Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia clarified that the pricing of non-subsidized fuels, such as high-octane RON 95 and 98 used by industries and upper-income groups, fluctuates according to global market trends as outlined in the 2022 ESDM regulations. Addressing rumors of a 10% price increase for non-subsidized fuels starting April 1, 2026, Bahlil emphasized that these adjustments follow market mechanisms and do not burden state finances or require official public announcements. Meanwhile, he assured that any decisions regarding subsidized fuels remain under the direct authority of President Prabowo Subianto, who continues to prioritize public purchasing power and social conditions.
Mar 30, 2026 23:42In 2026, the European Critical Raw Materials Centre (ECRMC) will be officially launched. This initiative is one of the solutions to accelerate the development of an independent supply chain, preventing the situation of “a single country supplying more than 65% of demand”. The center will have three main functions: monitoring and assessing the raw materials demand of member countries, conducting joint procurement on behalf of members, and stockpiling and delivering inventory when necessary. ECRMC, as some have commented as a “Tinder for metals,” will work with stakeholders to design a minimum pricing mechanism and framework. The first joint purchasing activity will begin in March 2026 through a platform that connects suppliers and purchasers.
Mar 24, 2026 18:27This week, the rare earth market outside China showed a divergent pattern of “cerium up, the rest down.” Driven by price increases in China and rising ocean freight rates, cerium oxide FOB and CIF prices rose by $55/mt and $60/mt, respectively, while FOB offers for mainstream magnetic material raw materials such as praseodymium, neodymium, dysprosium, and terbium were generally lowered by $3-19.5/kg due to lower prices in China and tight supply caused by export controls. Although limited trading volumes supported premiums in markets outside China, expectations of an industrial slowdown in Europe triggered by the Middle East situation may suppress subsequent demand. On industry developments, Lynas’ Malaysia plant started samarium oxide production ahead of schedule, consolidating its position as the only commercial heavy rare earth separator outside China and advancing its 2030 strategy. In Australia, Terrain discovered high-grade magnetic rare earth ore intervals during drilling at its Western Australia project, highlighting significant resource potential.
Mar 20, 2026 18:10SMM March 11 News: According to official sources from Baiyin Nonferrous Group Co., Ltd., the company plans to sell 33 tons of crude selenium. The pricing mechanism will be based on bidding for the premium/discount. The minimum premium is set at 10,500 RMB/ton. This project requires three registered participants to proceed with the bidding. The registration deadline is 5:00 PM on March 16, 2026, and the bidding is scheduled to start at 3:00 PM on March 17, 2026. Given the recent positive trading conditions for crude selenium tenders, with relatively high transaction prices, market insiders anticipate that the outcome of this premium bidding will be worth watching.
Mar 11, 2026 17:01Silver is having one of its most extraordinary years in modern market history.
Mar 11, 2026 09:09【SMM Scrap Aluminium Market Analysis】Southeast Asia's Secondary Aluminum Industry Trapped in "Margin Squeeze": Raw Material Surge Forces ADC12 Plant Cuts, Industry May Enter "Lunar New Year Mode" Early February 2026 marked a period of unprecedented regulatory volatility for the global secondary aluminum and scrap markets. Driven by a confluence of tariff upheavals, aggressive decarbonization mandates, and stringent environmental crackdowns, the traditional flow of aluminum scrap is being fundamentally redrawn. As the United States implements sweeping new import surcharges, the European Union weighs restrictive export measures, and Southeast Asian hubs like Malaysia tighten their borders against contaminated materials, market participants are facing mounting compliance costs and disrupted arbitrage windows. This review examines the key policy shifts that defined the ex-China aluminum recycling sector this month and their immediate implications for global trade flows. The United States: How the 10% Surcharge Disrupts Secondary Aluminum Following the United States Supreme Court’s ruling, which invalidated Trump’s IEEPA tariffs on February 20, 2026, many trade goods found themselves navigating a complicated and chaotic new regulatory landscape. Within hours of the ruling, President Trump pivoted to Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, levying a 10% blanket global import surcharge that went into effect on February 24, replacing the former country-based tariffs. There have also been threats made by President Trump to raise this surcharge