[Worsening Supply Concerns and Gradual Demand Recovery Stabilize the Center of Aluminum Prices with Geopolitical Premiums ]Overall, the market's core focus in the period ahead is on whether key aluminum smelters in the Middle East will further expand production cuts. If the cuts continue to materialize, they will provide strong upward momentum for global aluminum prices, coupled with support from expectations of a gradual release of demand during China’s peak season. In the short term, aluminum prices are expected to remain in a high-level consolidation pattern.
Apr 3, 2026 09:09From June 9 to 10 local time, He Lifeng, the Chinese lead negotiator for China-US economic and trade talks and Vice Premier of the State Council, held the first meeting of the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism with the US lead negotiators, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, and Trade Representative Jamie Grierson in London, UK. Both sides engaged in candid and in-depth dialogue, exchanged in-depth views on economic and trade issues of mutual concern, reached a consensus in principle on the framework of measures to implement the important agreements reached during the phone call between the two heads of state on June 5 and to consolidate the outcomes of the Geneva economic and trade talks, and made new progress in addressing each other's economic and trade concerns. He Lifeng stated that this meeting was an important consultation conducted under the strategic consensus reached by the two heads of state on June 5 this year. China's attitude and stance on China-US economic and trade issues are clear and consistent. The essence of China-US economic and trade relations is mutual benefit and win-win results. Both countries stand to gain from cooperation and suffer from confrontation in the economic and trade field. There are no winners in a trade war. China does not want to fight one, but it is not afraid to do so either. Both sides should resolve economic and trade differences through equal dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation. China is sincere and principled in its economic and trade consultations. Going forward, both sides should further leverage the role of the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism in accordance with the important agreements and requirements reached during the phone call between the two heads of state, continuously enhance consensus, reduce misunderstandings, and strengthen cooperation. China reiterates that both sides should work together, honor their commitments, and take concrete actions to fulfill the consensus. They should demonstrate the spirit of integrity in upholding commitments and make efforts to jointly safeguard the hard-won outcomes of the dialogue, continue to maintain communication and dialogue, promote the steady and long-term development of China-US economic and trade relations, and inject more certainty and stability into the world economy. The US side stated that the meeting achieved positive outcomes, further stabilizing bilateral economic and trade relations. It will work together with China in accordance with the requirements of the phone call between the two heads of state to jointly implement the consensus reached during this meeting. (CCTV News)
Jun 11, 2025 17:07Macro News 1. The WTO Ministerial Conference was held in Paris, France. Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao attended the conference and delivered a speech. Wang Wentao stated that China had submitted the "Statement on Supporting the Multilateral Trading System under the Current Situation" to the WTO and was willing to work with all parties to safeguard the international economic and trade order and global trade stability, injecting more certainty into the world economy. 2. On June 4, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian hosted a regular press conference. A reporter asked about the White House's response to Lee Jae-myung's election as President of the Republic of Korea and mentioned China's influence on other socialist countries in the world. Lin Jian stated that China consistently adheres to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and has never and will never interfere in the internal affairs of any country. Lin Jian reiterated that the United States should abandon its old habit of imagining China based on its own actions, and stop provoking relations between China and the Republic of Korea. 3. Christopher Hui, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, stated that the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission was considering introducing virtual asset derivatives trading for professional investors and would formulate robust risk management measures. 4. On June 4, the Ministry of Finance of the People's Republic of China issued RMB 12.5 billion in government bonds for the third issue of 2025 through tender to institutional investors in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The bonds were widely welcomed by investors, with a subscription multiple of 3.96 times. 5. Recently, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development organized the selection of cities supported by the central government's fiscal funds for the implementation of urban renewal actions in 2025. The 20 cities proposed for support are: Beijing, Tianjin, Tangshan, Baotou, Dalian, Harbin, Suzhou, Wenzhou, Wuhu, Xiamen, Jinan, Zhengzhou, Yichang, Changsha, Guangzhou, Haikou, Yibin, Lanzhou, Xining, and Urumqi. Industry News 1. Li Lecheng, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, chaired a meeting on June 3 to study ideas and measures for promoting the development of the artificial intelligence industry and empowering new-type industrialization. The meeting emphasized promoting the deployment of large models in key industries of the manufacturing sector, accelerating the refinement of application scenario requirements, expediting the intelligent upgrading of the entire manufacturing process, and transforming production management models. 