storage devices and components prices up 3.2%, and non-ferrous metal smelting and rolling processing industry prices up 0.2%. Restocking demand for thermal coal was released, combined with increased non-power coal demand from chemical and metallurgical industries, driving coal mining and washing industry prices up 1.9%. Continued advancement of manufacturing equipment upgrades drove increased steel demand, pushing ferrous metals smelting and rolling processing industry prices up 0.6%. Third, competition order in the Chinese market continued to improve, with prices in related industries rising or declines narrowing. Efforts to address "involution-style" competition continued to show results, with lithium-ion battery manufacturing prices up 1.6% MoM, new energy vehicle manufacturing prices down 0.1%, with the decline narrowing by 0.7 percentage points from the previous month. The PBOC conducted 500 million yuan in 7-day reverse repo operations today. As no reverse repos matured today, a net injection of 500 million yuan was achieved. US dollar: As of 11:46, the US dollar index was up 0.24% at 98.08. Data from the US Department of Labor showed that US April non-farm payrolls added 115,000 jobs, far exceeding expectations, thanks to strong corporate earnings and enterprises' effective response to supply chain disruptions triggered by the Iran war. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.3%, in line with economists' expectations. From trade to immigration to tax policy, changes across various fronts posed challenges for enterprises, but most did not resort to large-scale layoffs. At the same time, enterprises appeared to take various intertwined headwinds in stride. Robust consumer demand meant that despite news of high-profile layoffs at well-known companies, low hiring was often accompanied by relatively low levels of layoffs. Data from the Department of Labor and human resources firm ADP earlier this week showed that the job market was stabilizing. Strong hiring in healthcare and social assistance also underpinned overall employment figures. US equities at or near record highs boosted confidence among corporate CEOs. The full impact of the conflict with Iran and the resulting rise in energy prices had yet to manifest in the labour market. Rising US oil prices had put greater pressure on lower-income households, which could dampen travel and services spending, in turn dragging on hiring in sectors such as retail and leisure. The impact of higher oil prices was particularly severe for airlines. However, these effects had yet to show up clearly in monthly employment data. According to the CME "Fed Watch": the probability of the US Fed holding rates unchanged through June was 93.8%, with a 6.2% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point interest rate cut. The probability of the US Fed holding rates unchanged through July was 88.8%, with a 10.8% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point cut and a 0.3% probability of a cumulative 50 basis point cut. (Jin10 Data) Goldman Sachs expects the US Fed to cut interest rates by 25 basis points each in December 2026 and March 2027, compared with its previous forecast of cuts in September and December this year. A CITIC Securities research report noted that US nonfarm payrolls in April 2026 came in above expectations, while the unemployment rate of 4.3% was in line with expectations. We believe April data better reflected the current state of the US job market than the previous two months: first, one-off factors diminished in April; second, the enterprise response rate was higher in April; and third, the Birth-death model impact was the smallest among the last four data releases. Demand side, the US labour market in April exhibited overall resilience with marginally increasing layoff pressure. Supply side, the labour force participation rate and employment-population ratio declined, but the prime-age (25–54) participation rate remained stable, suggesting it was not a large-scale exit of core labour force but rather aging and retirement factors dragging down the overall participation rate. Regarding US Fed monetary policy, we maintain our previous view: after Waller takes over, if the Iran situation eases and oil prices pull back, driving inflation expectations lower, the base case for H2 is one interest rate cut of 25 bps. Other currencies: Bearish yen positions decreased significantly after Japanese authorities intervened to support the yen, highlighting how official action curbed this crowded trade. According to data from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), leveraged funds reduced their net short positions on the yen in the week ending May 5. Currently, their net short position in the Japanese yen stood at 61,340 contracts, valued at approximately $4.9 billion, hitting the lowest level in nearly a month. Meanwhile, asset management firms also cut 13,839 short contracts, bringing their open interest down to 10,653 contracts. "Given the intervention risk and strong official warnings, chasing yen shorts near the 160 level has become unattractive," said Stefan Rittner, Senior Portfolio Manager at Allianz Global Investors. He held a neutral stance on the USD/JPY exchange rate. However, he noted that "despite the yen's already cheap valuation, persistent structural headwinds limit the scope for a sustained rebound"; moreover, further intervention risks are expected to rise once the USD/JPY rate approaches its previous highs again. (Jin10 Data) On the macro front: Data to be released today include US April existing home sales annualized total and China's April M2 money supply year-on-year. In addition, attention should be paid to: US Treasury Secretary Bessent's visit to Japan, where he will meet with the Japanese Prime Minister, the central bank governor, and the Finance Minister. Crude oil: As of 11:46, oil prices in both markets surged significantly, with WTI up 4.65% and Brent up 4.17%. Renewed tensions