SMM June 27 News: Metals market: Last Friday’s overnight session saw nearly all base metals on the domestic market rise. SHFE zinc gained 2.16%, SHFE copper rose 0.9%, SHFE aluminum edged up 0.81%, and SHFE tin advanced 1.66%. SHFE nickel increased 0.36%. SHFE lead dipped 0.37%. In addition, the most-traded alumina futures contract climbed 0.64%, while the most-traded foundry aluminum contract rose 1.66%. Last Friday’s overnight session saw mostly gains in ferrous metals. Stainless steel added 0.48%, iron ore rose 0.54%, and rebar slipped 0.1%. Hot-rolled coil was flat at 3,312 yuan/mt. In coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal futures contract gained 1.13%, and the most-traded coke futures contract rose 1.21%. Last Friday’s overnight session in overseas metals saw broad gains for LME base metals. LME copper edged up. LME aluminum rose 0.39%, while LME lead fell 0.58%. LME zinc gained 1.8%. LME tin advanced 1.69%. LME nickel dipped 0.36%. Last Friday’s overnight session in precious metals : COMEX gold rose 1.37%, but COMEX gold posted a fourth consecutive weekly decline, down 3.37% for the week; COMEX silver gained 1.37%, while COMEX silver fell for a seventh straight week, down 10.79% for the week. Last Friday’s overnight session saw the most-traded SHFE gold contract rise 1.34%, but SHFE gold declined on a weekly basis, down 6.33% for the week; the most-traded SHFE silver contract climbed 2.61%, while SHFE silver declined on a weekly basis, down 15.23% for the week. Macquarie strategists noted that all eyes are currently on the trajectory of inflation and whether central banks, particularly the US Fed, will tighten policy to control prices. The apparent end of the Middle East conflict, combined with a more hawkish Fed stance, has led to a pullback in gold prices. The first meeting under new Fed Chair Walsh struck a “hawkish” tone, with the central bank under his leadership having the capacity to either “drive or suppress” the gold market. The shock from the Middle East situation is expected to drag on global growth in Q3, after which an eventual rebound in global growth and the start of a monetary easing cycle should push gold prices lower, as more investor funds rotate out of precious metals and into other assets. Investors have been taking profits and rotating into equities, which has created room for re-entry into precious metals and could drive a price rebound, but a significant macro event may be needed to reignite investor interest in gold. Spot gold prices are forecast to average $4,641 in 2026, up 35% YoY, but the average price is expected to decline 9.5% to $4,200 in 2027, followed by yearly declines through 2030. The bank lowered its year-end spot gold forecast to $4,300 from $4,400. (Jin10 Data APP) As of 7:46 a.m. on June 27, closing prices from last Friday’s overnight session: Macro front China: [National Bureau of Statistics (NBS): Profits of China’s industrial enterprises above designated size grew 18.8% in January–May, with the electronics sector providing significant support] Data from the NBS showed that total profits of industrial enterprises above designated size nationwide reached 3,143.96 billion yuan in January–May, up 18.8% YoY. From January to May, among industrial enterprises above designated size, state-controlled enterprises realized total profits of 1,048.66 billion yuan, up 19.6% YoY; joint-stock enterprises realized total profits of 2,434.81 billion yuan, up 24.1% YoY; foreign-invested enterprises and those funded by Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan investors realized total profits of 695.72 billion yuan, up 4.2% YoY; and private enterprises realized total profits of 772.65 billion yuan, up 10.7% YoY. Yu Weining, chief statistician of the Industrial Department of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), interpreted the profit data of industrial enterprises for January–May 2026. Yu Weining noted that the electronics sector played a significant supporting role. From January to May, profits of the equipment manufacturing industry above designated size increased by 14.1% YoY, boosting the overall profit growth of industrial enterprises above designated size by 5.2 percentage points. From an industry perspective, the global AI technology revolution has led to explosive demand for high-end computing power chips and memory chips, driving rapid profit growth in the electronics sector. From January to May, profits of the electronics industry surged 103.9% YoY, contributing 43.1% to the profit growth of all industrial enterprises above designated size, making it a crucial underpinning for the relatively rapid profit growth of these enterprises. [Series of 7 National Standards for "Artificial Intelligence — Agent Interconnection" Released] At a press conference held