[Secondary Lead Market Dynamics] The off-season trend in lead-acid battery consumption remained unchanged, and spot lead prices were in the doldrums. Secondary refined lead suppliers showed low enthusiasm in offering quotes, and their prices remained relatively firm, resulting in an inversion between secondary lead and primary lead prices. Mainstream ex-factory prices were at a premium of 0-50 yuan/mt against the SMM #1 lead average price, with tax-exclusive refined lead ex-factory quotes around 15,250 yuan/mt. Downstream inquiries were moderate, but purchasing willingness was insufficient.

SMM May 13 News: End-use consumption in the e-bike lead-acid battery market remained sluggish. Dealers only purchased as needed. In addition, as lead prices weakened, risk-averse sentiment was strong in the wholesale market. Furthermore, producers largely produced based on sales and were generally in a state of production cuts, with operating rates of medium and large enterprises varying from 60% to 90%. Meanwhile, battery market selling prices showed no significant changes for the time being.

[Waste Lead-Acid Battery Market Dynamics] With lead prices in the doldrums, secondary lead smelters faced significant cost pressure on raw materials and recently lowered their purchase quotes for scrap batteries. Meanwhile, recyclers were also expected to follow suit by cutting their purchase quotes from stores. Some recyclers in east China said they would hold prices today and lower recycling prices by 30 yuan/mt starting tomorrow.

Futures: Overnight, LME lead opened at $1,987/mt and fluctuated downward to a low of $1,972.5/mt during the Asian session. Driven by concerns over ore supply disruptions due to energy shortages in Peru, LME lead rallied firmly during the European session, touching a high of $1,998/mt near the close and ultimately settling at $1,997.5/mt, up 0.45%. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE lead 2606 contract opened at 16,595 yuan/mt, briefly touched a high of 16,605 yuan/mt at the start, then fluctuated downward to a low of 16,520 yuan/mt before moving sideways near the close, ultimately settling at 16,525 yuan/mt, down 0.33%, marking a fifth consecutive decline. On the macro front: A US appeals court stayed an unfavorable ruling on Trump's 10% global tariffs. India raised the basic customs duty on gold and silver imports from 5% to 10%. Indian banks proactively paid customs duties to resume gold and silver imports, completing customs clearance of 9 mt of gold and 34 mt of silver in May. Russia cut its 2026 crude oil production forecast by 14.2 million mt to 511 million mt, and its export forecast by 4.5 million mt to 237.2 million mt. The US overall CPI annual rate for April was 3.8%, exceeding the expected 3.7% and hitting the highest level since May 2023, with the energy index contributing over 40% of the overall increase. : As the SHFE lead price center shifted further downward, suppliers sold along with the market, with some lowering discounts for shipments. However, affected by the crackdown on "invoice-based tax arbitrage," some trading companies had their invoicing quotas reduced, restricting lead market trading. Primary lead from smelters in the form of cargoes self-picked up from production site was increasingly directed toward downstream enterprises. Additionally, as secondary lead losses widened, smelters showed strong hold back from selling sentiment, with notably fewer spot order quotations. Mainstream production areas quoted secondary refined lead at premiums of +0~+50 yuan/mt over SMM #1 lead on an ex-factory basis. Downstream enterprises maintained just-in-time procurement, with inquiry enthusiasm rising compared to the previous day. However, given the weak lead price trend, apart from some downstream enterprises that purchased as needed, most preferred to wait and see. Inventory: On May 12, LME lead inventory decreased by 375 mt to 265,550 mt. As of May 11, SMM five-region lead ingot social inventory increased by approximately 2,200 mt WoW. Lead price forecast for today: The SHFE lead 2605 contract will enter delivery this week. Suppliers continued to transfer lead ingots to delivery warehouses, and lead ingot social inventory maintained its upward trend, surpassing the 70,000 mt mark again for the first time in nearly two months. Recently, the lead-acid battery market remained in off-season mode, and primary lead supply was stable to rising. In particular, following the sharp rally in SHFE lead last week, downstream enterprises were reluctant to purchase at high prices, and the spread between futures and spot prices widened to above 200 yuan/mt. Suppliers' willingness to ship to delivery warehouse increased. Lead ingot social inventory is expected to continue rising before delivery is completed, with notable resistance for lead prices. Data Source Statement: All data other than publicly available information is SMM processed data based on publicly available information, market communication, and SMM's internal database model, for reference only and does not constitute decision-making advice.

SMM May 13: Overnight, LME lead opened at $1,987/mt and fluctuated downward during the Asian session to a low of $1,972.5/mt. Due to concerns over ore supply triggered by energy shortages in Peru, LME lead rallied firmly during the European session, touching a high of $1,998/mt near the close and ultimately settling at $1,997.5/mt, up 0.45%. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE lead 2606 contract opened at 16,595 yuan/mt, briefly touched a high of 16,605 yuan/mt at the start of the session, then fluctuated downward to a low of 16,520 yuan/mt. It moved sideways near the close and ultimately settled at 16,525 yuan/mt, down 0.33%, marking five consecutive bearish sessions. This week, the SHFE lead 2605 contract will enter delivery. Suppliers continued to ship lead ingots to delivery warehouses, and lead ingot social inventory maintained its upward trend, breaking through the 70,000 mt mark again for the first time in nearly two months. Recently, the lead-acid battery market remained in the off-season, and primary lead supply was stable to rising. In particular, after SHFE lead surged significantly last week, downstream enterprises were reluctant to purchase at high prices, and the spread between futures and spot prices widened to above 200 yuan/mt. Suppliers' willingness to ship to delivery warehouses increased. It is expected that lead ingot social inventory will maintain an upward trend before delivery is completed, with obvious resistance for lead prices. Data source disclaimer: Data other than public information is derived from public information, market communication, and SMM's internal database models, processed by SMM for reference only and does not constitute decision-making advice.

SMM May 12: Dealers in Zhejiang reported that demand in the e-bike lead-acid battery market was sluggish, with battery sales weakening. Current battery inventory stood at nearly one month, and the battery wholesale market had yet to see sales promotions, with the main model 48V12Ah priced at 280-300 yuan/set. Manufacturers in Jiangsu reported that the off-season trend in the e-bike lead-acid battery market intensified, with dealers showing poor purchasing enthusiasm. Finished battery inventory saw a buildup, and factory operating rates had dropped to around 70%, with plans to halt production for holidays going forward. Manufacturers in Jiangxi reported that replacement demand in the e-bike lead-acid battery market was sluggish, with finished product orders declining further compared to April. Current factory operating rates remained at 70%. Additionally, lead prices fell today, and on the raw material side, they were considering buying the dip.