between the US and Iran supported oil prices. According to Xinhua News Agency, US President Trump posted on social media on May 10, expressing dissatisfaction with Iran's response, calling it "completely unacceptable." This statement cast a shadow over the already fragile Middle East ceasefire situation. Oil prices jumped sharply after the news broke. (Wallstreetcn) Data from shipping intelligence firm Kpler showed that two more fully loaded crude oil tankers switched off their trackers while passing through the Strait of Hormuz last week to evade Iranian attacks. Data indicated that the very large crude carrier "Basrah Energy" loaded 2 million barrels of Upper Zakum crude oil from ADNOC's Zirku terminal on May 1 and passed through the Strait of Hormuz on May 6. The vessel discharged its cargo at the Fujairah tanker terminal on May 11. It remained unclear which company chartered the tanker owned and managed by shipping company Sinokor. ADNOC and its buyers had recently dispatched tankers through the Strait of Hormuz on multiple occasions to transport crude oil, in response to the issue of stranded oil in the Persian Gulf caused by Middle East conflicts. Another very large crude carrier, Kiara M, switched off its transponder and departed the Persian Gulf on Sunday, carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil. The discharge destination of this San Marino-flagged tanker remained unclear. (Jin Shi Data) Spot Market Overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

As the U.S.-Iran situation continued to fluctuate and negotiation prospects deteriorated again, platinum prices oscillated intraday. In the morning session, the most-traded PT2606 contract on the Guangzhou Futures Exchange (GFEX) closed at 514.7 yuan/gram, up slightly by 0.14%, and the inversion between the SGE Pt9995 and the GFEX PT2606 contract ended. Spot side, mainstream quotations for spot platinum premiums remained largely unchanged from the previous trading day. In the morning session, traders' mainstream quotations were at a discount of 2-4 yuan/gram against the GFEX PT2606 contract. After the impact of the invoicing rectification, most traders have resumed normal quotations. Transaction side, according to SMM, downstream consumption remained relatively weak, with only some enterprises making just-in-time procurement through price negotiation. The morning mainstream quotations at a discount of 2-4 yuan/gram against the GFEX contract were difficult to transact, and overall spot market trading remained sluggish.

Last night, the U.S. and Iran exchanged fire again in the Strait of Hormuz. Amid recurring geopolitical conflicts, platinum futures prices pulled back today. During the daytime session, the most-traded PT2606 contract on the Guangzhou Futures Exchange (GFEX) closed at 511.7 yuan/gram, down 1.50%, and the SGE Pt9995 versus GFEX PT2606 spread inverted. Spot side, mainstream quotations for spot platinum premiums remained largely unchanged from the previous trading day. During the daytime session, traders' mainstream quotations were at a discount of 2–4 yuan/gram to the GFEX PT2606 contract, and the ongoing invoicing rectification continued to affect some traders' precious metals quotations. Transaction side, according to SMM, downstream purchase willingness was very low with few inquiries. During the daytime session, transactions at the mainstream quotations of a 2–4 yuan/gram discount to the GFEX contract were scarce. Some traders reported that even with wider discounts, transactions remained difficult, and overall spot market trading was extremely sluggish.

Capacity side, according to incomplete statistics, China's alkaline electrolyzer market remained at 43.77 GW, and the PEM electrolyzer market remained at 2.7 GW. This week, no offline public delivery data was available. Project-related updates: Heilongjiang Jiayirongyuan Green Chemical Co., Ltd.: China Chemistry Tianchen Company signed an EPC general contracting contract with Heilongjiang Jiayirongyuan Green Chemical Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Jiaze New Energy, for the 300,000 mt green hydrogen-methanol-aviation fuel chemical co-production project in Jidong County, Jixi City, Heilongjiang Province. The project has a total investment of approximately 3.557 billion yuan and is a key project under the national "dual carbon" strategy. Using agricultural and forestry waste as raw material and adopting biomass gasification and cellulose fermentation technologies, the project plans to produce 240,000 mt of green methanol and 80,000 mt of green ethanol annually, with flexible switching to 50,000 mt/year of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The project plans to commence production by the end of 2027, consuming over 1.5 million mt of agricultural and forestry waste annually. Shandong Expressway Service Development Group Co., Ltd.: The PEM electrolysis hydrogen production and energy storage section of the Phase II comprehensive utilization project at Gaomi Service Area Hydrogen Refueling Station released its bid-winning announcement, with Guofu Hydrogen Energy winning the bid at 21.2724 million yuan. The project is part of the Ministry of Science and Technology's "Hydrogen into Homes" demonstration program, undertaken by Shandong Expressway Service Development Group, and is located in the south area of Gaomi Service Area, aiming to build an integrated demonstration station for PV hydrogen production and hydrogen refueling. The project comprises three segments: alkaline hydrogen production, PEM hydrogen production and energy storage, and hydrogen refueling station. Currently, the alkaline hydrogen production section has been completed, and the hydrogen refueling station is under construction. The PEM hydrogen production capacity in this phase is 100 Nm³/h with a rated power of 200 kW, equipped with electrolysis skids, compressors, hydrogen storage cylinder groups, and control systems. The designed construction period