[SMM Midday Tin Commentary: Improving Macro Sentiment Drove a Rebound in Tin Prices, While Follow-Through in Spot Transactions Remained Limited]
Mar 25, 2026 11:27The latest customs data showed that in February 2026, China’s imports of unwrought silver ingots with a purity of no less than 99.99% reached 206.76 mt, up 499% MoM and surging 5,910% YoY to a multi-year high. The rare opening of the import window drove significant changes in the supply-demand pattern of the domestic silver ingot market.
Mar 25, 2026 17:51According to the latest customs data, in January 2026, China’s imports of copper-zinc alloy (brass) bars and rods were 2,050.01 mt in physical content, down 8.37% MoM and up 24.53% YoY. In February, China’s imports of copper-zinc alloy (brass) bars and rods were 1,344.87 mt in physical content, down 34.4% MoM and down 36.67% YoY, showing an overall sharp decline. Cumulative imports in January-February 2026 were 3,394.87, down 9.94% YoY cumulatively. (HS codes 74072111, 74072119, 74072190).
Mar 25, 2026 14:14[SMM Daily Chrome Commentary: Cost Support Kept Offers Firm, with Limited Recent Market Fluctuations] March 25, 2026: Chrome ore quotations saw no adjustment, while low- and micro-carbon ferrochrome prices were raised somewhat...
Mar 25, 2026 14:30Futures: Overnight, LME lead opened at $1,895.5/mt. After the opening, prices quickly fell to $1,885.5/mt, then fluctuate rangebound within the $1,888–1,896.5/mt range, with a balanced tug-of-war between longs and shorts and cautious market sentiment. After 0:00, prices rose further, breaking above the previous trading range and touching a high of $1,901/mt, before finally closing at $1,898.5/mt. A small bullish candlestick was recorded, up $0/mt, or 0.0%. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE lead 2605 contract opened at a low of 16,420 yuan/mt. In early trading, SHFE lead prices rose rapidly, then saw wide swings within the 16,440–16,481 yuan/mt range, with an evident tug-of-war between longs and shorts. Intraday volatility narrowed, and prices gradually stabilized around 16,455–16,465 yuan/mt, while trading volume pulled back simultaneously and market sentiment turned cautious. Late in the session, SHFE lead broke upward again, touching a high of 16,500 yuan/mt, then quickly pulled back to finally close at 16,470 yuan/mt. A small bullish candlestick was recorded, up 50 yuan/mt, or 0.3%. On the macro front: 1. Poll: Trump’s approval rating fell to its lowest level since returning to the White House. 2. US media: The US Department of Justice admitted it lacked evidence in its investigation into Powell. 3. Turkey considered using its $135 billion gold reserves to defend the lira. 4. Israeli media: The US intended to seek a one-month ceasefire to discuss a 15-point agreement with Iran. 5. Goldman Sachs maintained its overweight recommendation on Chinese equities (A-shares and Hong Kong stocks). Spot fundamentals: SHFE lead remained in the doldrums, while suppliers held prices firm on shipments. Quotations in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai were raised slightly in spot premiums, while quotations for cargoes self-picked up from production site at primary lead plants changed little. Mainstream producing areas quoted premiums of 0-50 yuan/mt against the SMM #1 lead price, with a few quoting premiums of 100 yuan/mt ex-works. On the secondary lead side, some secondary lead enterprises had maintenance plans, and circulating cargoes in the spot market were limited. Secondary refined lead was quoted at premiums of 0-75 yuan/mt against the SMM #1 lead average price, ex-works. Downstream enterprises maintained purchasing as needed, but some engaged in more bargaining. In addition, as secondary lead prices inverted against primary lead, spot order purchases tilted toward primary lead. Inventory: As of March 24, LME lead inventory fell by 725 mt, or 0.26%, to 283,350 mt. As of March 23, SMM social inventory of lead ingot across five regions pulled back somewhat from previous inventory at high levels. Today’s Lead Price Forecast: Supply side, primary lead smelters held firm offers, and spot premiums in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai were raised slightly, while quotations for cargoes self-picked up from production site at primary lead smelters changed little. Some secondary lead smelters had maintenance plans, and circulating cargoes in the spot market were limited. Demand side, downstream enterprises maintained purchasing as needed, but some engaged in more bargaining, and as secondary lead prices inverted against primary lead, spot order procurement tilted toward primary lead. According to SMM analysis, SHFE lead prices were likely to remain in the doldrums in the short term.
