![Post-Holiday Aluminum Inventory Buildup Pace Slows; Inventory Inflection Point Is Expected in Late March [SMM Analysis]](https://imgqn.smm.cn/production/admin/votes/imagesqsDLb20240416161800.jpeg)
After the Chinese New Year holiday, China’s aluminum market continued to see an inventory buildup, with social inventory rising लगातार and repeatedly hitting highs for recent years. However, as the traditional peak consumption season gradually got underway, downstream pickup enthusiasm rebounded, pressure from aluminum ingot backlogs eased significantly, and the pace of inventory buildup has already shown signs of slowing...
Mar 22, 2026 23:24[Futures Zinc Prices Fell Sharply, While Spot Premiums Strengthened During the Week]: Shanghai spot premiums strengthened this week, with the weekly average price up 20 yuan/mt WoW. As of this Friday, ordinary domestic brands were quoted at discounts of 30 yuan/mt to 20 yuan/mt against the 2604 contract, while the high-priced brand Shuangyan was quoted at a premium of 50 yuan/mt against the 2604 contract.
Mar 20, 2026 15:22[SHFE/LME Price Ratio Rebounded and Fluctuated Around 7.4]: This week, the SHFE/LME price ratio rebounded and fluctuated around 7.4, and the zinc ingot import window remained closed. Outside China, geopolitical disruptions were frequent. After the US Fed kept interest rates unchanged, the market bet on a US Fed rate hike, and LME zinc fell below key levels. Subsequently, bearish factors were gradually digested, and LME zinc rebounded from lows.
Mar 20, 2026 16:23[Zinc Prices Broke Lower and Moved Downward, with Good Trading This Week]: Spot premiums in Tianjin rose slightly this week, up 10 yuan/mt WoW. As of this Friday, in China, standard brands were quoted at discounts of around 20-70 yuan/mt against the 2604 contract, while high-priced brands were quoted at discounts of around 10 yuan/mt to premiums of around 10 yuan/mt against the 2604 contract. Tianjin was quoted at a discount of around 10 yuan/mt against Shanghai.
Mar 20, 2026 16:22[Consumption Expectations Were Gradually Realized, Operating Rates of Galvanising Producers Continued to Increase]: This week, the operating rate of the galvanizing industry was 59.7, up 6.69 percentage points WoW. Raw material side, zinc prices pulled back sharply this week, galvanising enterprises actively fixed prices to stockpile, and zinc ingot inventory at galvanising enterprises increased significantly.
Mar 20, 2026 16:24[US Fed Held Rates Unchanged, SHFE and LME Centers Continued to Move Lower This Week] At the beginning of the week, the market was heavily affected by geopolitical disruptions, with strong wait-and-see sentiment, and LME zinc maintained a fluctuating trend; subsequently, from a fundamental perspective, inventories outside China accumulated sharply, compounded by the escalation of the Middle East conflict, and market expectations for US Fed interest rate cuts cooled significantly, putting LME zinc under pressure and driving it lower......
Mar 20, 2026 15:17Singapore, as a globally significant transshipment hub for tin ingots, holds a critical position in the global tin industry landscape. In recent years, due to policy adjustments in major producing countries and changes in global tin resource reserves, the volume of tin ingots transshipped through Singapore has fluctuated at different stages. Against this industry backdrop, the Singapore Tin Ingot FOB price is of paramount importance to upstream and downstream enterprises in the global tin industry chain. In response to market changes, to meet the broad user demand for Singapore Tin Ingot FOB price discovery, and to enhance market information transparency, SMM has decided: Starting from September 26, 2025, to publish the ‘SMM Tin 99.9% Ingot premium, FOB Singapore, USD/tonne’ price. Price details are as follows: - Description: SMM Tin 99.9% Ingot premium, FOB Singapore, USD/tonne - Quality: Tin ingot with 99.9% purity, conforming to LME specification (BS EN 610:1996) and containing 200 - 300 ppm lead. - Definition: FOB Singapore, excluding tax, premium on top of LME cash prices - Unit: USD/tonne - Quantity: Min 5 tonnes - Timing: Within 2 weeks - Payment Terms: Cash against document, telegraphic transfer, other terms normalized - Publication: Weekly, Friday 10:30 AM Beijing Time SMM Tin Industry Research Department September 23, 2025
PriceSep 23, 2025 15:06As the world's largest exporter of tin ingots, Indonesia plays a significant role in the global tin industry landscape. Its tin ingot exports impact the international market structure. In recent years, Indonesia's tin ingot exports have fluctuated due to factors such as policy adjustments and changes in resource reserves. Against this industry backdrop, timely Indonesia tin FOB prices are crucial for upstream and downstream enterprises in the global tin industry chain. In response to market changes, to meet the broad user demand for Indonesia tin ingot FOB price discovery, and to enhance market information transparency, SMM has decided: Starting from September 19, 2025, to publish the ‘SMM Tin 99.9% Ingot premium, FOB Indonesia, USD/tonne’ price. Price details are as follows: - Description: SMM Tin 99.9% Ingot premium, FOB Indonesia, USD/tonne - Quality: Tin ingot with 99.9% purity, conforming to LME specification (BS EN 610:1996) and containing 200 - 300 ppm lead. - Definition: FOB Indonesia, excluding tax, premium on top of LME cash prices - Unit: USD/tonne - Quantity: Min 5 tonnes - Timing: Within 2 weeks - Payment Terms: Cash against document, telegraphic transfer, other terms normalized - Publication: Weekly, Friday 10:30 AM Beijing Time SMM Tin Industry Research Department September 12, 2025
PriceSep 12, 2025 17:38As the world's core consumer of the tin industry, China holds a pivotal position in the global tin industry chain. In recent years, influenced by factors such as adjustments in domestic and overseas policies, changes in global tin resource reserves, and fluctuations in consumer demand, the trade volume of Shanghai tin ingots has also exhibited periodic variations. Against this industry backdrop, the Shanghai tin ingot CIF price is crucial for upstream and downstream enterprises in the global tin industry chain. To actively respond to market changes, meet the widespread user demand for Shanghai tin ingot CIF price discovery, and enhance market information transparency, SMM has decided: Starting from September 26, 2025, to publish the ‘SMM Tin 99.9% Ingot premium, CIF Shanghai, USD/tonne’ price. Price details are as follows: - Description: SMM Tin 99.9% Ingot premium, CIF Shanghai, USD/tonne - Quality: Tin ingot with 99.9% purity, conforming to LME specification (BS EN 610:1996) and containing 200 - 300 ppm lead. - Definition: CIF Shanghai, excluding tax, premium on top of LME cash prices - Unit: USD/tonne - Quantity: Min 5 tonnes - Timing: Within Two Weeks - Payment Terms: Cash against document, telegraphic transfer, other terms normalized - Publication: Weekly, Friday 10:30 AM Beijing Time SMM Tin Industry Research Department September 23, 2025
PriceSep 23, 2025 15:01