The 2026 SMM (3rd) Global Renewable Metal Industry Chain Summit & Battery Recycling Forum will be held in Tokyo, Japan, from May 11–12, 2026. The summit aims to bring together leading global enterprises, research institutions, industry experts, and policymakers in the fields of renewable metals and battery recycling.

SolarPower Europe (SPE) has announced the launch of the International Solar Manufacturing Initiative (ISMI) to boost global demand for European solar products and enhance industry competitiveness.

[European PV Association: Announces the Launch of the International Solar Manufacturing Initiative] The European PV Association has announced the launch of the International Solar Manufacturing Initiative (ISMI), aimed at driving the demand for European PV products in the global market and enhancing industry competitiveness. The initiative has received support from eight European manufacturers, covering multiple fields such as equipment, components, mounting systems, inverters, and system connection solutions. (Polaris Solar PV Network)

Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) in Odisha has provided special grade MDN-250 (maraging steel) for different Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) space missions such as Chandrayaan, Gaganyaan, and Aditya L1. Maraging steel is high-quality steel composed of metals like aluminium, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum and titanium.

The Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI), the leading national recycling association representing the interest of the recycling industry, is committed to achieving circularity in recycling to foster sustainability and a green economy.

AICE 2025 SMM (20th) Aluminum Industry Conference and Expo is one of the most influential events in China's aluminum industry and will be grandly held at Suzhou International Expo Center from April 16-18, 2025 . This exhibition is not only an annual event for the aluminum industry but also serves as a high-quality platform that gathers global leading enterprises, experts, scholars, and industry elites, focusing on high-level dialogues, industry exchanges, and product showcases. AICE 2025 focuses on the hot topics of global aluminum industry development, deeply delves into the cutting-edge technologies and trends of the aluminum industry, and showcases and exchanges the latest research achievements and practical experiences in upstream aluminum, aluminum rolling - aluminum plate/sheet, strip and foil, aluminum extrusion - tubes, billets, wires and profiles, secondary and die-casting, aluminum melting and casting equipment, and auxiliary materials . Click to Register At this Aluminum Industry Conference and Expo, NCU will attend and exchange with the latest products and practical experiences, working with industry peers to create an innovative, high-quality, efficient, and sustainable aluminum industry chain, promoting new leaps in the aluminum industry. AICE 2025 SMM (20th) Aluminum Industry Conference and Expo will discuss, build, and share with global elites, empowering the entire aluminum industry chain. AICE 2025 will leverage the organizer's influence to integrate the three key tracks of industry, academia, and research, stimulate innovation in the aluminum industry, and contribute to the industry's development and progress, playing its part in the prosperity and success of the aluminum industry. We look forward to meeting you on-site! NCU Booth Number: E20 NCU Group, founded in 1999, has grown into a significant player in the global secondary metal industry after more than two decades of steady development. The group is headquartered in the Netherlands, with a North American regional company in Canada and an advanced automated production site in Malaysia, capable of producing approximately 60,000 mt of ADC12 aluminum alloy ingots annually, specializing in processing secondary aluminum raw materials such as Twitch and Zorba. NCU has long focused on the international trade and deep processing of secondary aluminum, building a supply and service network covering Europe, North America, and Asia. Its main products include: aluminum shreds (Zorba), aluminum polished shreds (Twitch), aluminum tense scrap (Tense), incinerated aluminum (Incinerated Al), aluminum billets (Solids), aluminum plates (Tough/Taboo), and high-grade secondary aluminum alloy ingots like ADC12, widely used in automotive manufacturing, electronics, home appliances, and other industrial fields. As an active member of industry organizations such as BIR (Bureau of International Recycling), ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries), and CRMA (China Nonferrous Metals Recycling Association), NCU consistently adheres to high standards and green environmental protection as its core philosophy, actively promoting industry standardization and circular development. In the future, NCU will continue to deepen its global layout, continuously enhance its comprehensive competitiveness, and looks forward to advancing hand in hand with global customers and partners to create a sustainable future for the secondary metal industry.

On Monday local time, US President Trump increased pressure on Fed Chairman Powell, calling him a "big loser" and warning that the US economy could slow down if interest rates are not cut immediately. Trump wrote on Truth Social that day that there would be almost no inflation due to falling energy and food prices. Referring to Powell, he said, "But the economy could slow down unless the big loser 'Too Late' cuts interest rates now." Recently, Trump has repeatedly criticized Powell and hinted that he has the ability to replace the Fed Chairman before the end of his term, which has unsettled Wall Street. On Monday, as traders weighed the possibility of Powell being fired, US stocks fell sharply, with the S&P 500 down 2.3% and the Nasdaq down 2.6%. As Trump made these remarks, central bank governors and economic policymakers from around the world were scheduled to attend the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank spring meetings in Washington this week. In addition, Trump lashed out last Thursday, saying that Powell's term should end "the sooner the better." Trump then told reporters, "If I want him out, he'll be out very quickly, believe me." The Trump administration's decision to impose comprehensive tariffs on foreign imports has raised concerns that inflation could intensify as consumers and businesses begin to feel the impact of additional tariffs. The uncertainty created by Trump has thrown global markets into turmoil and dimmed the outlook for the world's largest economy, with the US dollar continuing to weaken as investors pull funds from US assets. Powell said last week in a speech at the Chicago Economic Club that the US Fed must ensure that tariffs do not trigger a more sustained rise in inflation, and stated that the US Fed would "wait for a clearer situation before considering adjustments to our policy stance." Although Trump appointed Powell as Fed Chairman during his first term, his team is now studying whether it is possible to legally fire the central bank leader before his term expires in May 2026. In response, Powell made it clear that, according to the law, the president cannot remove him. White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said last week that Trump and his team are studying whether Powell can be fired. This has heightened concerns about the independence of the US Fed and made investors increasingly uneasy in the escalating trade war. Evercore ISI Vice President Krishna Guha said that any attempt by Trump to fire Powell could trigger a significant sell-off in US stocks. "If you start questioning the independence of the US Fed, you are raising the threshold for the US Fed to cut interest rates. If you actually try to remove the Fed Chairman, I think you will see a severe market reaction, with yields rising, the US dollar falling, and stocks being sold off." Corpay Chief Market Strategist Karl Schamotta commented, "If the US Fed's dual mandate—maintaining price stability and promoting full employment—is diluted by a series of new goals set by the White House, policymakers may find that they cannot significantly tighten policy in the face of sudden price increases."

