[SMM Cast Aluminum Alloy Morning Comment: Aluminum Prices Halted Their Decline, but Wait-and-See Sentiment Remained Unchanged; Rangebound Movement May Continue in the Short Term] Spot market, yesterday the overall ADC12 market continued to hold prices steady. Aluminum prices showed signs of halting their decline, but market sentiment recovered only limitedly, and enterprises generally chose to postpone price adjustments and mainly adopt a wait-and-see stance. Demand side, downstream orders did not improve significantly, and just-in-time procurement remained the main approach, with mediocre transaction performance. Against the backdrop of easing cost-side fluctuations and insufficient demand support, ADC12 prices may continue to fluctuate within a range and remain relatively stable in the short term, with relatively limited momentum for price adjustments. Further attention should still be paid to aluminum price trends and the recovery of end-use demand.
Mar 25, 2026 09:03[SMM Silicon-Based PV Morning Meeting Summary] Silicon Metal: Spot silicon metal prices remained in a stalemate consolidation. Yesterday, SMM east China oxygen-blown #553 silicon was at 9,100-9,300 yuan/mt, and #441 silicon at 9,300-9,500 yuan/mt, unchanged from the previous day. The quote center of some silicon enterprises was slightly lower than that of trading firms engaging in both spot and futures market, while downstream users mainly transacted at lower prices, and overall market trading activity was subdued. Polysilicon: N-type recharging polysilicon was quoted at 38-47 yuan/kg. Polysilicon prices continued to decline somewhat recently, mainly affected by market sentiment and inventory clearance by some leading enterprises. At present, low-priced polysilicon has already fallen below the cost line of some manufacturers, and the sentiment to hold quotes firm has strengthened somewhat. The upstream market was also still watching wafer price movements.
Mar 25, 2026 09:04According to the latest customs data, in January 2026, China’s imports of copper-zinc alloy (brass) bars and rods were 2,050.01 mt in physical content, down 8.37% MoM and up 24.53% YoY. In February, China’s imports of copper-zinc alloy (brass) bars and rods were 1,344.87 mt in physical content, down 34.4% MoM and down 36.67% YoY, showing an overall sharp decline. Cumulative imports in January-February 2026 were 3,394.87, down 9.94% YoY cumulatively. (HS codes 74072111, 74072119, 74072190).
Mar 25, 2026 14:14[Overnight, LME Aluminum and SHFE Aluminum Edged Up Slightly, but Aluminum Prices Faced Short-Term Pressure at High Levels] Continued destocking in LME inventory provided bottom support for LME aluminum, but amid tightening fund liquidity and profit-taking by bulls, upward momentum remained insufficient, and the backwardation structure weakened somewhat. China’s social inventory rose to a high for the same period in nearly five years, and the inventory buildup cycle had yet to end, with high inventory and weak spot fundamentals jointly weighing on upward momentum. The divergence between domestic and overseas drivers continued, the SHFE/LME price ratio kept weakening, and prices were mainly under pressure in the short term.
Mar 25, 2026 09:12[SMM Cast Aluminum Alloy Morning Comment: Futures Extended Losses, While Trading Sentiment Recovered Slightly] Market quotes generally moved lower last Friday, with the SMM ADC12 price down 300 yuan/mt to 25,000 yuan/mt. Driven by the price pullback and weekend restocking demand, market trading sentiment recovered somewhat from the previous period, and downstream purchase willingness to buy the dip strengthened, improving transactions for some enterprises. However, overall demand still mainly reflected rigid demand, end-users remained sensitive to price fluctuations, and the pace of restocking stayed cautious. In the short term, ADC12 prices are expected to remain in the doldrums. The pattern of demand being under pressure is unlikely to change in the short term; downstream acceptance of high prices is limited, and coupled with the weak trend in primary aluminum weighing on market sentiment, prices struggled to rise. But with cost support, downside room is also limited. Going forward, close attention should be paid to the trend in primary aluminum and the pace of downstream consumption release.
Mar 23, 2026 08:49Jan-Feb 2026 China magnesium exports reached 72.7kt, up 3.4kt YoY. Magnesium alloy led with +33.1% YoY, orders booked through April. Magnesium ingot fell 6.8% due to weak European demand, while powder grew 10.3%. However, US-Israel conflict disrupted Middle East aluminum plants, halting regional magnesium orders and pressuring Q2 outlook despite the strong start.