by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), it was announced that the series of national standards "Artificial Intelligence — Agent Interconnection" has been officially released. With the rapid iteration of technologies such as large models, artificial intelligence is accelerating from the stage of perception and understanding into a new phase of generative decision-making and autonomous execution. An agent, as an intelligent system with capabilities in autonomous perception, memory, decision-making, interaction, and execution, represents an important application form of next-generation AI. It is also a key vehicle for AI technology to empower diverse industries and underpin high-quality development of the intelligent economy. The seven national standards in the "Artificial Intelligence — Agent Interconnection" series released this time comprehensively cover core aspects including overall architecture, identity codes, identity management, agent description, agent discovery, agent interaction, and agent tool invocation. They systematically establish a closed-loop standards framework encompassing "identity identification—capability description—supply-demand discovery—collaborative interaction—tool invocation," effectively filling the standard gap in this field. With unified architecture and interaction rules established through these standards, enterprises can reuse standardized components, reduce customized development, and shorten time-to-market. At the same time, they lay an institutional foundation for cross-domain trustworthiness and secure interaction by establishing unified identity authentication and full traceability mechanisms. (CCTV News) The People's Bank of China and the General Administration of Customs have issued a notice to solicit public opinions on the "Administrative Measures for the Import and Export of Gold and Gold Products (Draft for Comments)." (From Wall Street CN APP) [Three Departments: Further Improve Work Related to Collection of Mineral Rights Transfer Proceeds] The Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Natural Resources, and State Taxation Administration have issued a notice on further improving the collection of mineral rights transfer proceeds, clarifying that late payment penalties for mineral rights transfer proceeds will no longer be collected starting August 1, 2026. If a mining rights holder fails to pay the mineral rights transfer proceeds in full and on time, a penalty of 0.2% per day will be charged from the date of default, with the total penalty not exceeding the principal amount owed. Penalties for mineral rights transfer proceeds will be recorded under the mineral rights transfer proceeds category and shared between central and local governments according to the same proportion as mineral rights transfer proceeds. Late payment penalties that have already accrued before the implementation of this notice shall continue to be paid in accordance with previous regulations, and penalty charges will not apply. US Dollar: The overnight US dollar index fell 0.1% last Friday, closing at 101.36. On a weekly basis, the dollar index recorded its second consecutive weekly gain, rising 0.6% for the week. US Treasury yields and the dollar edged lower as oil prices declined and the market reassessed the US interest rate outlook. The CME FedWatch Tool shows the probability of one rate hike this year remains high at 42%, while the chance of a second hike has dropped to 28% from 34% a week ago as inflation expectations cool. A Wall Street Journal survey indicates the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index, set to be released at 10 a.m. US Eastern Time (10 p.m. Beijing Time), is expected to rise from 44.8 to 49. (Jinshi Data APP) Reuters Poll: 78 of 102 economists surveyed expect the Fed to keep the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75% in 2026, compared with 72 of 102 economists who held this view in the early June survey. Artem Sakhbiev, FX strategist at BCA Research, said in a report that the recent rebound in the US dollar appears somewhat overextended and lacks the support needed to break out of the trading range of the past year. The Fed revised its interest rate projections upward at last week's meeting and explicitly focused on inflation. This led to a significant rise in inflation-adjusted real yields and eased concerns about political pressure for rate cuts, thereby boosting the dollar. However, this move now appears largely exhausted. The Fed is likely to hold rates steady, and the spread between short- and long-term yields could widen. (Jinshi Data APP) According to Nick Timiraos, known as the "Fed mouthpiece," sources say the search for a new president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta has reached an impasse. The initial list of candidates failed to yield a final selection, forcing