is 120 days, and the project will improve the green electricity hydrogen production and energy storage facilities at the expressway service area, supporting the construction of zero-carbon hydrogen expressways. Mingtuo (Inner Mongolia) Comprehensive Resource Utilization Co., Ltd.: The e-SAF (electro-sustainable aviation fuel) project officially received filing approval. The project is located in Jiuyuan Industrial Park, Baotou City, on an industrial planning plot north of Mingtuo Chromium Industry's plant and west of Hengtai Road, with a total investment of 1.8 billion yuan. The plan is to build a 150,000 mt/year electro-sustainable aviation fuel production line, along with supporting facilities including gas pretreatment, synthesis, hydrorefining, fractionation, tank farms, pump stations, and related auxiliary facilities. The project plans to start construction in April 2027 and be completed and put into operation in April 2029. Xinjiang Shengxiong Energy Co., Ltd.: The EPC project for the 5,000 Nm³/h waste coal gas green hydrogen extraction and comprehensive utilization by Xinjiang Shengxiong Energy has fully completed construction tasks, with the full-process commissioning successfully completed in one run, and is now officially ready for production and operation. The project adopts advanced green hydrogen extraction technology, using industrial waste coal gas as raw material to achieve efficient resource conversion of tail gas and produce high-purity clean hydrogen energy. After commissioning, it can extend the coal chemical industry chain, improve the utilization rate of industrial by-product resources, reduce pollutant emissions, and provide a stable hydrogen source for the enterprise's methanol units, achieving synergistic improvement in economic, ecological, and social benefits. Wolong Innorde (Zhejiang) Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd.: The company successfully won the bid for the Binyang County, Guangxi green electricity hydrogen production pilot construction project (100 Nm³/h AEM hydrogen production equipment) and has officially signed the contract, marking an important breakthrough in the company's market expansion in the green electricity hydrogen production field and laying a solid foundation for further business development in the South China region. The project was initiated by Kunpeng Water, a Guangxi local state-owned enterprise, and is the first AEM technology green electricity hydrogen production project in Guangxi. It completed filing in March 2026 and aims to leverage green electricity resources to conduct hydrogen production pilot trials, supporting regional energy structure transformation and industrial decarbonization. Wuhan Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences: China's first million-cubic-meter-level salt cavern hydrogen storage demonstration project, led by the institute, was officially put into operation in Pingdingshan City, Henan Province. The project is China's first hydrogen storage facility built in bedded salt rock formations, which explored the multi-scale migration patterns of hydrogen in ultra-low permeability rock salt, overcame the core technology of precise site and layer selection for salt cavern hydrogen storage, and effectively verified the long-term sealing performance and engineering feasibility of hydrogen storage in bedded salt rock. Baimahu Laboratory Hydrogen Energy (Changxing) Co., Ltd.: The Baimahu Laboratory Changxing Hydrogen Energy Base liquid hydrogen test platform installation and commissioning project released a tender announcement. The project is located in Meishan Town, Changxing County, Huzhou City, with a total estimated investment of 310 million yuan and a land area of 68 mu. The project budget is 55.0906 million yuan, with construction and installation costs of approximately 51.1045 million yuan, and will build testing platforms for key equipment such as liquid hydrogen valves, storage tanks, and flow meters. The tender scope covers process, electrical, automation control, and equipment installation and commissioning. The planned construction period is 210 calendar days, and consortium bidding is allowed (no more than 2 members). Xindao Hydrogen Energy Technology (Baotou) Co., Ltd.: The Guyang County 200,000 mt/year hydrogen-based green fuel (green methanol) off-grid green electricity direct-connection project officially commenced construction. Located in Jinshan Economic Development Zone, Guyang County, Baotou City, the project is Xindao Energy's first demonstration project in the hydrogen-based green fuel field, with a total investment of 5.1 billion yuan, covering 600 mu. It will be built in three phases, with full completion and commissioning planned for 2028. The energy side is configured with 390 MW off-grid wind power and 100 MW off-grid PV, coupled with biomass waste heat power generation and flywheel energy storage, building an integrated "electricity-hydrogen-carbon-methanol" system to address the challenges of off-grid green electricity fluctuations and stable operation of chemical units, achieving efficient green methanol synthesis. Shenneng Northern (Etuoke Front Banner) Energy Development Co., Ltd.: The electrolysis hydrogen production station project for the Etuoke Front Banner wind and solar power hydrogen production integrated green ammonia synthesis project completed filing. The project is located in the Energy and Chemical Zone of Shanghaimiao Economic Development Zone, Etuoke Front Banner, Ordos City, with clearly defined boundaries and a total investment of 1.3265 billion yuan. The project plans to build a water electrolysis hydrogen production station with an annual output of approximately 20,000 mt of green hydrogen, using PEM proton exchange membrane electrolyzers as the primary equipment, supplemented by ALK alkaline electrolyzers and AEM anion exchange membrane electrolyzers. This approach integrates the advantages of multiple technology pathways to adapt to the