In Q2 2026, the traditional peak season for the galvanizing industry fell short of expectations, weighed by sluggish real estate recovery and delayed implementation of local government bonds. Overall operating rates weakened YoY, with only infrastructure and export-related categories showing structural opportunities.

Recently, the ecological environment authority released the public notice on the draft EIA report for the 300,000-ton waste LFP battery regeneration project. The project involves a total investment of approx. RMB 1.07 billion, located in Yaojiagang Chemical Park, Yichang, Hubei. It consists of hydrometallurgical leaching, impurity removal, lithium salt synthesis, iron phosphate synthesis, and supporting water treatment, warehousing and logistics systems. Upon completion, it will achieve an annual processing capacity of 300,000 tons of waste LFP battery packs, yielding 22,500 tons of lithium carbonate, 90,000 tons of iron phosphate, and 64,000 tons of sodium sulfate per year.

London-based metals.io has added tokenized cobalt and nickel to its Tezos-based trading platform, opening access to commodities that have traditionally been available only to industrial buyers and large trading houses. The company said Thursday it purchased and tokenized 7 tonnes of the metals, launching xCo and xNi tokens that provide investors with ownership of physical metal held in secure storage facilities. The platform uses a trust structure combined with blockchain-based smart contracts to allow investors to buy, hold and trade the assets without the warehousing, financing and minimum lot-size requirements typically associated with physical commodity markets. “The rapid growth of AI, an explosion of manufacturing capacity in emerging markets and a host of other technological developments have created demand for the metals and minerals that power industries from automotive manufacturing to aerospace,” Ben Elvidge, lead for metals.io and head of alternative assets at Trilitech, said in a statement. “With the launch of metals.io and the dawn of tokenization, we’re able to streamline access to these essential commodities, making them available to a new profile of buyer and introducing new routes to market for suppliers.”

US President Trump Donald posted on a social media platform that Iran has made clear to the US that vessels currently navigating through the Strait of Hormuz “need not pay tolls, insurance fees, nor will they face any other form of charges.” Meanwhile, Trump Donald threatened that if the information was false, the US would immediately terminate the relevant negotiations. In addition, regarding the temporary cancellation of the signing arrangement for the bill aimed at reducing housing costs and increasing housing supply, Trump Donald stated that he would not sign the bill, claiming that he knew real estate better than anyone and that an interest rate cut was the key.