to the statutory maximum of 15%, which could further disrupt global trade and U.S. imports. Even though most primary aluminum products will not see a huge change due to already being burdened by the 50% Section 232 tariffs, the secondary aluminum market, which formerly enjoyed a 0% tariff under Section 232, might now be caught in the newest 10% blanket import surcharge. The US Geological Survey’s Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, published in February 2026, estimated an increase in imported scrap into the US in 2025, reaching roughly 890,000 metric tons, which is approximately a 27% increase compared to 2024. Even though scrap imports only make up roughly 20% of the US’s total scrap consumption, a blanket import surcharge will likely affect a significant portion of total scrap imports for the active period of the Section 122 policy. This is especially true as the policy remains highly volatile and faces the risk of being increased or challenged in the near future. Europe: The "Scrap Leakage" Debate and Impending Export Controls The EU aluminum recycling sector is also on edge following the closure of the EU’s public consultation in late January. Currently, trade measures are widely expected to be unveiled and launched during Spring 2026, aimed at curbing what the EU terms "aluminum scrap leakage." European Aluminum, as one of the biggest supporters of trade measures to control scrap leakage, cites outflows exceeding 1.3 million tons annually that could instead be utilized domestically to meet decarbonization and net-zero targets. In February, the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) released statements opposing these trade measures, stating that "the imposition of export restrictions or trade barriers is fundamentally unnecessary and risks producing significant unintended consequences for the entire value chain." BIR also explained how its own monitoring fails to identify scrap leakage issues, noting that the EU currently has insufficient domestic smelting capacity to absorb the extra scrap that is being exported out of Europe. In the same statement, BIR warned of a probable reduction in domestic aluminum scrap prices and a decline in the overall quality of waste management systems. Similarly, in 2025, the European Recycling Industries' Confederation (EuRIC) published stark warnings against the possible restriction of aluminum scrap exports. In a scenario where all grades of aluminum scrap are restricted from being exported, or if exports are hit with a significant surcharge, the Asian market, especially China, India, and Southeast Asia, all of which are large importers of EU scrap would be heavily impacted. Supply would see significant decreases, and prices outside Europe might climb to new highs as markets adjust to fill the gap, while secondary prices within the EU could drop to new lows due to localized oversupply. Malaysia: The E-Waste Crackdown and Stringent SIRIM Enforcement Following the success of "Ops Metal" in 2025, Malaysia has seen a massive volume of illegal scrap imports seized, amounting to a total value of RM 7 billion. In response to the influx of illegal scrap imports frequently mixed with electronic waste, the Malaysian government implemented an absolute e-waste import ban effective February 4, 2026, in order to curb these environmental violations. While aluminum scrap is still legally allowed to be imported into Malaysia, albeit under strict SIRIM purity requirements, the absolute e-waste ban will inevitably affect certain secondary grades. Notably, Zorba imports will likely see significant increases in transit and processing times, as customs officials are now far more likely to detain such cargoes for exhaustive inspections due to the high probability of e-waste contamination. In the broader picture, the volume of aluminum scrap legally entering Malaysia will likely decrease. Coupled with escalating processing delays at customs, this friction increases the probability that businesses will actively divert their aluminum scrap trade elsewhere in Southeast Asia, such as to Thailand. Conclusion Looking ahead to the second quarter of 2026, the secondary aluminum market will likely remain in a state of flux as these regional policies take full effect. The era of frictionless global scrap trade is rapidly giving way to a localized, highly regulated environment. For remelters and traders, navigating this landscape will require extreme supply chain agility and a hyper-focus on material compliance. As European supply risks being politically landlocked, U.S. raw material imports become suddenly more expensive, and Southeast Asian quality barriers rise, we expect to see continued volatility in regional premiums and a widening decoupling of traditional scrap-to-LME pricing mechanisms in certain regions. Adapting to this fragmented reality will be the defining challenge for the industry in the months to come.
