Deepvein Mining has unveiled DeepSight Exploration, an integrated hardware-software system utilizing drone swarms and quadruped robots for end-to-end mineral exploration. Validated at a copper project in Namibia, the platform combines autonomous mapping, sampling, and geological intelligence to pinpoint high-potential targets. This robotics-first approach aims to reduce exploration cycles by 30 to 50 percent and lower costs by approximately 40 percent while significantly improving field safety in complex environments.
Mar 31, 2026 00:05From the perspective of Sprott’s experts, gold remains a central strategic building block for investors, even if the precious metal suffers in the short term from the rise in US Treasury yields.
Mar 30, 2026 17:52![[SMM Conference] PbZn Conference 2026 Gathers Global Leaders to Navigate Evolving Market Dynamics](https://imgqn.smm.cn/production/admin/votes/imagesbznIX20260330170246.jpeg)
On March 27, the 2026 SMM (21st) Lead & Zinc Conference and Industry Expo, organized by SMM, wrapped up successfully at Howard Johnson Agile Plaza in Chengdu, Sichuan!
Mar 30, 2026 17:04![[SMM Analysis] Stainless Futures Rebound in the Final Week of “Golden March” as Macro Support Offsets Weak Fundamentals](https://imgqn.smm.cn/production/admin/votes/imagesFURVz20260313180700.jpeg)
According to SMM data, the week of March 23–27, 2026 marked the final stretch of China’s traditional peak-demand season known as “Golden March.” During the week, the most-active stainless steel futures contract ( SS2605 ) posted a firmer, rangebound rebound as weak fundamentals clashed with renewed macro support. By the close on March 27 , the contract had risen to RMB 14,355/mt (about USD 2,076/mt) , up RMB 205/mt (about USD 29.65/mt) from RMB 14,150/mt (about USD 2,047/mt) a week earlier. The week’s defining feature was a sharp contrast between weak spot fundamentals and resilient market expectations. Physical demand remained mediocre, and social inventories moved back into accumulation. Even so, stainless futures found strong support from easing concerns over the Middle East, policy-related uncertainty in Indonesia’s nickel sector, and liquidity support from China’s central bank. As a result, prices managed to hold the lower end of the recent trading range and rebound from there. Macro backdrop: easing geopolitical stress, but rates remain a headwind At the macro level, both overseas and China-related developments saw important shifts. In the Middle East, the nearly month-long Strait of Hormuz crisis showed signs of easing after Iran’s mission to the United Nations said that non-hostile vessels could still pass safely through the strait in coordination with Iranian authorities. That helped cool fears of a major energy supply disruption. However, the inflation fallout from the earlier oil price spike has already shown up in global rates markets. US Treasury yields remained elevated, further reducing room for aggressive Fed easing expectations. In China, the central bank conducted a RMB 500 billion one-year MLF operation , equivalent to about USD 72.32 billion , helping keep liquidity conditions reasonably ample. While this was largely a routine move, it did help ease some of the valuation pressure created by a high global interest-rate environment and offered a degree of support to the market floor. Fundamentals: destocking stalls as inventories edge higher again On the fundamentals side, the destocking trend came to an abrupt halt, and “Golden March” ended on a disappointing note. The latest SMM data showed that social inventories failed to extend the declines seen over the previous two weeks and instead edged up to 982,000 mt , from 979,300 mt the week before, an increase of 2,700 mt . That renewed inventory build hit a sensitive spot for the market. In the spot market, downstream buyers continued to replenish only as needed, with very little appetite for stocking up. Throughout March, trading activity never showed the kind of momentum normally associated with a true seasonal demand peak. At the same time, mills have maintained relatively high production schedules, creating a mismatch between concentrated arrivals and lukewarm demand. As a result, inventory digestion is becoming more difficult rather than less, placing a clear cap on further upside in both futures and spot prices. Cost support stays firm as Indonesia policy rumors stir the market The cost side remained notably resilient, with fresh policy speculation adding another layer of support. As of March 27 , high-grade NPI was quoted at RMB 1,083.5 per nickel unit (about USD 156.71 per nickel unit) , while high-carbon ferrochrome held firm at RMB 8,650 per 50-basis mt (about USD 1,251.07 per 50-basis mt) . Although weak spot fundamentals still left mills inclined to push back against expensive raw materials, the market was unsettled this week by reports and rumors surrounding possible Indonesian export taxes and windfall taxes on nickel products. That policy uncertainty quickly revived bullish sentiment and helped upstream prices stabilize even as the market faced correction pressure. With raw material costs remaining elevated, downside room in stainless steel futures continued to look limited. Outlook: macro support sets the floor, weak demand caps the upside Overall, this week’s market was a clear example of macro support defining the downside floor while weak fundamentals capped the upside. “Golden