fluctuation characteristics of new energy power. Supporting facilities including gas-liquid separation, hydrogen purification, hydrogen storage, water treatment, step-down substations, and fire safety and security systems will also be constructed. After completion, the station will operate in strict compliance with renewable energy hydrogen production industry safety standards. The project plans to commence construction in December 2026 and be completed in December 2028. Goldwind Green Energy Hydrogen Technology (Xing'an League) Co., Ltd.: The Xing'an League Goldwind Science&Technology Wind Power Hydrogen Production (Phase III) Project officially obtained filing approval. Located in the Xing'an League Economic Development Zone of Inner Mongolia, the project has a total investment of 2 billion yuan. The project mainly involves the construction of hydrogen production, compression, gas storage, air separation units, and related supporting facilities, with a hydrogen production capacity of 160,000 standard cubic meters per hour. Construction plans to commence in September 2026, with completion and commissioning in September 2028. Inner Mongolia Huadian Huayang Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd. : The Inner Mongolia Huadian Damaoqi 1 million kW Wind and Solar Power Integrated Hydrogen Production Project released a tender announcement for technical services on a special study on short-circuit ratio improvement. Located in Damaoqi, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia, the first phase plans to build 1 million kW of new energy installed capacity, including 700 MW of wind power and 300 MW of PV, equipped with 70 units of 10 MW wind turbines and 710-740Wp half-cell double-glass N-type PV modules. The project will also construct a 100MW/200MWh LFP battery ESS power station, two 220 kV step-up substations, and collector lines. Multiple alkaline electrolyzer hydrogen production systems are planned, with an annual green hydrogen production capacity of 47,000 mt, supported by 25 units of 2,000 m³ hydrogen gas spherical tanks with a hydrogen storage capacity of 650,000 standard cubic meters, along with a new 220 kV hydrogen production main step-down substation. The tendered services are required to be completed within 45 days from the date of contract signing. Jiangsu Lanze Energy Technology Co., Ltd.: The Dafeng District Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning released a pre-approval public notice for the Lanze Dafeng Port 300,000 mt/year green methanol project. The project is located in the Petrochemical Industrial Park of Dafeng Port Economic Development Zone, Dafeng District, Yancheng City. This public notice mainly involves minor adjustments and optimizations to the dimensions, areas, names, and heights of certain buildings and structures. Beijing Hydrogenergy Technology Co., Ltd. : The company won the bid for the PEM pure water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment procurement project of the Electric Power Research Institute of State Grid Jiangxi Electric Power Co., Ltd., responsible for equipment production, supply, transportation, and subsequent supporting services. The PEM hydrogen production unit awarded in this bid will be used to verify the response characteristics of PEM hydrogen production systems under green electricity fluctuation conditions, accumulating measured operational data for flexible load regulation of the power grid. As one of the earliest PEM hydrogen production research-type units deployed in the Jiangxi power grid system, this project will also provide important technology selection references for the subsequent construction of regional hydrogen energy storage demonstration stations. Datang Jingtai Wind Power Co., Ltd.: Datang released a tender announcement for technical services on the preparation of a feasibility study report for a wind-solar coupled off-grid hydrogen production demonstration project, located in Baiyin District, Baiyin City, Gansu Province. The project plans to build a new 21 MW wind-solar coupled hydrogen production power station, including 14 MW of wind power and 7 MW of PV, with a supporting 5MW/5MWh grid-forming ESS, along with a 12 MW hydrogen production station. The station will selectively deploy ALK, AEM, PEM, and SOEC multi-type electrolyzer equipment, with green hydrogen output required to meet the national standard for ultra-pure hydrogen. The project will also include supporting construction of hydrogen buffer tanks, compression and filling systems, as well as auxiliary facilities such as desalinated water stations, air compressor stations, and control buildings. Longyuan Power Longyuan (Zhangye) New Energy Development Co., Ltd.: The company initiated open procurement for 500 standard cubic meter PEM electrolyzer hydrogen production equipment and ancillary equipment for the Zhangye Carbon Neutrality Industrial Base Wind-Solar-Hydrogen-Storage Integration Project. Located in the Circular Economy Demonstration Park of Zhangye Economic and Technological Development Zone, Gansu Province, this is also the first green electricity hydrogen production project deployed by China Energy Investment Corporation in Gansu Province. Policy Review 1. The General Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other departments jointly issued the Guidelines for Green Design of Industrial Products (2026 Edition). The Guidelines mention: developing green design solutions. Focusing on industries including automobiles, construction machinery, machine tools, bearings, wind power equipment, hydrogen energy equipment, PV, lithium batteries, household appliances, packaging, cleaning products, textiles, biomanufacturing, methanol, and tires, and targeting key directions of green design, the aim is to develop green design solutions that are technologically advanced, economically feasible, and supply-demand compatible, forming a batch of replicable and scalable exemplary green design solutions. The initiative will cultivate green design solution providers with high professional standards and strong service capabilities, building a virtuous ecosystem of "demand-driven—solution development—industrial application." 