SMM June 24 – Metals market: As of the midday close, all domestic base metals fell, with SHFE copper down 0.95%, SHFE aluminum down 1.11%, SHFE lead down 0.12%, SHFE zinc down 1.7%, SHFE nickel down 1.94%, and SHFE tin down 4.64% to a session low of 388,220 yuan/mt. In addition, the most-traded casting aluminum contract fell 1.01%, the most-traded alumina contract rose 0.52%, the most-traded lithium carbonate contract rose 1.67%, the most-traded silicon metal contract edged down, and the most-traded polysilicon contract rose 0.28%. Ferrous metals showed mixed performance, with iron ore up 0.68%, rebar edging down, HRC edging up, and stainless steel down 1.27%. On the coking coal and coke front: the most-traded coking coal contract fell 0.64%, and the most-traded coke contract was at parity with 1,953.5 yuan/mt. On the overseas base metals front, as of 11:38, LME metals were nearly all lower. LME copper rose 0.24%, LME aluminum fell 0.67%, LME lead fell 0.44%, LME zinc and LME tin fell within 0.5%, and LME nickel edged down. On the precious metals front, as of 11:38, COMEX gold fell 1.86% and COMEX silver fell 1.34%. On the domestic precious metals front: the most-traded SHFE gold contract extended its losing streak from the previous four trading days, falling another 2.37% to a session low of 886.34 yuan/g; the most-traded SHFE silver contract extended its losing streak from the previous three trading days, falling another 5.08%. Additionally, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures fell 0.6% and the most-traded palladium futures fell 1.41%. As of the midday close, the most-traded European container shipping futures contract rose 0.79% to 3,745 points. As of 11:38 on June 24, some futures midday market data: Spot and Fundamentals Copper: Today, Guangdong #1 copper cathode spot prices against the front-month contract: high-quality copper was quoted at a premium of 80 yuan/mt, flat from the previous trading day; standard-quality copper was quoted at a premium of 20 yuan/mt, up 10 yuan/mt from the previous trading day; SX-EW copper was quoted at a discount of 60 yuan/mt, up 10 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. The average price of Guangdong #1 copper cathode was 103,310 yuan/mt, down 975 yuan/mt from the previous trading day, and the average SX-EW copper price was 103,200 yuan/mt, down 970 yuan/mt. Spot market: Guangdong inventory rose for the fourth consecutive trading day, mainly due to increased arrivals... Macro Front Domestic Side: [Three Ministries Implement 2026 Insurance Compensation Policy for First (Set of) Major Technical Equipment] The MIIT General Office, the Ministry of Finance General Office, and the National Financial Regulatory Administration General Office issued a notice on implementing the 2026 insurance compensation policy for the first (set of) major technical equipment. The notice stated that complete equipment is generally supported based on the number of units (sets); core systems, key parts, key supporting components for major technical equipment, and basic components are generally supported based on the number of batches. For complete equipment such as high-end industrial machine tools, specialized electronic equipment, new-type agricultural machinery, and precision instruments and meters, which have relatively low per-unit value, support can be provided on a batch basis; for high-value core systems and key components like aircraft engines and marine engines, support can be provided on a per-unit basis. [Ultra-long special government bonds have helped upgrade over 360,000 elevators] On June 24, it was learned from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development that since the state included the upgrading of old residential elevators into the scope of ultra-long special government bond funding support, various localities have actively relied on policy support to vigorously promote the upgrading of old residential elevators, facilitating residents' convenient travel. To date, a total of over 360,000 old residential elevators have been upgraded. (CCTV News) [PBOC reverse repo net injection of 242.2 billion yuan today] The PBOC today conducted 662.5 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repo operations at an operation rate of 1.4%, unchanged from the previous. Today, 420.3 billion yuan of reverse repo matures. US Dollar: As of 11:38, the US dollar index rose 0.1% to 101.47. On the data front: on June 24, S&P Global released data showing that the US June composite Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) flash reading rose to 52.2, higher than the previous 51.5 and market expectations of 52.1, hitting a five-month high and indicating continued expansion in US business activity. By sector, manufacturing stood out. New orders grew at the fastest pace in over four years, driving a marked pickup in factory production. The US June manufacturing PMI flash reading rose to 55.7, the highest since May 2022, exceeding the expected 54.6 and the prior 55.1. Meanwhile, the service sector also maintained expansion, with the June services PMI flash reading climbing to 51.3, a four-month high, above the expected 51.1 and the prior 50.7. At the same time, easing cost pressure expectations due to the de-escalation of Middle East tensions also boosted business confidence. However, the survey also showed that issues such as supply chain delays, rising raw material costs, and slowing employment persist, and the foundation for economic recovery is not solid. (From Wall Street Insight APP) According to CNBC, as the search for the next president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta enters its seventh month, the hiring process is being closely watched. Observers hope to see how the new Fed chief Warsh will reshape the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which is responsible for setting interest rate policy. As Warsh began to exert his personal influence within the Fed, the selection process shifted. During former Fed Chairman Powell’s tenure, the Fed had already been scouting candidates for the Atlanta Fed president job title, according to two people familiar with the hiring process. However, to allow Warsh to take the lead on the appointment, the selection process was temporarily suspended. Because the search is still ongoing, both sources requested anonymity. They noted that Michael Faulkender, who previously served as a senior Treasury official under President Trump, was subsequently added to the list of candidates for the Atlanta Fed presidency. It remains unclear whether Faulkender is still a candidate. (Jin10 Data App) According to CME “FedWatch”: the probability that the Fed holds rates steady in July is 62.6%, while the probability of a cumulative 25bps hike is 37.4%. The probability that the Fed holds rates steady through September is 29.8%, with a 50.6% chance of a cumulative 25bps hike and a 19.6% chance of a cumulative 50bps hike. In other currencies: Data released on Wednesday showed that Australia’s CPI slowed in May, weighed down by lower fuel costs and reduced holiday travel demand. Still, core inflation came in above expectations, suggesting that further rate hikes cannot be ruled out. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics data, the CPI fell 0.7% MoM in May, while the YoY growth rate slowed to 4%, down from the previous reading of 4.2% and compared with market expectations of a 0.4% MoM decline and 4.3% YoY growth. However, core inflation, which strips out volatile items, rose 0.4% MoM in May—topping expectations of 0.3%—pushing the annual rate to 3.6%. The RBA has already hiked rates three times this year as it seeks to pull core inflation back into its 2%–3% target range. The Bank of Japan signaled in the minutes of last week’s board meeting that there is a need to further raise the benchmark interest rate. At that meeting, the BOJ lifted the policy rate to its highest level since 1995. According to the minutes released on Wednesday, one member stated: “Given that core CPI inflation is close to 2% and financial conditions remain accommodative, the Bank should continue raising the policy rate in response to the current economic, inflation and financial environment.” While the BOJ’s move last week marked its first rate hike since last December and signaled clearly that more increases are ahead, the minutes offered no explicit guidance on the timing of the next hike. Even so, they reinforced market expectations for another rate increase before the end of the year. The day after the meeting concluded, a survey of economists showed that about 90% of respondents expected another rate hike before December, with over one-third projecting October as the next adjustment window. Economists now expect the benchmark rate in this hiking cycle to reach 1.75%, up from the 1.5% forecast in the survey earlier this month. (Jin10 Data App) Data: Today will see the release of Australia's unadjusted May CPI y/y, Germany's June IFO business climate index, Switzerland's June ZEW investor sentiment index, the Q1 US current account, and US new home sales (annualized) for May, among other data. Also on watch: the Bank of Japan publishes a summary of opinions from the board members on the June monetary policy meeting; the 2026 Shanghai Mobile World Congress runs through June 26. Crude Oil: As of 11:38, oil prices on both exchanges fell, with WTI down 1.08% and Brent off 0.87%. Following a temporary peace agreement between the US and Iran, tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz resumed, keeping international crude prices under pressure. (Wall Street News) Iran's ambassador in Geneva stated that the Strait of Hormuz is fully open to commercial vessels, and a significant volume of oil has been transported through the waterway in recent days. (Jin10 Data App) On June 23 local time, US President Trump said the United States is "working toward a fair agreement with Iran" to end the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz. He noted that 19 million barrels of oil were transported through the strait just the previous day (June 22). Trump reiterated that "Iran cannot have nuclear weapons" and indicated that work on the matter is progressing well. (CCTV) Spot Market at a Glance: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