Feb 27, 2026 08:57Dear Users, Greetings! In recent years, as the global new energy vehicle industry entered a large-scale retirement period and resource security strategies were upgraded, China's lithium battery recycling market continued to expand rapidly. In August this year, China officially began allowing the import and export of black mass, and it is expected that more black mass meeting quality requirements will enter China in the future. Against this backdrop, the value and pricing mechanism of overseas black mass in the Chinese market are attracting close attention from both upstream and downstream segments of the industry chain. In response to market changes, addressing the industry's practical needs for evaluating the value of recycled raw materials, and promoting the establishment of a more open and fair pricing benchmark in the lithium battery recycling sector, the Shanghai Metals Market (SMM), after in-depth market surveys and discussions has decided: On January 9, 2026, SMM will officially launch new weekly price for lithium battery recycling. The newly added price are as follow: 1. SMM Battery Black Mass, NCM/NCA, % payable of SMM's Nickle sulphate, FOB Malaysia, 9% < Ni < 20% 2. SMM Battery Black Mass, NCM/NCA, % payable of SMM's Cobalt sulphate, FOB Malaysia, Specification: 5% < Co < 10% 3. SMM Battery Black Mass, NCM/NCA, % payable of SMM's Lithium Carbonate, FOB Malaysia, Specification: 3% < Li < 3.5% Details of this price point are as follows: Description: SMM Battery Black Mass, NCM/NCA, % Payable of SMM's Nickel Sulphate, FOB Malaysia, 9% < Ni < 20% SMM Battery Black Mass, NCM/NCA, % Payable of SMM's Cobalt Sulphate, FOB Malaysia, 5% < Co < 10% SMM Battery Black Mass, NCM/NCA, % Payable of SMM's Lithium Sulphate, FOB Malaysia, 3% < Li < 3.5% Quality: Ni 9%-20%, Co 5%-10%, Li 3%-3.5% Quantity: Minimum 30 tonnes Definition: FOB Malaysia main ports Timing: 1-2 Months Unit: % Payment Terms: 50% Payment in advance T/T in USD , other payment terms normalized Pulication: Weekly, Friday 12pm Beijing time Relevant companies from the New Energy Industry Chain are welcomed to participate and support SMM in better serving the New Energy Industry Companies. Relevant companies from the New Energy Industry Chain are welcomed to participate and support SMM in better serving the New Energy Industry Companies. Shirley Wang 021-51666838 wangcong@smm.cn Thomas Feng 021-51666714 marui@smm.cn Freya Lin 021-51666902 linziya@smm.cn Rayna Lei 021-20707873 leiyue@smm.cn Melanie Choy (Malaysia) +6012-4926909 melanie.choy@smm.cn Shanghai Metals Market New Energy Research Team November 26, 2025
PriceDec 29, 2025 18:56SMM Clarification Statement SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "SMM" or "the Company"), as a professional spot market price reporting agency and information provider, has recently noticed the circulation of false information regarding the fairness of SMM's price assessment. To avoid market misunderstandings, maintain a healthy and transparent market environment, and protect the Company's legitimate rights and interests, SMM hereby makes the following solemn clarification and statement: I. The Difference Between Spot Prices and Futures Prices is a Normal Reflection of Market Mechanisms According to basic economic principles, spot prices reflect the immediate supply-demand relationship and deliverable transaction conditions of the underlying asset, while futures prices reflect market expectations for future supply and demand, including factors such as capital cost and carrying costs. Both follow the principle of "convergence at maturity," meaning that futures prices gradually converge towards spot prices as the contract expiration date approaches. Therefore, during the life of the contract, the difference between spot prices and futures prices, especially with far-month contracts, is a normal phenomenon under the market pricing mechanism. II. Historical Data Proves the Rationality of the Price Spread Structure To objectively present the facts, SMM has made a price spread analysis chart based on publicly available market data: The chart clearly shows that from September 2023 to 2025, the monthly price spread between the SMM battery-grade lithium carbonate average price and the GFEX lithium carbonate futures contract prices fluctuated between positive and negative territory, always remaining within a reasonable range, and exhibited a significant convergence trend as the contract expiration date approached. This fully aligns with the market rule of futures and spot price convergence. Comparing a certain periods' futures prices (especially those of far-month most-traded contracts) with spot assessment prices and concluding that there is a "consistent significant deviation" is fundamentally flawed in methodology and can easily mislead market judgment. Any behavior that selectively highlights short-term trends in the price spread without considering the broader context is partial and irresponsible, failing to reflect the overall market situation. III. Recent Market Risk Control Measures Recently, to maintain the stable