According to customs data, China's aluminum plate/sheet and strip (tariff codes 76061121, 76061129, 76061191, 76061199, 76061220, 76061230, 76061251, 76061259, 76061290, 76069100, 76069200) exports in March 2026 reached 278,200 mt, up 21% MoM and up 3% YoY.

News Release: April 30, 2026 According to SMM statistics, China’s high-carbon ferrochrome output in April 2026 fell by 1.28% month-on-month but rose by 24.63% year-on-year, with notable regional divergence. The majority of the monthly output reduction came from Inner Mongolia in northern China. Affected by substation maintenance, ferrochrome producers in Fengzhen faced production restrictions, with output dipping slightly by 1.82%.

Intermediate Product Production Cuts Materialized, MHP and High-Grade Nickel Matte Payable Indicator Stayed High This Week

The gold price is currently consolidating in a broad sideways range. But behind this seemingly directionless phase, the next major price drivers are already taking shape.

To date, the continuous decline of chrome ore prices has halted. Driven by a higher-than-expected increase in steel bidding prices, chrome ore prices have rebounded moderately.

Trade data for the first quarter of 2026 shows a 31% year-on-year decline in Russian coal exports to Turkey. This reduction is attributed to increased domestic Turkish production and a shift in trade defense policies that favor imports from other European and Australian suppliers. The decline in this critical corridor highlights the shifting trade routes for metallurgical coal as international markets react to geopolitical tensions and the ongoing war, which continues to keep commodity price volatility high.