the bank to restart the selection process, which has now lasted seven months. On the surface, this was just a minor procedural hiccup. But at the same time, the independence of the US Fed is facing a severe test. Reserve Bank presidents are crucial to the Fed's independence: they participate in setting interest rates, and their appointment process is deliberately designed to avoid influence from Washington politics. (Jin10 Data App) Fed official Kashkari stated that signs of widespread inflation led him to expect one rate hike this year in the Fed economic forecasts released earlier this month. Rates are expected to remain unchanged in 2027. In a media interview on Friday, Kashkari said: "I am concerned about inflation, not just related to the Middle East situation, but signs of broader inflationary pressures in the economy." The Iran war pushed up oil prices, and prices rose across many categories. This has intensified concerns among some Fed officials that inflation is becoming more broad-based and persistent, potentially requiring stronger action from the central bank. A report released earlier this week showed the May PCE annual rate came in at 4.1%, the largest increase since April 2023. Prices have exceeded the Fed's 2% target for over five years. In the dot plot forecasts released by the Fed last week, half of the officials who submitted dot plot projections expected at least one rate hike this year. (Jin10 Data App) The US goods trade deficit widened to its highest level in over a year in May, as exports fell and imports rose. Data released by the Commerce Department on Friday showed the goods trade deficit expanded 27.4% from the previous month to $105.8 billion, compared to an expected deficit of $85 billion. US goods exports fell 5.4% in May, dragged down mainly by declines in multiple categories, including shipments of industrial supplies. This category covers crude oil and petroleum products. Over the same period, imports rose 3.6%. (From Wall Street CN APP) In other currency news: As London experiences record-breaking heat, Bank of England officials are starting to worry that weather could become the next shock driving up inflation, just as the previous supply shock is fading. Climate scientists increasingly expect a strong El Niño event to form later this year into 2027, disrupting global weather patterns. Now, economists are also concerned this could trigger a new round of supply shocks, push up food inflation, and once again frustrate global central banks' efforts to fight inflation. (From Wall Street CN APP) On the macro front: This week will see the release of data including the Eurozone June industrial sentiment index, Eurozone June economic sentiment index, US June Dallas Fed business activity index, Japan May unemployment rate, China June official manufacturing PMI, UK Q1 GDP annual rate final, UK Q1 current account, France June CPI monthly rate preliminary, Switzerland June KOF economic leading indicator, Germany June seasonally adjusted unemployment change, Germany June seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, Germany June CPI monthly rate preliminary, Canada April GDP monthly rate, US April FHFA house price index monthly rate, US April S&P/CS 20-City non-seasonally adjusted house price index annual rate, US June Chicago PMI, US May JOLTS job openings, US June Conference Board consumer confidence index, China June RatingDog manufacturing PMI, France June manufacturing PMI final, Germany June manufacturing PMI final, Eurozone June manufacturing PMI final, UK June manufacturing PMI final, Eurozone June CPI annual rate preliminary, Eurozone June CPI monthly rate preliminary, US June Challenger job cuts, US June ADP employment change, US June S&P Global manufacturing PMI final, US June ISM manufacturing PMI, US May construction spending monthly rate, Switzerland June CPI monthly rate, Eurozone May unemployment rate, US June unemployment rate, US June seasonally adjusted nonfarm payrolls, US initial jobless claims for the week ending June 27, US June average hourly earnings annual rate, US June average hourly earnings monthly rate, US May factory orders monthly rate, China June RatingDog services PMI, France May industrial output monthly rate, France June services PMI final, Germany June services PMI final, Eurozone June services PMI final, UK June services PMI final, and other data. Additionally, this week, attention should be paid to: 2027 FOMC voter and Richmond Fed President Barkin delivering a speech; the ECB holding its Central Bank Forum in Sintra through July 1; the 2026 Beijing Space Computing Conference taking place from June 29 to 30; ECB President Lagarde speaking in Sintra; the Reserve Bank of Australia releasing the minutes of its June monetary policy meeting; the ECB holding its Central Bank Forum in Sintra; the