operation of the lithium carbonate futures market and prevent potential risks, the Guangzhou Futures Exchange, in accordance with its risk management rules, issued multiple notifications consecutively between November and December 2025, implementing a series of risk control measures for relevant contracts, including adjustments to transaction fee standards and trading limits. These measures represent the exchange's commitment to fulfill its self-regulatory duties in accordance with the law during specific market periods, aiming to promote the steady development of the market. IV. The Emergence, Nature, and Harm of False Information It is noteworthy that during this sensitive period, when the aforementioned risk control measures were being intensively implemented, a significant amount of false information began circulating on the Internet. While such information varies in content, it shares an identical core narrative: False claims have been made that SMM’s prices "consistently and significantly deviate from fair value and futures prices" and that "there are illegal benefit-related connections with certain institutions". These claims are entirely groundless. The timing and manner of their dissemination indicate that their purpose is not professional discussion but rather an attempt to exert improper pressure on SMM by confusing the price logic of spot and futures markets, interfere with the neutrality of spot price assessments, and consequently potentially mislead market expectations and disrupt the normal relationship between futures and spot prices. SMM hereby solemnly declares that SMM is always committed to price discovery in the spot market, does not participate in any futures market trading operations, and resolutely maintains market order. V. The Compliance, Neutrality, and Supervision Mechanisms of SMM's Price Assessment As a professional market price assessment agency, SMM always adheres to the principles of neutrality, objectivity, and fairness. SMM's price assessment methodology strictly follows the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) "Principles for Financial Benchmarks" and is subject to audits by independent third-party audit firms. In terms of internal governance, SMM has established a comprehensive firewall system to ensure that personnel and management involved in the price assessment process do not hold any related futures or spot positions, thereby eliminating conflicts of interest at an institutional level. SMM also has no history of any penalties from securities regulatory authorities for violations. We consistently maintain an open attitude towards market supervision based on facts. VI. Appeal to the Public SMM strongly condemns the recent malicious fabrication and dissemination of false information in the market, which damages SMM's commercial reputation and attempts to disrupt the order of the futures and spot markets, and has initiated legal proceedings to protect its rights. Currently, SMM is comprehensively and continuously collecting and preserving evidence related to the infringements. For suspected infringing acts, the Company will take all legal measures, including but not limited to reporting to relevant regulatory authorities and filing complaints with relevant online platforms, to resolutely pursue the legal liability of the infringing parties. SMM reserves the right to pursue all legal consequences against the relevant responsible parties. We once again call on all market participants to enhance their legal awareness and professional discernment capabilities, obtain information from authoritative channels, analyze the market rationally, resolutely resist and refuse to spread any unverified and unfounded rumors, and jointly maintain a fair, orderly, and healthy development environment for the industry chain. SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd. Dec 26, 2025
Dec 26, 2025 17:30In the recent years, the proportion of bauxite ore in Indonesia kept on increasing in the mineral sector. Following the export ban and downstreaming initiatives by the Indonesian government, the bauxite industry will be expected to grow steadily. The valuation and pricing mechanisms for Indonesia bauxite ore in the market are drawing close attention from participants across the supply chain. To proactively address the potential downstreaming market shifts and enhance market transparency, SMM has decided: Commencing November 7, 2025, SMM will officially launch one new price: Indonesian Bauxite (Al2O3: 47%, SiO2: 5%,delivered to destination port,Indonesia,$/wmt) Details of this price point are as follows: Description: Indonesian Bauxite (Al2O3: 47%, SiO2: 5%,delivered to destination port,Indonesia,$/wmt) Quality: Total alumina 47% total silica 5% Fe 14% min, 20% max moisture content 20% max titanium 2% max Quantity: Minimum 50000 wmt Definition: delivered to destination port Brand Listing: Antam, Cita Mineral Investindo Timing: 1-2 Months Unit: USD/wmt Payment Terms: L/C/TT at sight in USD , other payment terms normalized Publication: Weekly, Friday by 12:00 PM Jakarta Time
PriceNov 4, 2025 11:12