Mar 25, 2026 09:04SMM, March 25: Overnight, LME lead opened at $1,895.5/mt. After the opening, prices quickly fell to $1,885.5/mt, and then fluctuate rangebound within the $1,888–1,896.5/mt range, with a balanced tug-of-war between longs and shorts and relatively cautious market sentiment. After 0:00, prices rose and broke above the previous trading range, hitting a high of $1,901/mt before closing at $1,898.5/mt. A small bullish candlestick was recorded, up $0/mt, or 0.0%. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE lead 2605 contract opened at a low of 16,420 yuan/mt. In early trading, SHFE lead prices rose rapidly, and then saw wide swings within the 16,440–16,481 yuan/mt range, with an evident tug-of-war between longs and shorts. Intraday volatility narrowed, with prices gradually stabilizing around 16,455–16,465 yuan/mt, while trading volume also pulled back and market sentiment turned cautious. Late in the session, SHFE lead again broke upward, hitting a high of 16,500 yuan/mt, then quickly pulled back to close at 16,470 yuan/mt. A small bullish candlestick was recorded, up 50 yuan/mt, or 0.3%. Supply side, primary lead smelters held firm offers, while spot premiums in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai edged up slightly, and quotes for primary lead smelter cargoes self-picked up from production site changed relatively little. Some secondary lead smelters had maintenance plans, and spot market circulating cargoes were limited. Demand side, downstream enterprises maintained purchasing as needed, but some engaged in more bargaining. In addition, as secondary lead prices were inverted against primary lead, spot order purchases tilted toward primary lead. According to SMM analysis, SHFE lead prices are likely to remain in the doldrums in the short term.
Mar 25, 2026 09:06LFP Prices
PriceMar 16, 2026 15:18Dear User, Hello! To better assist upstream and downstream enterprises in the industry chain in monitoring market fluctuations and promptly reflecting the spot market prices, thereby reducing transaction risks and costs in the metal market, and continuously improving and deepening the research on the metal industry chain, SMM, after a period of preparation and market research, plans to introduce new price points starting from November 1. These include Selenium Powder 99.5% min Europe Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min India Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min USA Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min Russia FOB, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min USA Delivery, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min Europe Delivery, and Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min India Delivery, among others, for market reference. I. General Principles of SMM Price Methodology Shanghai Metals Market (hereinafter referred to as SMM) is a fully independent third-party service provider and does not participate in any substantive transactions. Instead, it acts as a market observer or organizer, maintaining close communication with buyers and sellers in transactions and providing relevant services to the market. SMM continuously develops, reviews, and revises its methodology through communication with industry professionals, adopting the most common product specifications, trade terms, and conditions in the industry, while giving equal importance to normal transactions that meet standard specifications. SMM reserves the right to exclude any price information deemed unreliable or unrepresentative from its pricing assessments. SMM publishes daily metal spot prices (or price indices, including the Chinese market, markets outside China, and global markets), commonly referred to as SMM prices. SMM has established corresponding methodologies for all published SMM prices (all of which are available for reference on SMM’s official website, www.smm.cn ). These methodologies specify the methods and procedures for generating and publishing SMM prices, which are strictly adhered to. To align with the actual conditions of the spot market, SMM may make necessary revisions to the SMM price methodology, which will be announced on the SMM official website before formal implementation. For any questions or suggestions regarding SMM prices or their methodologies, please contact SMM customer service (contact information can be found on the SMM official website, www.smm.cn ). This document outlines the standards for establishing price points such as Selenium Powder 99.5% min Europe Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min India Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min USA Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min Russia FOB, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min USA Delivery, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min Europe Delivery, and Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min India Delivery. The purpose of this standard is to establish a transparent and verifiable mechanism for SMM price determination. II. Formation of SMM Price Points for Selenium Powder 99.5% min Europe Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min India Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min USA Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min Russia FOB, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min USA Delivery, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min Europe Delivery, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min India Delivery, etc. 2.1 Definition SMM price points for Selenium Powder 99.5% min Europe Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min India Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min USA Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min Russia FOB, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min USA Delivery, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min Europe Delivery, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min India Delivery, etc., are formed and published by SMM in accordance with this methodology. They can be used by trading parties as reference for spot trade settlement of these price points. 