US and Iran holding technical negotiations (to be confirmed); Fed Chairman Walsh, ECB President Lagarde, Bank of England Governor Bailey, and Bank of Canada Governor Macklem speaking at the ECB Forum; the ECB holding its Central Bank Forum in Sintra; ECB President Lagarde delivering a speech; Bank of England Governor Bailey speaking on the coordination of fiscal and monetary policy; and a new round of domestic refined oil product price adjustments opening in China. It is worth noting that on July 1, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Market was closed for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day, with both Northbound and Southbound trading shut. On July 3, the US-NYSE was closed for the US Independence Day holiday; trading in CME precious metals, energy, foreign exchange, US Treasury, and equity index futures contracts ended early at 01:00 Beijing time on the 4th due to the US Independence Day holiday; trading in ICE Brent crude oil futures contracts ended early at 01:30 Beijing time on the 4th due to the US Independence Day holiday. In crude oil: Both oil futures fell in overnight trading last Friday, with US oil dropping 2.34% and Brent oil dropping 2.52%. On a weekly basis, US oil futures recorded a three-week losing streak, falling 7.4% for the week; Brent oil futures also fell for a third straight week, dropping 8.06% for the week. Brent spot crude oil prices fell back to pre-war levels, and the near-month contracts exhibited a contango structure—where near-term prices are lower than those further out—for seven consecutive days, reflecting a temporary oversupply. Tariq Zahir, a managing member at Tyche Capital Advisors, indicated that oil prices had "dropped too fast, too furiously," the ceasefire agreement remained fragile, and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz was still fraught with variables, so fluctuations were expected to persist. Rich Privorotsky, head of Goldman Sachs' One-Delta business, pointed out that Iran had begun a show of force near the Strait of Hormuz, some cargo ships had altered their routes, and the inventory overhang in the Gulf region was gradually flowing into the market. He believed that while the probability of a significant near-term price rise in crude oil was limited, the basis for a further substantial drop from current prices was equally insufficient. (From Wallstreetcn APP) US natural gas drilling rig additions recorded the largest single-week increase in four years. Data from Baker Hughes showed that the number of active oil drilling rigs operated by US energy enterprises reached 440 last week, marking a two-week consecutive increase, up from 433 the previous week. Active natural gas drilling rigs rose to 573, recording the largest gain since June 2022, compared with the prior figure of 563. (From Wall Street Cn APP) A report from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) indicated that US refining capacity decreased by 263,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2025, a decline of 1.43%. This was primarily driven by the planned conversion of a major refinery in Houston and the closure of a refinery in the Los Angeles area due to market dynamics, which is known for strict environmental regulations. Marathon Petroleum, headquartered in Findlay, Ohio, maintained its position as the largest US refiner with a total refining capacity of 2.986 million bpd, accounting for 16.4% of the nation’s total capacity. (From Wall Street Cn APP) Furthermore, Iraq’s Ministry of Oil stated that OPEC has begun to gradually restore Iraq’s pre-war production quota, a move which will strengthen Iraq’s output capabilities and support the recovery of the oil sector. A high-level consensus has been reached within OPEC, fully taking into account Iraq’s past special circumstances and current actual needs. (From Wall Street Cn APP) Barclays said it has lowered its Brent crude oil price forecasts, cutting the 2026 estimate from $100 per barrel to $96, and the 2027 estimate from $88 to $85, citing the recovery of oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz have rebounded substantially, reaching about 80% of pre-war levels. However, this normalization process remains incomplete. The bank noted that Iran’s assertion of control through fee impositions and coordination mechanisms has created frictions and may potentially delay a full recovery. A temporary deal reached last week aimed at ending the US-Israeli war against Iran has allowed traffic on the Strait of Hormuz shipping route to resume. (From Wall Street Cn APP) Recommended Reading:

Jun 05, 2026 - 12:31 AM Rising inflation pressures due to the ongoing war in Iran mean investors will have to wait a little longer for gold to break out of its current consolidation phase, according to Carsten Fritsch, commodity analyst at Commerzbank. Fritsch noted that gold’s price action since the war started has been counterintuitive to fundamental market beliefs. The precious metal, traditionally seen as an inflation hedge, has fallen even as the global energy crisis pushes consumer prices higher. At the same time, despite the chaos in the Middle East, gold has been unable to attract a safe-haven bid. However, Fritsch explained that the gold market is currently struggling as market expectations around U.S. monetary policy have shifted dramatically since the Iran conflict began. “Before the start of the Iran war, market participants had expected the Fed to cut interest rates by around 50 basis points this year. Since the start of the war and the resulting rise in oil prices, there has been a noticeable shift in interest rate expectations. Fed Funds futures currently imply a US key interest rate of around 3.8% at the end of the year. With an effective Fed rate of just over 3.6%, the market therefore expects the Fed to raise interest rates later this year. A 25-basis-point rate hike is fully priced in by spring 2027,” he said. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, markets see more than a 50% chance of a rate hike in December. The threat of rising interest rates is increasing the opportunity cost of holding gold, a non-yielding asset. In this environment, Commerzbank has adjusted its year-end price target. The German bank sees gold prices ending the year at around $4,800 an ounce, down from its initial target of $5,000. “This implies some upside potential for the coming months, as our new base-case scenario envisages a two-month transition period, followed by the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a decline in Brent oil prices, which should reverse the current expectations of interest rate hikes,” Fritsch said. The updated outlook comes as gold prices continue to struggle below $4,500 an ounce. Spot gold was last trading at $4,483.95 an ounce, up 1.11% on the day. However, Commerzbank’s updated target suggests the market could see an 8% rally from current prices by year-end. Fritsch said there is still potential for gold, as Commerzbank does not expect the Federal Reserve to raise rates this year. The bank’s economists forecast that rates will remain unchanged and that the next move is still likely to be a cut. However, Fritsch said the next rate cut is not expected until at least the second quarter of 2027. “We therefore maintain our price forecast of USD 5,200 per troy ounce for the end of 2027,” he said. “The structural factors supporting gold remain entirely intact. These include eroding confidence in the US dollar as a reserve currency, which is likely to lead to further gold purchases by central banks. Investor interest in gold is also likely to remain high. This is supported by the already high and rapidly rising levels of government debt, which are leading to monetary policy that is too loose when measured against inflation.” Along with its revised gold forecast, Fritsch has also downgraded his silver outlook. Commerzbank expects silver prices to end the year at around $80 an ounce. “In addition to the lowered gold price forecast, weaker industrial demand for silver also points to a slightly lower silver price. According to the latest assessment by the Silver Institute, industrial demand is set to decline for the second consecutive year, falling to a four-year low. Nevertheless, the silver market remains tight, which is why we expect the silver price to rise in the coming year,” he said. Commerzbank projects silver prices to end 2027 at around $90 an ounce, down from its previous target of $95 an ounce. Source： https://www.kitco.com/news/article/2026-06-04/commerzbank-not-giving-metals-sees-4800oz-gold-80oz-silver-year-end

[SMM Tin Morning Brief: The Most-Traded SHFE Tin Contract Continued to Rally During the Night Session, Further Suppressing Spot Market Transactions]

May 29, 2026, 02:29 AM Gold is consolidating but the long-term bull market remains strong. Fiscal imbalances and central bank buying to drive prices higher. Gold is just taking a breath and the race is not over. Gold prices have pulled back from recent highs, dipping below $4,500 per ounce and testing key technical support levels, but the long-term bull market remains firmly intact, according to portfolio manager Tom Winmill of the Midas Discovery Fund. In an interview with Kitco News , Winmill emphasised that the current consolidation should be viewed as a healthy pause rather than a reversal. “Gold is just taking a breath and the race is not over,” he stated, underscoring his conviction that structural drivers continue to support higher prices ahead. The yellow metal has faced pressure amid shifting market dynamics, including stronger US dollar moves and fluctuations in Treasury yields. Yet