2. The General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued the Opinions on Achieving Higher-Level and Higher-Quality Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction. The document aims to use transportation energy conservation and carbon reduction and green energy transition as two key drivers, coordinating low-carbon development with energy security, and accelerating the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient modern energy and transportation system. Enterprise Updates Guohua Investment Mengxi Branch: China's first heavy-haul railway hydrogen refueling station, the Batuta Hydrogen Refueling Station, achieved a cumulative hydrogen refueling volume exceeding 10,000 kg, marking a milestone in the scaled application of hydrogen energy in China's heavy-haul railway sector. Located at the Hailesuhao South Station in Ejin Horo Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, the station is a key hydrogen energy industry demonstration project of Guohua Investment, with a daily hydrogen refueling capacity of 500 kg. It primarily provides hydrogen refueling services for large power hydrogen-powered shunting locomotives and hydrogen fuel cell plus lithium battery zero-emission catenary maintenance vehicles, accumulating valuable demonstration experience for the green and low-carbon transformation of heavy-haul railways. Tianjin Zhonghe Energy Management Co., Ltd.: The world's first 5 MW anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis hydrogen production system completed installation and commenced commissioning, marking the official entry of megawatt-scale AEM technology into the industrial application stage. Beijing Mingyang Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd. : The company received written authorization from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), successfully obtaining the manufacturing license and quality certification under the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Guangzhou Yunfu Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd.: The company officially opened in Baiyun District, Guangzhou. Yang Qiang, Chairman of Yuntao Hydrogen, Ding Leizhe, Executive Vice President of Guofu Hydrogen, along with representatives from the government and partners attended the ceremony. Yunfu Hydrogen was jointly established by Guangdong Yuntao Hydrogen and Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen, focusing on R&D, integrated manufacturing, and services for core hydrogen energy equipment, with the goal of building a leading hydrogen energy equipment industrialisation hub in South China. The project has a total investment of 500 million yuan, with a Phase I workshop of approximately 1,300 m², primarily engaged in vehicle-mounted high-pressure hydrogen supply systems and core equipment integration for hydrogen refueling stations. Shaanxi Hydrogen Energy Industry Development Co., Ltd.: The company held a discussion and exchange meeting with the Shenmu Municipal Government and officially signed an investment cooperation framework agreement. At the meeting, Liu Wei, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of Shaanxi Hydrogen Energy, and Han Xiujin jointly signed the agreement. Both parties conducted in-depth exchanges on hydrogen energy industry development planning and key project cooperation, reaching a cooperation consensus. Heads of relevant departments of the Shenmu Municipal Government, as well as heads of relevant departments and subordinate units of Shaanxi Hydrogen Energy, attended the meeting. Tianjin Rongcheng Xinneng Technology Group Co., Ltd.: The company's 5 MW anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis hydrogen production system completed equipment installation and officially entered the commissioning stage. Zhejiang Sunshine Green Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd.: The company's self-developed A11 and B11-series core electrolyzer equipment successfully completed long-cycle operation verification. The series uniformly adopted a current density of 1.5 A/cm², completing dual-line endurance tests under both atmospheric pressure and 1.6 MPa high-pressure conditions, with uninterrupted stable operation exceeding 8,000 hours in both cases. Patent Applications 1. Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China) published patent CN2025110028, developing a ceramic-based anion exchange membrane with a laboratory-tested lifespan of 80,000 hours. 2. Johnson Matthey (UK) filed patent WO2025109876, disclosing an Fe-Ni-Mo ternary non-precious metal catalyst formulation with activity approaching that of platinum-based materials. Technology Footprint/Technical Specifications 1. Two group standards on water electrolysis hydrogen production were officially released and implemented, namely the Safety Technical Specification for Water Electrolysis Hydrogen Production and the Calculation Method for Economic Operation Indicators of Water Electrolysis Hydrogen Production. 2. Petronor and H2SITE collaborated to advance membrane technology for hydrogen production, improving high-purity hydrogen and low-carbon efficiency in refining. 3. Dalian University of Technology designed an electron pump catalyst with an asymmetric photo-responsive structure, maintaining the asymmetry of electron distribution. 4. A research team from the School of Electrical Engineering and the State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment at Xi'an Jiaotong University successfully developed a Ru/Ti₃C₂Oₓ@NF bifunctional electrocatalyst for seawater electrolysis. 5. The team led by Professor Yu Ying at Central China Normal University developed a three-dimensional hierarchical nanostructured catalytic electrode as a core component for seawater hydrogen production.