2. The National Energy Administration issued a notice on organizing the first batch of pilot work for the construction of a new-type power system, which mentioned that, based on the scientific integration of source-load-storage resources, it would coordinate the green electricity demand of existing and incremental data centers in various regions with the conditions of new energy resources, and collaboratively plan and layout computing power and power projects. It would also build or renovate a number of different types of virtual power plants according to local conditions, encourage the launch of pilot projects for the new generation of coal-fired power plants, and focus on building or renovating a number of new energy power stations in regions with tight power supply or high consumption pressure. 3. The National Energy Administration held the 2025 Training Course on Power Market Construction Capacity and the Symposium on Power Market Construction Work in Kunming, Yunnan. The meeting called for continued efforts to advance the construction of power markets in southern China and the Yangtze River Delta region, accelerate the transition of provincial (autonomous region, municipality) power spot markets to continuous operation, and steadily promote the full participation of new energy in the market. 4. FTSE Russell announced the results of the quarterly review of the FTSE China 50 Index and the FTSE China A50 Index for June 2025. Pop Mart and SF Holding were newly included in the FTSE China 50 Index, while China Merchants Securities and China Railway Group were removed. Jiangsu Bank was included in the FTSE China A50 Index, while Great Wall Motor was removed. 5. Based on preliminary monthly data, the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) comprehensively estimated that nationwide wholesale sales of passenger NEVs by producers reached 1.24 million units in May 2025, up 38% YoY and 9% MoM. The cumulative wholesale sales for the period from January to May 2025 were comprehensively estimated at 5.22 million units, up 41% YoY. 6. In May 2025, the number of newly opened A-share accounts pulled back but remained stable. On a monthly comparison basis, the total number of newly opened A-share accounts in January 2025 was 1.57 million, nearly doubling to 2.84 million in February, surpassing 3 million in March, and then declining by 37.22% MoM in April due to market volatility caused by tariff frictions. In May, the number further pulled back due to the impact of holidays. Compared with the 1.27 million newly opened accounts in May 2024, the number of newly opened accounts in May 2025 increased by 22.86% YoY. 7. The Nansha Branch of the Guangzhou Municipal Planning and Natural Resources Bureau in Guangdong Province processed the first "delivery of sea area with issuance of certificate" business in the province. Guangzhou Port Nansha Port Operation Co., Ltd. obtained the real estate ownership certificate on the same day after submitting the payment voucher for the sea area use fee, becoming the first enterprise in the province to benefit from the "delivery of sea area with issuance of certificate" reform. 8. The official website of the Sichuan Provincial Health Commission recently released the "Sichuan Provincial Population and Family Planning Regulations (Draft Amendment for Public Consultation)." The draft proposes extending the marriage leave from 5 days to 20 days, with an additional 5 days of marriage leave for those who voluntarily participate in premarital medical examinations. It also proposes establishing a mechanism for increasing maternity leave based on the number of children born in compliance with laws and regulations. The maternity leave in Sichuan will be extended to 90 days for the first child, 120 days for the second child, and 150 days for the third child. Corporate News 1. Wantai Biological Pharmacy announced that its marketing authorization application for the nine-valent HPV vaccine has been approved. 2. Zhongke Electric announced its plan to invest no more than 8 billion yuan in the construction of an integrated base project for lithium-ion battery anode materials. 3. Bangji Technology announced that it is planning major matters, and its shares have been suspended from trading. 4. Hainan Huatie announced that it is planning to list on the Singapore Exchange. 5. Shanghai Construction Group announced that its overseas wholly-owned subsidiary issued US$600 million in bonds. 6. HiteVision announced the suspension of trading of its shares due to the planned change in control, with the counterparty engaged in investment and asset management businesses. 7. Kweichow Moutai announced that as of the end of May, it had repurchased 3.31 million shares at a cumulative cost of 5.1 billion yuan. 8. Jinjiang Hotels announced its intention to issue shares (H shares) overseas and list them on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. 9. Winchip Microelectronics announced that its shareholder, Guiren Capital, and its concerted actors intend to reduce their shareholdings by no more than 3% of the company's shares. 10. Tyer Machine announced that its actual controller, Tai Zhengbiao, was released from custody and changed to being ordered to await further investigation. 11. *ST Jinbi announced the suspension of trading of its shares due to the planned change in control of the company. 12. PowerChina announced that a consortium led by its subsidiary had won a bid for an ESS project worth 6.282 billion yuan. 13. Kingsoft Office announced the continued appointment of Lei Jun as the company's honorary chairman. 14. Lier Chemical announced that its shareholder, Zhongtong Investment, intends to reduce its shareholdings by no more than 3% of the company's shares. 15. Kexing Pharmaceutical announced that its controlling shareholder, Keyi Pharmaceutical, intends to reduce its shareholdings by no more than 3% of the company's shares. Global Markets 1. The three major U.S. stock indices closed with mixed changes: the Dow fell 0.22%, the Nasdaq rose 0.32%, and the S&P 500 rose 0.01%. The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index closed up 2.04%, with most popular Chinese ADRs rising. 2. WTI crude oil futures closed down 0.88% at US$62.85 per barrel; Brent crude oil futures closed down 1.17% at US$64.86 per barrel. 