Winmill sees these as temporary headwinds in what he describes as a secular bull market for gold. Strong fundamentals underpin outlook Winmill pointed to persistent global fiscal imbalances as a core reason for optimism. “There’s no way back from the fiscal imbalances, and gold benefits,” he noted, highlighting how elevated government debt levels and monetary policy realities create a favorable environment for precious metals. Central bank buying remains a powerful tailwind, with many emerging market institutions continuing to diversify reserves away from traditional currencies. This demand floor, combined with investor interest in gold as a hedge against uncertainty, provides significant support even during periods of consolidation. The portfolio manager also drew attention to gold equities, which he believes offer compelling value after the recent correction in the sector. Mining companies have strengthened their balance sheets through disciplined capital allocation and are now generating robust cash flows. Winmill views gold stocks as a strategic opportunity for investors seeking leveraged exposure to rising metal prices. Path to higher prices remains open Looking further ahead, Winmill has previously expressed bullish targets, including scenarios where gold could approach or exceed $5,000 per ounce. He maintains that the path to such levels is “wide open,” driven by a combination of macroeconomic factors including potential monetary easing, geopolitical risks, and ongoing de-dollarization trends. Despite short-term volatility, the Midas Discovery Fund manager advised patience. The recent pullback, in his view, represents a breathing period that allows the market to reset before the next leg higher. Investors who focus on fundamentals rather than daily price action are likely to be rewarded as the cycle matures. Portfolio positioning and strategy At Midas Discovery, Winmill’s approach centers on a mix of established producers and select development-stage companies with strong assets. Holdings have historically included names like Barrick Gold and Newmont, alongside royalty companies that provide lower-risk exposure to gold price upside. The fund’s long-term track record reflects success in navigating precious metals cycles, aiming to preserve and grow purchasing power through strategic investments in gold, silver, and related hard assets. Winmill has managed the fund for over two decades, emphasizing a disciplined, value-oriented style. Current market conditions, with gold testing its 200-day moving average, present what Winmill sees as an attractive entry or accumulation point for both physical metal and equities. He cautioned, however, that volatility will persist, particularly as markets digest economic data and geopolitical developments. Broader market context Gold’s performance in 2026 has been marked by significant swings following a strong prior year. While prices have retreated from peaks above $4,500, many analysts continue to forecast substantial upside over the medium term, with some projections targeting $5,000 or higher by year-end or into 2027. Winmill’s message aligns with this constructive view, reinforcing that structural bull market drivers have not been exhausted. For investors, the current environment calls for a focus on quality assets and a long-term horizon rather than attempting to time short-term moves. As global uncertainties persist, from fiscal policy challenges to international tensions, Winmill believes gold’s role as a safe-haven and inflation hedge will only grow in importance. The race, as he puts it, is far from over. Source： https://invezz.com/news/2026/05/29/gold-is-just-taking-a-breath-path-to-5000-oz-still-wide-open/

[SMM Aluminum Express News] Hillsdale Investment Management increased its position in Kaiser Aluminum, purchasing an additional 471 shares and bringing its total holdings to 10,188 shares valued at approximately US$1.17 million. The move reflects continued institutional investor interest in Kaiser Aluminum, which supplies value-added aluminium products to the aerospace, automotive, packaging, and industrial sectors.

US rare earth companies are attracting stronger investor interest after the Trump administration launched “Project Vault,” a strategy aimed at strengthening domestic critical mineral supply chains and reducing dependence on foreign rare earth sources. Under the plan, the US government will directly invest in selected domestic rare earth companies through financing support from the US Export-Import Bank and measures linked to the Defense Production Act. USA Rare Earth has become one of the main beneficiaries, with investors focusing on its upcoming magnet manufacturing operations. Rising demand from EVs, defense and AI data centers is also increasing the strategic importance of rare earth supply security.