SMM May 7: Metals market: As of the midday close, base metals in the domestic market showed mixed performance. SHFE copper rose 0.43%, SHFE aluminum fell 1.76%, SHFE lead fell 0.36%, SHFE zinc rose 0.41%, SHFE tin rose 3.16%, and SHFE nickel fell 3.33%. In addition, the most-traded casting aluminum futures fell 1.85%, the most-traded alumina contract rose 0.49%, the most-traded lithium carbonate contract rose 0.08%, the most-traded silicon metal contract rose 2.03%, and the most-traded polysilicon futures rose 4.79%. Ferrous metals showed mixed performance. Iron ore rose 0.55%, rebar rose 0.68%, hot-rolled coil rose 0.29%, and stainless steel fell 1.12%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract fell 1.22%, and the most-traded coke contract fell 1.2%. Overseas base metals, as of 11:41, LME metals mostly fell. LME copper fell 0.22%, LME aluminum fell 1.16%, LME lead rose 0.23%, LME zinc fell 0.29%, LME tin fell 1.71%, and LME nickel fell 0.13%. Precious metals, as of 11:41, COMEX gold rose 0.39% and COMEX silver rose 1.35%. Domestic precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold contract rose 1.11%, and the most-traded SHFE silver contract rose 3.43%. In addition, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures rose 3.21%, and the most-traded palladium futures rose 1.71%. As of the midday close, the most-traded Europe containerized freight index contract fell 3.35%, closing at 2,355.5 points. As of 11:41 on May 7, midday futures quotes for selected contracts: Spot cargo and fundamentals Nickel: On May 7, SMM #1 refined nickel prices fell 5,050 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Spot premiums: Jinchuan #1 refined nickel averaged 1,150 yuan/mt, down 100 yuan/mt from the previous trading day... Macro front China: [PBOC reverse repo operations resulted in a net drain of 99.2 billion yuan for the day] The PBOC conducted 27 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repo operations today. As 126.2 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repos matured today, a net drain of 99.2 billion yuan was achieved for the day. [HKEX CEO: LME warehouses in Hong Kong nearing full capacity] HKEX CEO Bonnie Y. Chan said that the storage capacity of a series of LME-approved warehouses in Hong Kong was nearing saturation. The LME began approving metal warehouses in Hong Kong last year. Speaking at a seminar during LME Asia Week in Hong Kong, Chan said the LME currently had 15 warehouses in Hong Kong, compared with just 4 a year ago. She called this an important milestone in establishing physical market connectivity. LME and Hong Kong Exchanges will explore more collaborative projects, including futures and RMB-denominated products, to build a comprehensive commodities ecosystem in Asia. (Jin10 Data) US dollar: As of 11:41, the US dollar index fell 0.01% to 98.01. Chicago Fed President Goolsbee said on Wednesday that the war with Iran increasingly appeared to be an inflationary shock to the economy. Although the impact on employment and economic growth was not yet evident, concerns about supply chain disruptions and sustained price increases were intensifying. "This is not yet a 'stagflation' shock," meaning the kind that hits the job market while pushing up inflation and forces the US Fed to decide which of its policy objectives faces greater risk, Goolsbee said after attending the Milken Institute conference in Los Angeles. "This is just an inflation shock. And the longer this persists, the more uneasy I become." According to CME "FedWatch": the probability of the US Fed keeping rates unchanged through June was 93.5%, with a cumulative 25-basis-point interest rate cut probability of 6.5%. The probability of the US Fed keeping rates unchanged through July was 86.5%, with cumulative probabilities of a 25-basis-point cut at 13.0% and a 50-basis-point cut at 0.5%. (Jin10 Data) Other currencies: On the first day of resumed trading in the Japanese market, the yen broadly stabilized against other G10 currencies and Asian currencies. However, analysts noted that the yen's downside room against the US dollar is likely to be limited due to potential foreign exchange intervention by Japanese authorities. Analysts at Maybank stated in a foreign exchange research report that the unpredictability of Japanese authorities' actions would limit the upside room for USD/JPY in the short term. Given that three suspected interventions have already occurred after the currency pair breached the 157.00 level, the market is now increasingly wary of pushing the dollar above that level. (Jin10 Data) Data: China's April foreign exchange reserves (TBD), US April Challenger enterprise layoffs, US initial jobless claims for the week ending May 2, US March construction spending MoM, US April New York Fed 1-year inflation expectations, Eurozone March retail sales MoM, France March trade balance, and Switzerland April seasonally adjusted unemployment rate are scheduled for release today. In addition, 2027 FOMC voter and Chicago Fed President Goolsbee will participate in a panel discussion at a conference. Crude oil: As of 11:41, oil prices in both markets rose, with WTI up 0.86% and Brent up 0.87%. The market weighed the prospects of a Middle East peace agreement. A decline in US crude oil inventory last week supported oil prices. US EIA Cushing, Oklahoma crude oil inventory for the week ending May 1 was -648,000 barrels, compared to the previous value of -796,000 barrels. US EIA crude oil inventory for the week ending May 1 was -2.313 million barrels, versus expectations of -3.291 million barrels and a previous value of -6.234 million barrels. US EIA Strategic Petroleum Reserve inventory for the week ending May 1 was -5.224 million barrels, compared to the previous value of -7.121 million barrels. According to federal data released Wednesday, US energy inventories continued to decline rapidly due to supply shocks caused by the Middle East war, highlighting the tightening supply problem as the energy crisis continued to spread. According to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), refined product inventories, including diesel, plunged by 1.3 million barrels last week to the lowest level since April 2003. These inventories are currently 11% below the five-year seasonal average. Due to refinery shutdowns, diesel prices recently hit record highs