3. COMEX gold futures closed up 0.6% at US$3,397.4 per ounce. COMEX silver futures closed up 0.06% at US$34.655 per ounce. Investment Opportunities Reference 1. AI Drives Demand Growth, with Microsoft, Google, and Meta All Placing Bets in This Field On Tuesday local time, tech giant Meta reached a 20-year agreement with Constellation Energy, the owner of the largest nuclear power plant in the US, to meet the electricity demand driven by the AI boom. Since the beginning of this year, tech giants such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Meta have been strongly betting on nuclear energy. The market generally believes that this is aimed at planning energy supplementation in advance for the development of AI businesses. Yongxing Securities' research report indicates that supportive policies for nuclear power have been frequently introduced in 2025. The State Council has approved the construction of nuclear power plants and continued to increase investment in the research and development of new nuclear power technologies. According to Zhang Xing, Deputy Director-General of the General Office of the National Energy Administration, on April 27, the State Council Executive Meeting decided to approve five nuclear power projects, including the third phase of Sanmen in Zhejiang, Units 1 and 2 of the pressurized water reactor in Xiapu, Fujian, the third phase of Haiyang in Shandong, the second phase of Taishan in Guangdong, and the third phase of Fangchenggang in Guangxi. China's installed nuclear power capacity in operation and under approval for construction exceeds 120 million kW. In addition, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration will strongly support the R&D efforts for cutting-edge technologies such as fourth-generation nuclear power technology, small modular reactors, and nuclear fusion. 2. Lei Jun Says Xiaomi's Automotive Chips Are Expected to Launch Soon According to media reports, Xiaomi founder Lei Jun disclosed at the Xiaomi Investor Conference that the selling price of the newly launched Xiaomi YU7 is unlikely to be the rumored 235,900 yuan, and the official pricing will only be determined 1-2 days before the launch. Lei Jun stated that Xiaomi began investing in the R&D of the robotics sector five years ago. Currently, the car factory is testing relevant capabilities, and Xiaomi's automotive chips are under development, with an expected launch soon. China Research Institute of Industry Development (CRIID) stated that the market size of automotive chips in China reached 120 billion yuan in 2024 and is expected to exceed 300 billion yuan by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) exceeding 25%. Guosen Securities issued a research report stating that multiple chips were unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show, and the localisation of automotive chips is timely. Domestic car makers are focusing on intelligence after electrification and are actively promoting the localisation of automotive chips. Domestically produced automotive chips are gradually transitioning from the early product development stage to the stage of large-scale sales. 3. Apple's Equity-Participating Company Advances Satellite Expansion Plan Recently, the Space Bureau of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved Globalstar's application to expand its second-generation "Direct-to-Device" (D2D) satellite constellation, aiming to provide network coverage services for Apple devices. It is understood that in November 2024, Globalstar announced plans for a new generation of C-3 satellite systems, which include Apple paying Globalstar up to $1.1 billion to enhance the non-terrestrial network connectivity capabilities of the iPhone. Previously, Apple also spent $400 million to acquire a 20% stake in Globalstar. The rapid advancement of aerospace technology has driven exponential growth in the global space economy. A report released by the World Economic Forum in 2024 shows that the global space economy is expected to grow from $630 billion in 2023 to $1.8 trillion by 2035, with an average annual growth rate of 9%, far exceeding the growth rate of global GDP, and will be an important engine driving global economic growth in the next decade. The US Federal Aviation Administration also predicts that commercial space activities will show strong growth momentum. Huaxi Securities stated that currently, the global commercial space sector is accelerating the development of reusable rockets and low-Earth orbit constellation networking, and China's commercial space industry is ushering in a dual turning point of "technological breakthrough" and "scale explosion". On the rocket manufacturing side, multiple top-tier enterprises in the commercial space sector are intensively conducting flight tests of reusable liquid rockets; on the satellite manufacturing side, greater manufacturing capacity and lower manufacturing costs are being achieved. In satellite applications, various scenarios are emerging, including direct satellite connectivity for mobile phones, direct satellite connectivity for automobiles, computing power satellites, and space broadband. 4. Capital market attention has increased significantly amid multiple catalysts, and the commercialization of Robo X has accelerated According to media reports, recently, Zheng Qinwen's match against top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the French Open women's singles quarterfinals attracted significant attention from domestic audiences. Beyond the tennis court, the event also showcased Guangzhou's technological elements. For two consecutive years, the only L4 autonomous minibus shuttle service at the French Open has been jointly provided by Guangzhou-based company WeRide and French automaker Renault Group. Driven by policy and industry synergy, the commercialization of Robo X (unmanned vehicles represented by Robotaxi and Robovan) has accelerated, and capital market attention has increased significantly amid multiple catalysts. Robotaxi: In 25Q1, fleets such as Pony.ai, WeRide, and Apollo Go have continued to expand, with orders growing rapidly and actively exploring overseas operations. Robovan has demonstrated significant potential in the logistics sector, forming a positive cycle of "cost reduction through technology - scenario validation - scale expansion." The business model has initially proven viable, and commercialization may accelerate in 2025. RoboX is expanding into broader unmanned applications, with commercialization accelerating in scenarios such as Robosweeper and Robotruck, while drone logistics is also emerging. Huatai Securities points out that the accelerated commercialization of Robo X is expected to bring investment opportunities across the entire industry chain.