2.2 New Metal-Related Price Points Added by SMM Selenium Powder 99.5% min Europe Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min India Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min USA Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min Russia FOB, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min USA Delivery, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min Europe Delivery, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min India Delivery, etc. 2.3 Quotation Generation Method SMM collects data for evaluating price points such as Selenium Powder 99.5% min Europe Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min India Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min USA Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min Russia FOB, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min USA Delivery, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min Europe Delivery, and Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min India Delivery through data collection (i.e., gathering raw data information that meets SMM standards). This includes bid and ask quotes provided by data providers for transactions not concluded on the same day, as well as actual transaction prices for spot trades provided by data providers. 2.4 Data Collection Method SMM price analysts collect data for price points such as Selenium Powder 99.5% min Europe Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min India Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min USA Delivery, Selenium Powder 99.9% min Russia FOB, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min USA Delivery, Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min Europe Delivery, and Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min India Delivery regularly (between 9:30 AM and 11:15 AM on each trading day) via phone, QQ, WeChat, fax, and email. This data may include prices of concluded transactions on the same day, companies’ expected most likely prices for pending transactions, and offers. 2.5 Product Standards Price Point Name Reference Standard Selenium Powder 99.5% min Europe Delivery Powder below 200 mesh or 1-5 mm particles. Selenium content not less than 99.5%, other elements unspecified. Selenium Powder 99.9% min India Delivery Powder below 200 mesh or 1-5 mm particles. Selenium content not less than 99.9%, other elements unspecified. Selenium Powder 99.9% min USA Delivery Powder below 200 mesh or 1-5 mm particles. Selenium content not less than 99.9%, other elements unspecified. Selenium Powder 99.9% min Russia FOB Powder below 200 mesh or 1-5 mm particles. Selenium content not less than 99.9%, other elements unspecified. Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min USA Delivery Rod or ingot form. Cadmium content 99.99%, other elements unspecified. Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min Europe Delivery Rod or ingot form. Cadmium content 99.99%, other elements unspecified. Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min India Delivery Rod or ingot form. Cadmium content 99.99%, other elements unspecified. 2.6 Pricing Unit and Presentation Price Point Name Unit Selenium Powder 99.5% min Europe Delivery USD/lb Selenium Powder 99.9% min India Delivery INR/kg Selenium Powder 99.9% min USA Delivery USD/lb Selenium Powder 99.9% min Russia FOB USD/lb Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min USA Delivery USD/lb Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min Europe Delivery USD/lb Cadmium Ingot 99.99% min India Delivery INR/kg 2.7 Delivery Method Pick-up from relevant warehouses. 2.8 Payment Method Cash payment or wire transfer. Other terms handled as per常规. 2.9 Update Time Before 11:30 AM on each trading day. III. Methodology Changes All markets evolve, and SMM has a responsibility to ensure that the methodologies for market reporting keep pace with these changes. Therefore, SMM regularly conducts internal reviews of the appropriateness of its methodologies based on industry feedback. For all substantive but non-urgent potential revisions, SMM will follow a formal external consultation process. Major changes will be announced with a notice period of at least 28 days, inviting industry comments, unless special circumstances, particularly force majeure (natural disasters, war, exchange bankruptcy, etc.), necessitate a shorter notice period. SMM is committed to carefully reviewing all comments on proposed methodology changes. However, in some cases, it may be necessary to make changes to the methodology against the wishes of some market participants. Additionally, SMM has a formal methodology consultation process. Shanghai Metals Market Information Technology Co., Ltd. Precious Metals Team November 1, 2025
PriceNov 1, 2025 17:37Dear Users: Hello: To ensure data consistency with the source and respond to customer feedback, we have expanded the unit of zinc-related import and export data in the non-ferrous metals database to the smallest level. Core changes: Units such as "10,000 mt" and "mt" have been changed to "kg". The specific details are announced as follows: I. Reasons for Adjustment Due to the need for country-specific breakdown of imports and exports, the unit has been adjusted to the smallest value To better serve customers, SMM has expanded the import and export data related to the zinc industry chain to include all countries. This will result in the previously set units such as "mt" and "10,000 mt" being unable to match data from all countries. Therefore, SMM has changed the unit to the smallest value. II. Adjustment Details III. Effective Date of Adjustment This adjustment will take effect on August 8, 2025 SMM (Shanghai Metals Market) August 4, 2025
DataAug 4, 2025 11:34