in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan. (CNN) According to a person familiar with the matter, the Trump administration is exploring the use of oil resources beneath US military bases and other Department of Defense sites to replenish the nation's dwindling emergency reserves. The source said no decision has been made on this potential move. This comes as the US government has pledged to explore innovative ways to replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which was further depleted during the Iran war. (Jin10 Data) According to a foreign media survey, OPEC's crude oil production fell to a 36-year low last month as the ongoing Iran war continued to obstruct Persian Gulf exports and forced more oil fields to shut down. The survey showed that OPEC's April crude oil production decreased by 420,000 barrels per day to 20.55 million barrels per day, the lowest level since 1990, mainly dragged down by further production declines in Kuwait and Iran. The survey showed that Kuwait saw the largest production drop last month, with daily output falling by 470,000 barrels to 800,000 barrels per day, less than one-third of pre-war levels. The country's exports have fallen to just 22,000 barrels per day. Iran followed, with production declining by 180,000 barrels per day to 3.05 million barrels per day, doubling the cumulative production cuts since the war began. OPEC also suffered another blow last week. The UAE announced its withdrawal from the organization, following years of friction with the group's leader Saudi Arabia over production limits. The April survey still included UAE data, as the UAE's withdrawal did not officially take effect until May 1. (Bloomberg) Spot market overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

SMM May 6: Metals market: As of the midday close, domestic market base metals all rose. SHFE copper gained 1.65%. SHFE aluminum gained 1.17%. SHFE lead gained 1.74%, SHFE zinc gained 2.24%. SHFE tin gained 6.6%. SHFE nickel gained 3.86%. In addition, casting aluminum most-traded futures gained 1.07%, alumina most-traded fell 0.56%. Lithium carbonate most-traded gained 6.59%. Silicon metal most-traded gained 1.77%. Polysilicon most-traded futures gained 1%. Ferrous metals all rose, with iron ore up 2.52%, rebar up 1.44%, hot-rolled coil up 2.02%, and stainless steel up 1.81%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract gained 2.29%, and the most-traded coke contract gained 2.04%. Overseas market base metals, as of 11:42, LME metals rose across the board. LME copper gained 1.37%. LME aluminum gained 0.36%, LME lead gained 0.41%, LME zinc gained 1.65%. LME tin gained 4.43%. LME nickel gained 1.66%. Precious metals, as of 11:42, COMEX gold gained 1.85%, COMEX silver gained 3.18%. Domestic market precious metals: SHFE gold most-traded gained 1.84%, SHFE silver most-traded gained 5.15%. Analysts said gold futures prices rose as Middle East tensions eased. Vivek Dhar of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia noted in a research report that Trump announced a temporary suspension of the plan to provide safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz for vessels, which eased tensions. Since gold hit an intraday high of $5,422 per ounce on March 2, gold futures have largely moved inversely with the degree of Middle East tensions. Dhar added that upside drivers for gold prices could come from several factors: hopes for a Middle East ceasefire, market pricing of interest rate cuts due to high energy prices dragging on global growth, and concerns over US Fed independence. (Jin10 Data) In addition, as of the midday close, platinum most-traded futures gained 4.14%, and palladium most-traded futures gained 4.42%. As of the midday close, the most-traded contract of Europe containerized freight index gained 2.75%, closing at 2,339.3 points. As of 11:42 on May 6, midday futures quotes for selected contracts: Spot Cargo and Fundamentals Zinc: Today, #0 zinc mainstream transaction prices were concentrated at 23,845-24,215 yuan/mt. Shuangyan had no transactions for now. #1 zinc mainstream transaction prices were at 23,775-24,145 yuan/mt. In the morning session, the market quoted premiums of 70-100 yuan/mt against SMM average prices, with no quotes against futures for now... Macro Front China: [China's April RatingDog services PMI rose to 52.6, accelerating expansion, with new orders achieving growth for the 40th consecutive month] China's services sector activity further accelerated expansion in April, with the composite PMI climbing to the second-highest level in nearly two years, indicating that domestic economic recovery momentum was still building. On May 6, the latest data showed that the RatingDog China General Services business activity index rose to 52.6 in April, up from 52.1 in March, signaling an acceleration within a continuous growth sequence, with the current expansion cycle having started in January 2023 . Meanwhile, the composite output index covering both manufacturing and services rose from 51.5 in March to 53.1, the second-fastest pace since May 2024, indicating a broad-based strengthening of China's overall business activity. [11.279 million cross-border trips made during Labour Day holiday, up 3.5% compared to the same period last year] According to the National Immigration Administration, border inspection agencies nationwide facilitated 11.279 million cross-border trips during this year's Labour Day holiday, with a daily average of 2.256 million trips, up 3.5% compared to last year's Labour Day holiday. The single-day peak occurred on May 2, reaching 2.529 million trips. Among them, foreign nationals made 1.255 million entry and exit trips, up 12.5% compared to the same period last year; of the inbound foreign nationals, 436,000 trips were made under visa-free policies, up 14.7% compared to the same period last year. A total of 531,000 cross-border transport vehicles (aircraft, vessels, trains, and automobiles) were inspected, up 16.6% compared to the same period last year. (CCTV News) [MIIT: Q1 revenue of large-scale electronic information manufacturers up 14.8% YoY] MIIT released the operating performance of the electronic information manufacturing industry for Q1 2026. In Q1 2026, China's electronic information manufacturing industry saw rapid production growth, continued export rebound, significant improvement in profitability, and accelerated