Jun 5, 2025 08:57[Summary of the Morning Meeting on May 30] Affected by the inventory of some raw materials and weak order demand, during the traditional procurement period this week, the inquiry and transaction activity of precursor enterprises for nickel salts were both low. Supply side, the order signing situation for nickel salt producers in June was poor this week, and some large nickel salt enterprises planned to carry out shutdown maintenance work in June. Given the weak demand coupled with falling costs, some nickel salt producers have shown signs of loosening their quotes.
May 30, 2025 09:19SMM Nickel News on May 29: Macro News: (1) The US Court of International Trade ruled on Wednesday local time that US President Trump did not have the authority to impose a blanket tariff on nearly all countries, thereby declaring the "Emancipation Day" tariff measure on April 2, which triggered a global trade war and could have upended the world economy, legally invalid. The Court of International Trade in Manhattan, New York, stated that the US Constitution grants the US Congress the exclusive power to regulate trade with other countries, and that the emergency powers claimed by the President to protect the US economy do not override these powers. (2) He Lifeng, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, met with Dan Simkowitz, Co-President of Morgan Stanley, at the Great Hall of the People on the 28th. He Lifeng stated that China is committed to promoting high-quality development through high-level opening-up, which will energize and add momentum to both the Chinese and global economies. He welcomed more US financial institutions, including Morgan Stanley, and long-term capital to continue deepening mutually beneficial cooperation with China and actively participating in the construction and development of China's capital market. Simkowitz expressed his delight at the substantive progress made in the US-China economic and trade talks, stating that Morgan Stanley would continue to deepen its presence in the Chinese market and provide high-quality services to promote investment cooperation between US and Chinese enterprises. Spot Market: Today, the SMM 1# refined nickel price is 120,000-123,050 yuan/mt, with an average price of 121,525 yuan/mt, a decrease of 1,725 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. The quotation range for the mainstream spot premiums of Jinchuan #1 refined nickel is 2,300-2,700 yuan/mt, with an average premium of 2,500 yuan/mt, an increase of 300 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. The premiums and discounts quotation range for Russian nickel is 100-400 yuan/mt, with an average premium of 250 yuan/mt, unchanged from the previous trading day. Due to the significant drop in SHFE nickel futures prices yesterday, trading volume in the afternoon spot market was active, with the premium range at 2,200-2,500 yuan/mt. Today, there is less refined nickel circulating in the market, and premiums have risen significantly. Futures Market: The most-traded SHFE nickel contract (NI2507) plummeted sharply yesterday, closing at 119,950 yuan/mt, a daily decline of 2.1%. The cumulative weekly decline reached 3.2%, breaking through the key support level of 120,000 yuan/mt. The night session continued to probe the bottom, touching a low of 118,630 yuan/mt. Prices rebounded somewhat in the morning session today, returning to the 120,000 yuan/mt level, but still remained in the doldrums. As of 11:30, the closing price was 120,340 yuan/mt, up 0.72%. In the medium and long-term, the contradiction of global nickel overcapacity remains unresolved, with the nickel market under triple pressure of "high supply, weak demand, and tight funds". The short-term oscillation bottom is seen at 115,000 yuan/mt, with the top under pressure at 123,000 yuan/mt.
May 29, 2025 11:34[US Court of International Trade Blocks US Government Tariff Measures from Taking Effect] The US Court of International Trade ruled on Wednesday local time that US President Trump did not have the authority to impose a comprehensive package of tariffs on nearly all countries, thereby declaring the April 2 "Liberation Day" tariff measures, which triggered a global trade war and could have upended the world economy, legally invalid. The Court of International Trade, located in Manhattan, New York, stated that the US Constitution grants the US Congress the exclusive power to regulate trade with other countries, and that the emergency powers claimed by the President to protect the US economy do not override these powers.
May 29, 2025 11:16