Price
News
- What Could Change if Middle East Aluminum Trade Reroutes—and Supply Becomes Substitutable
Strait of Hormuz disruptions and Iran tensions are driving up aluminum prices and premiums. Aluminium Bahrain and Qatalum have cut output, while feedstock is tight. Rerouting via Port of Sohar or Saudi ports raises costs and delays. Buyers are turning to China, India, Russia, Canada, and scrap to offset risk. Prolonged disruption could reduce Middle East market share and reprice it as higher-risk supply.
Mar 24, 2026 17:22 - Putzmeister & SANY Hydrogen Forge Cooperation Intent for European Market
[SMM Hydrogen Energy Flash] On March 17, the senior management team of Putzmeister visited SANY Hydrogen, and the two sides formally reached an intention for cooperation in the European market. This opened a new foreign trade model of "Chinese technology + German service.
Mar 24, 2026 14:31 - China's Copper Wire Rod Exports Rise in Jan-Feb 2026, Trade Patterns Shift
【SMM Copper Flash】In January-February 2026, China’s exports of copper wire rod (HS codes 74081100 and 74081900) rose consecutively MoM. In January, exports were mainly under processing trade with imported materials, accounting for 66.3%, while processing trade with supplied materials accounted for 22.37%; in February, the share of processing trade with imported materials pulled back to 50.95%, while the share of processing trade with supplied materials rose to 38.73%, and the shares of Entrepot Trade by Customs Special Control Area and Ordinary Trade were relatively small.
Mar 23, 2026 15:44 - Silver Ingot Imports Surged in February 2026 to a Multi-Year High, Reshaping the Market Supply-Demand Pattern
The 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 17:51 - China's Copper Plate/Sheet and Strip Exports Dominated by Processing Trade with Imported Materials
The structure of China’s copper plate/sheet and strip export trade modes continued the characteristics seen in the previous period. Customs data showed that in January-February, processing trade with imported materials remained the core export mode, with exports of 14,335 mt, accounting for 66.3% and firmly maintaining its dominant position; Processing and Assembling exports were 3,655 mt, accounting for 16.9%; Ordinary Trade exports were 2,182 mt, accounting for 10.1%; and other trade modes totaled 1,458 mt, accounting for 6.7%.
Mar 23, 2026 10:36 - Silver Prices Rebounded and Rose, Downstream Buyers Remained Cautious and Wait-and-See, and Transactions Softened [SMM Daily Review]
Silver prices rebounded and rose today, and the spot-futures price spread between TD and the most-traded SHFE silver contract narrowed. Some suppliers were reluctant to sell and stayed on the sidelines, while downstream buyers generally negotiated prices and bought the dip. In the Shanghai market, during early trading, mainstream quotations from holders of national-standard silver ingots were quoted at premiums of 100-150 yuan/kg against TD, or at premiums of 50-80 yuan/kg against the SHFE silver 2604 contract. Only a small volume was traded in early trading. As the spot-futures price spread narrowed and silver prices surged, downstream purchasing interest declined markedly. Although some suppliers were reluctant to sell and remained on the sidelines due to costs and other factors, some sellers in the market cut prices and sold at premiums of 0-20 yuan/kg against the 2604 contract. Spot market quotations varied widely, buyers and sellers engaged in intense bargaining, downstream enterprises made small-volume purchases on dips, and market transactions turned subdued.
Mar 25, 2026 12:04
Announcements
Dear User, Greetings! In recent years, the development of the secondary zinc industry has attracted significant attention however, the domestic supply of secondary zinc oxide has become increasingly tight. In contrast, Southeast Asia boasts abundant resources of secondary zinc oxide raw materials at relatively low prices, which has prompted many Chinese enterprises to establish production facilities in the region, with a considerable number choosing Vietnam. Meanwhile, amid growing uncertainties in international trade, an increasing number of companies are relocating their plants to Vietnam to achieve integrated procurement, production, and sales, gradually forming a market trend. To keep pace with the globalization of international trade and the market development of secondary zinc oxide both domestically and overseas, and to reflect the true price fluctuations of secondary zinc oxide in the global market, SMM plans to launch the CIF Imported Secondary Zinc Oxide Payable . The SMM CIF Imported Secondary Zinc Oxide Payable is an indicative price formed and published by SMM according to this methodology, which can be used by trading parties as a reference for settling secondary zinc oxide trades from Vietnam. This price reflects the mainstream price of the CIF Imported Secondary Zinc Oxide Payable for each month. The price will be officially launched on November 28, 2025, and historical prices can be viewed simultaneously on the SMM website (smm.cn). The price will be published by 18:00 on the last working day of each month. Price Definition: The mainstream transaction price of CIF Imported Secondary Zinc Oxide Payable in actual trades during the month. Going forward, SMM will continue to monitor changes in the zinc industry chain market, optimize SMM prices, and better serve the industry! For any inquiries regarding the price, please contact Zinc Analyst Hua Lin at 021-20707885 hualin@smm.cn. SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd. Zinc Research Team November 21, 2025
PriceNov 21, 2025 18:11- Price[SMM Announcement] on publishing Copper grade 1 cathode premium, ddp Midwest US on February 1, 2026
Driven by intensifying global competition for energy and mineral resources, the reshaping of refined copper trade flows, and the resurgence of U.S. manufacturing policies, the U.S. market has once again emerged as a key pricing anchor in international refined copper distribution. According to SMM research, U.S. annual refined copper consumption is estimated at 1.6–1.8 million metric tons, with the Midwest — home to a high concentration of copper-intensive manufacturing — serving as the country’s largest region for copper processing, delivery, and end-use. Over time, this region has developed a mature spot trading market under the DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) delivery model. Since 2025, global copper trade dynamics have shifted significantly. The U.S. has become increasingly reliant on imports from Latin America, Europe, and Africa. With frequent tariff policy changes, a surge in COMEX stock levels, more active trade tenders, and renewed long-term contract negotiations, the Midwest DDP premium has become an essential reference point for industrial trade and arbitrage models across the supply chain. Against this backdrop, Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) will officially launch the Copper grade 1 cathode premium, ddp Midwest US on February 1, 2026. Quoted in US cents per pound (¢/lb), this premium will be based on representative spot DDP trades in the U.S. Midwest. The price reflects a weighted average considering warehouse transfer costs, regional logistics fees, trading activity levels, and brand preferences — offering an objective and actionable settlement benchmark for market participants. The price will be updated daily and published on both the SMM official website. Historical curves and price analytics will also be made available. This price release aims to enhance pricing transparency across the refined copper supply chain and provide more granular tools for trade execution, long-term contract negotiations, and production planning — supporting more efficient and accurate price discovery in the global market. Key specifications of the SMM U.S. Midwest DDP Refined Copper Premium are as follows:
PriceJan 20, 2026 09:45 SMM launches graded price points for hafnium oxide and crystal hafnium to enhance pricing reference for the hafnium industry.
PriceMar 9, 2026 14:03
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