investment growth, with the industry maintaining a sound overall development momentum. In Q1, large-scale electronic information manufacturers achieved revenue of 4.31 trillion yuan, up 14.8% YoY; operating costs were 3.69 trillion yuan, up 11.7% YoY; total profits reached 217 billion yuan, up 1.25 times YoY. In March, large-scale electronic information manufacturers achieved revenue of 1.68 trillion yuan, up 15.7% YoY. [PBOC net drained 393.1 billion yuan through reverse repo operations] PBOC conducted 26 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repo operations today. As 419.1 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repos matured today, a net drainage of 393.1 billion yuan was achieved. US dollar: As of 11:42, the US dollar index fell 0.21% to 98.28. According to US financial website investinglive, USD/JPY dropped over 100 points in the short term, down more than 1% intraday, pulling back below the 157.00 level. The timing seems right — today is a Japanese market holiday, and the two previous intervention attempts also occurred in the window between the Asian session and the European session open. That said, the two previous interventions happened at a point closer to when USD/JPY had just broken through 157. This time, USD/JPY rallied all the way to near 158 before the suspected intervention occurred. Despite multiple attempts by Japan's Ministry of Finance, the effectiveness of intervention actions since last week has been diminishing, especially as fundamental factors continue to work overwhelmingly against the yen. The question then becomes how much money the Japanese authorities are willing to throw at this problem to make the intervention truly effective. Given the current broader economic backdrop, this is indeed a very thorny dilemma. The greatest hope Japanese officials are pinning on right now is that the US-Iran conflict can subside, thereby easing the pressure on the Japanese economy. Otherwise, they will continue swimming against a massive tide, trying to convince traders not to keep selling the yen. (Jin Shi Data) US President Trump posted that, based on requests from Pakistan and other countries, and given our tremendous military victories in actions against Iran, as well as significant progress made on a comprehensive final agreement with Iranian representatives, both sides have agreed that while blockade measures will remain in effect, "Operation Freedom" (the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a period of time to see whether the agreement can be finalized and signed. (Xinhua News Agency) Bond traders are ramping up bets that the US Fed's next policy move could be a rate hike rather than an interest rate cut. Swap contracts tied to central bank rate decisions now show that the market expects a greater than 50% probability of the US Fed raising rates before April next year, ahead of any interest rate cut. An increasing number of traders are also adding positions to hedge against the rising probability of a rate hike before year-end. This shift in market sentiment comes as policymakers appear increasingly divided on the interest rate outlook. Lawrence Gillum, chief fixed income strategist at LPL Financial, believes that the possibility of interest rate cuts this year still exists, but it will gradually diminish as the Iran conflict drags on. He stated: "Without a doubt, the road ahead for Waller will be full of challenges." According to the CME "FedWatch": the probability of the US Fed holding rates unchanged through June is 96.0%, with a cumulative probability of a 25-basis-point cut at 4.0%. The probability of the US Fed holding rates unchanged through July is 88.8%, with a cumulative probability of a 25-basis-point cut at 10.9%, and a cumulative probability of a 50-basis-point cut at 0.3%. Bill Northey, Senior Investment Director at US Bank Asset Management Group, stated: "At this point, it appears that the Iran situation has not materially escalated, and the market is breathing a sigh of relief." Although hostilities in the Middle East appeared to ease on Tuesday, the conflict continued to affect future US economic indicators and the US Fed's interest rate decisions. He added that, for example, if the Strait of Hormuz could be safely and fully reopened, it would dampen expectations of rising inflation and push 10-year US Treasury yields lower. "Our base expectation is that this volatility is likely to persist," Northey said. (Jin10 Data) Data: Data to be released today include France's March industrial production MoM, France's April services PMI final, Germany's April services PMI final, Eurozone April services PMI final, UK April services PMI final, Eurozone March PPI MoM, US April ADP employment, and US April Global Supply Chain Pressure Index. Also noteworthy: 2028 FOMC voter and St. Louis Fed President Musalem is scheduled to speak on the economic outlook and monetary policy. Crude oil: As of 11:42, oil prices in both markets declined, with WTI down 1.39% and Brent down 1.4%. ING's commodities strategy team said in a report that the oil market faced renewed downward pressure as the US-Iran ceasefire agreement appeared to hold. Trump stated that "significant progress" had been made toward a "full and final deal" with Iran. The team noted that reaching an agreement to normalize oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz was crucial. (Jin10 Data) After the Iran conflict triggered fuel supply panic in Australia, Australia plans to include a A$10 billion ($7.2 billion) fuel security and resilience plan in next week's budget proposal. Australian Prime Minister Albanese stated that the plan would help build fuel and fertilizer reserves, including supporting the expansion of total diesel and aviation fuel reserves to a level sufficient for 50 days of supply. He also said the government itself would hold approximately 1 billion liters of fuel reserves. The Prime Minister and the Energy Minister discussed the plan after a national security meeting in Sydney. Australia's Energy Minister stated that Australia had responded to the crisis and currently held more domestic fuel reserves than at the start of the Iran conflict. He said: "This marks a significant shift in how our nation responds. We have been studying how to be better prepared for future shocks." (Jin10 Data) Spot market overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►