June 23, 2026 The price of gold is currently feeling the full brunt of U.S. monetary policy. Bank of America, which was still among the market’s biggest optimists as recently as January and had forecast a rapid rise to $6,000 per ounce by spring, has had to adjust its short-term outlook. While the long-term fundamental arguments in favor of the precious metal remain intact, the Federal Reserve’s radically changed interest rate outlook is now forcing the analyst team to adopt a more defensive stance—at least in the short term. Interest Rate Hikes Instead of Cuts: The Fed’s Inflation Trap The key headwind for gold is the abrupt reversal in interest rate expectations. While investors were still firmly expecting interest rate cuts at the start of the year, the war in Iran has sparked a global energy crisis and massively fueled inflation concerns. The CME FedWatch Tool now puts the probability of another rate hike by September at over 70 percent. This restrictive environment weighs on the non-interest-bearing precious metal, as rising bond yields drive up the opportunity cost for gold investors. This shift from an environment of “inflationary rate cuts” to tight monetary policy cuts gold’s immediate upside potential in half, according to BofA. The problem: Even a swift peace agreement would hardly resolve the persistent inflation immediately, given established Trump tariffs, strained supply chains, and rising housing costs. Gold is thus caught in a short-term dilemma: While it benefits as a classic hedge against inflation, it is held back by the central bank’s necessarily restrictive stance. Megatrends remain intact: The structural fundamentals are growing Despite these headwinds, Bank of America is sticking to its overarching bullish scenario, as the U.S. macroeconomic environment provides the perfect breeding ground for higher prices. A ballooning budget deficit of around six percent of gross domestic product and a lack of fiscal consolidation are increasingly raising doubts about the sustainability of the U.S. debt burden—especially as foreign investors are already reducing their holdings of U.S. Treasury bonds. This is accompanied by global de-dollarization: According to recent surveys, 74 percent of central banks expect the dollar’s share of global reserves to decline over the next five years. This promises sustained strong purchasing power from the central banking sector. Once the looming interest rate hikes are fully priced in or off the table, investment demand is also likely to surge significantly. Currently, gold investments account for only 5.5 percent of global equity and bond markets. Analysts at Bank of America see enormous potential for growth here, particularly as institutional investors are shifting from the traditional 60:40 portfolio toward a 60:20:20 structure, in which alternative hedges such as gold are given significantly greater weight. For forward-thinking commodity investors, the report thus paints a clear picture: The short-term correction driven by interest rate policy merely masks massive, structural upside potential. Source： https://goldinvest.de/en/is-the-gold-correction-an-opportunity-bofa-sticks-to-its-usd6-000-target-despite-headwinds-from