March” ended without delivering the demand strength many had hoped for, and the return to inventory accumulation undermined the bullish case from a fundamental perspective. Even so, the combined effect of China’s RMB 500 billion MLF injection, easing Middle East tensions, and Indonesian tax-related speculation helped prevent a breakdown and instead allowed prices to rebound. Looking ahead, the market is now moving into the “Silver April” period. With inventories still high and mill output still elevated, there is little in the current fundamentals to support a strong one-way rally. At the same time, cost support remains firm enough to make a deep decline difficult. In the near term, the most-active stainless steel futures contract is expected to remain in a broad trading range. Market participants should pay close attention to whether Indonesian policy measures are formally implemented and how quickly spot inventories are absorbed after the holiday period. For now, chasing prices higher aggressively still looks risky. Written by: Bruce Chew | bruce.chew@smm.cn +601167087088
Mar 30, 2026 16:54As of March 30, the closing price of the most-traded HRC futures contract was 3,307. In March, the SMM national average spot price for HRC was 3,265.93 yuan/mt, with the monthly average price up 0.72% MoM.
Mar 30, 2026 16:51India’s steel market in 2026 is expected to remain balanced, with demand slightly outpacing supply. Domestic consumption will absorb most output, while imports decline overall and exports increase modestly as a balancing mechanism. Supported by strong growth and infrastructure investment, India is transitioning toward a demand-led steel market with solid long-term potential.
Mar 30, 2026 15:19Dear User, Greetings! With the rapid development and continuous technological iterations in the solid-state battery industry, solid-state batteries have garnered increasing attention. As indispensable key materials for solid-state batteries, the market demand for sulfide electrolytes and oxide electrolytes is also surging accordingly. The quality of pentaphosphorus pentasulfide and lithium bromide, important raw materials for sulfide electrolytes, plays a significant role in influencing sulfide electrolytes. In the realm of oxide electrolytes, the application status of LLZO (lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide) in the semi-solid and solid-state battery markets is gradually rising. SMM is committed to supporting upstream and downstream enterprises in the solid-state battery industry chain, helping them gain comprehensive insights into the market dynamics of solid-state battery electrolytes. By providing real-time and accurate spot cargo and price information, we assist enterprises in effectively reducing risks and costs in market transactions, enhancing their core competitiveness and market adaptability. Simultaneously, SMM actively delves into research on the solid-state battery industry chain, striving to build a more transparent, fair, and efficient market environment for the industry through deepened industry analysis and continuous improvement of the knowledge system. After a period of consolidation and market surveys, SMM plans to introduce two important raw materials for sulfide electrolytes in solid-state batteries—pentaphosphorus pentasulfide and lithium bromide—along with a new price point for oxide electrolyte LLZO, starting from January 28. Details are as follows: Pentaphosphorus pentasulfide: P2S5 content ≥99.9%, Lithium bromide: LiBr content ≥99.9% Oxide electrolyte LLZO: powder, D50 ≤1μm. Price note: The above three product price points are all delivery-to-factory prices, inclusive of 13% VAT. Shanghai Metals Market New Energy Research Team January 24, 2026
PriceJan 24, 2026 22:26Dear Users, Due to recent volatility in the international trade environment, and to ensure the accuracy and reference value of price information, Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) has conducted a careful assessment and decided to temporarily suspend the update of Magnesium Ingot 9990 CFR (Japan) spot prices effective immediately. We will resume updates for this price category once market trading normalizes and a stable, reliable pricing basis is reestablished. Thank you for your ongoing trust and support. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through official channels. Shanghai Metals Market Information Technology Co., Ltd. Magnesium Research Team January 8, 2026
PriceJan 8, 2026 12:03SMM Clarification Statement SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "SMM" or "the Company"), as a professional spot market price reporting agency and information provider, has recently noticed the circulation of false information regarding the fairness of SMM's price assessment. To avoid market misunderstandings, maintain a healthy and transparent market environment, and protect the Company's legitimate rights and interests, SMM hereby makes the following solemn clarification and statement: I. The Difference Between Spot Prices and Futures Prices is a Normal Reflection of Market Mechanisms According to basic economic principles, spot prices reflect the immediate supply-demand relationship and deliverable transaction conditions of the underlying asset, while futures prices reflect market expectations for future supply and demand, including factors such as capital cost and carrying costs. Both follow the principle