Mar 23, 2026 17:59SMM will delist 14 price points for various steel types from specific mills effective April 1, 2026, due to prolonged stockouts. Clients should adjust their price usage to avoid business disruptions.
PriceMar 17, 2026 14:14Dear Industry Peers, Hello! Electrolytic manganese metal (EMM) is a key raw material for manufacturing products such as stainless steel, specialty alloys, and battery materials. Europe, as a major global hub for stainless steel production, high-end manufacturing, and the new energy industry, is also one of the core consumer markets for EMM. Its price dynamics significantly influence the global market structure and pricing. Based on Rotterdam’s status as Europe’s largest port, which aggregates raw materials from major production regions worldwide and facilitates the circulation of spot cargo within the region, it has developed a mature storage, logistics, and trading network. The prices there accurately reflect the arrival costs in the European market, the supply-demand balance, and regional premiums, providing market participants with a critical benchmark for price reference. To proactively address market shifts, meet the pressing need for price discovery of Rotterdam warehouse electrolytic manganese metal, and enhance market transparency, SMM has decided: Commencing December 23, 2025, SMM will officially launch a new price: SMM Electrolytic Manganese Metal, in-whs Rotterdam, USD/mt Details of this price point are as follows: Description:SMM Electrolytic Manganese Metal, in-whs Rotterdam, USD/mt Quality:Mn99.7% Quantity:Minimum 25 tonnes Definition: In-warehouse Rotterdam,duty-unpaid, customs uncleared Brand Listing:Tianyuan Manganese Industry, CITIC Dameng, Wuling Manganese Industry,etc Timing:1Months Unit:USD/mt Payment Terms:Cash, other payment terms normalized Pulication:Daily, by 11am Beijing Time (i.e., before 4:00 AM London Summer Time before 3:00 AM London Winter Time) SMM Nickel Industry Research Departmen December 16, 2025
PriceDec 16, 2025 16:06Dear Industry Peers, Imported manganese ore is a key raw material for manufacturing products such as silicomanganese alloy and ferromanganese alloy, with high-quality manganese ore being particularly favored by the market. Australian manganese ore is a mainstream and high-frequency oxide ore globally, serving as an important reference standard for global manganese ore pricing, and its price fluctuations directly impact the cost chain of global manganese-based alloys. Tianjin Port and Qinzhou Port are the main unloading ports for imported manganese ore in China. Equipped with complete storage facilities, these two ports feature high single-vessel unloading efficiency and large manganese ore reserve capacity. The formed complementary pattern of "Tianjin in the north and Qinzhou in the south" has enhanced China's bargaining power in global manganese ore trade. Prices at Tianjin Port (north) and Qinzhou Port (south) serve as benchmarks for global manganese ore pricing, which are referenced by both domestic and foreign ore merchants. To actively respond to market changes, meet the urgent demand of users for understanding the prices of Australian Mn42% manganese ore at Tianjin Port and Qinzhou Port, and improve the transparency of market information, SMM has decided: Commencing December 31, 2025, SMM will officially launch two new price: SMM Mn Ore, Australia Block 42%, In-whs-Tianjin Port, Yuan/ton-degree SMM Mn Ore, Australia Block 42%, In-whs-Qinzhou Port, Yuan/ton-degree Details of this price point are as follows: Description: SMM Mn Ore, Australia Block 42%, In-whs-Tianjin Port, Yuan/ton-degree Quality: Mn 42% Quantity: Min 100 tonnes Definition: EX-warehouse-Tianjin Port Brand Listing: South 32,etc Timing: Prompt Unit: Yuan/ton-degree Payment Terms: Cash on same day, other payment terms normalized Pulication: Daily, by 11am Beijing Time (i.e., before 4:00 AM London Summer Time before 3:00 AM London Winter Time) Description: SMM Mn Ore, Australia Block 42%, In-whs-Qinzhou Port, Yuan/ton-degree Quality: Mn 42% Quantity: Min 100 tonnes Definition: EX-warehouse-Qinzhou Port Brand Listing: South 32,etc Timing: Prompt Unit: Yuan/ton-degree Payment Terms: Cash on same day, other payment terms normalized Pulication: Daily, by 11am Beijing Time (i.e., before 4:00 AM London Summer Time before 3:00 AM London Winter Time) SMM Nickel Industry Research Department December 26, 2025
PriceDec 26, 2025 11:19