of "convergence at maturity," meaning that futures prices gradually converge towards spot prices as the contract expiration date approaches. Therefore, during the life of the contract, the difference between spot prices and futures prices, especially with far-month contracts, is a normal phenomenon under the market pricing mechanism. II. Historical Data Proves the Rationality of the Price Spread Structure To objectively present the facts, SMM has made a price spread analysis chart based on publicly available market data: The chart clearly shows that from September 2023 to 2025, the monthly price spread between the SMM battery-grade lithium carbonate average price and the GFEX lithium carbonate futures contract prices fluctuated between positive and negative territory, always remaining within a reasonable range, and exhibited a significant convergence trend as the contract expiration date approached. This fully aligns with the market rule of futures and spot price convergence. Comparing a certain periods' futures prices (especially those of far-month most-traded contracts) with spot assessment prices and concluding that there is a "consistent significant deviation" is fundamentally flawed in methodology and can easily mislead market judgment. Any behavior that selectively highlights short-term trends in the price spread without considering the broader context is partial and irresponsible, failing to reflect the overall market situation. III. Recent Market Risk Control Measures Recently, to maintain the stable operation of the lithium carbonate futures market and prevent potential risks, the Guangzhou Futures Exchange, in accordance with its risk management rules, issued multiple notifications consecutively between November and December 2025, implementing a series of risk control measures for relevant contracts, including adjustments to transaction fee standards and trading limits. These measures represent the exchange's commitment to fulfill its self-regulatory duties in accordance with the law during specific market periods, aiming to promote the steady development of the market. IV. The Emergence, Nature, and Harm of False Information It is noteworthy that during this sensitive period, when the aforementioned risk control measures were being intensively implemented, a significant amount of false information began circulating on the Internet. While such information varies in content, it shares an identical core narrative: False claims have been made that SMM’s prices "consistently and significantly deviate from fair value and futures prices" and that "there are illegal benefit-related connections with certain institutions". These claims are entirely groundless. The timing and manner of their dissemination indicate that their purpose is not professional discussion but rather an attempt to exert improper pressure on SMM by confusing the price logic of spot and futures markets, interfere with the neutrality of spot price assessments, and consequently potentially mislead market expectations and disrupt the normal relationship between futures and spot prices. SMM hereby solemnly declares that SMM is always committed to price discovery in the spot market, does not participate in any futures market trading operations, and resolutely maintains market order. V. The Compliance, Neutrality, and Supervision Mechanisms of SMM's Price Assessment As a professional market price assessment agency, SMM always adheres to the principles of neutrality, objectivity, and fairness. SMM's price assessment methodology strictly follows the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) "Principles for Financial Benchmarks" and is subject to audits by independent third-party audit firms. In terms of internal governance, SMM has established a comprehensive firewall system to ensure that personnel and management involved in the price assessment process do not hold any related futures or spot positions, thereby eliminating conflicts of interest at an institutional level. SMM also has no history of any penalties from securities regulatory authorities for violations. We consistently maintain an open attitude towards market supervision based on facts. VI. Appeal to the Public SMM strongly condemns the recent malicious fabrication and dissemination of false information in the market, which damages SMM's commercial reputation and attempts to disrupt the order of the futures and spot markets, and has initiated legal proceedings to protect its rights. Currently, SMM is comprehensively and continuously collecting and preserving evidence related to the infringements. For suspected infringing acts, the Company will take all legal measures, including but not limited to reporting to relevant regulatory authorities and filing complaints with relevant online platforms, to resolutely pursue the legal liability of the infringing parties. SMM reserves the right to pursue all legal consequences against the relevant responsible parties. We once again call on all market participants to enhance their legal awareness and professional discernment capabilities, obtain information from authoritative channels, analyze the market rationally, resolutely resist and refuse to spread any unverified and unfounded rumors, and jointly maintain a fair, orderly, and healthy development environment for the industry chain. SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd. Dec 26, 2025
Dec 26, 2025 17:30