Keda Mining Announces Completion of Mining License Transfer for Bougouni Lithium Mine Project Keda Mining, a mineral exploration and development company, announced that the Foulaboula mining license has been approved for transfer from Future Mining Co., Ltd. to Bougouni Lithium Mine Company (LMLB), a subsidiary of Keda Mining UK Ltd. The mining license is a key permit for the fully funded Bougouni lithium mine project, located in southern Mali. The transfer is effective immediately, and the license is confirmed to be in good standing. Discussions regarding the export permits required for the project's spodumene concentrates production are ongoing, with the company expecting to commence exports in the next quarter. Keda Mining confirmed that all compliance issues related to the inclusion of the Malian government as a shareholder in LMLB were finalised and approved prior to the transfer approval. Source: globalminingreview Founders Factory and Rio Tinto Invest in Low-Impact Mining Founders Factory announced its latest six investments, in collaboration with Rio Tinto, aimed at reshaping the future of the industry through low-impact mining and other breakthrough technologies. The Mining Tech Accelerator, a partnership between Founders Factory and Rio Tinto, focuses on investing in technologies that accelerate, optimise, and decarbonise the mining value chain. They plan to invest in twelve startups globally each year. The six investments include: Rock Zero: A zero-waste, cost-effective process for extracting lithium from hard rock deposits (Cambridge, US). Terra AI: Artificial intelligence for mineral exploration to reduce drilling costs and improve accuracy (Palo Alto, US). Ekion: Electrokinetic in-situ recovery (EK-ISR) technology to extract metals from stranded deposits with minimal waste and emissions (Perth, Australia). Rainstick: Utilises electric fields to simulate natural lightning effects for agriculture and natural restoration, enhancing seed yield faster and more sustainably (Cairns, Australia). Thunderstone: Uses underground electrical stimulation for low-impact mining to extract critical metals with minimal waste and cost (US). Stealth Startup: Exploration automation. Source: globalminingreview Chile Advances Lithium Projects in Three Salt Flats The Chilean government stated that it is advancing a streamlined process to award lithium contracts in three salt flats, the Ministry of Mining said on Tuesday. The agency reported that it has accepted applications from Eramet for the Aguamarina salt flat; Eramet, Quiborax, and state-owned copper giant Codelco for the Ascotán salt flat; and the Calichera Consortium for the Coipasa salt flat. Leftist President Gabriel Boric proposed a plan in 2023 to strengthen state control over lithium, a critical lightweight metal for EVs and the energy transition, and to form public-private partnerships to expand the industry. Source: mining.com Benchmark Minerals and ICE Collaborate to Launch Battery Materials Futures The prices of battery materials lithium and cobalt, as assessed by consultancy Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (BMI), will be adopted by the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in contracts launching in June, BMI told Reuters. For price reporting agency (PRA) BMI, this marks a significant step as its prices are used to settle exchange-traded derivative contracts, a field currently dominated by information firms Fastmarkets and S&P Global Commodity Insights. BMI stated that the agreement signed with ICE earlier this year covers the prices of lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, spodumene concentrates, and cobalt hydroxide. Spodumene concentrates contain lithium. These are key materials for lithium-ion batteries used in EVs, playing a crucial role in the global energy transition. BMI noted that the contracts will be cash-settled and listed on ICE Europe Futures Exchange in London. New contracts typically require regulatory approval. ICE declined to comment. "BMI is the benchmark for lithium and critical mineral prices, which determine the settlement of billions of dollars in contracts," said Simon Moores, Executive Chairman of BMI. Source: mining.com Codelco Signs Energy Agreements to Achieve 100% Clean Energy Matrix by 2030 Chilean copper giant Codelco has signed two energy contracts as part of its goal to fully utilise clean electricity by 2030. The state-owned miner stated that these agreements will provide 1.5 billion kWh of green electricity annually from 2026, sourced from Generadora Metropolitana, jointly owned by Chile's AME Group and France's EDF, as well as GR Power Chile. The contracts, awarded through public tenders, include lithium-ion battery energy storage systems and span from January 2026 to December 2040. They will meet Codelco's current and future operational energy needs. "With these contracts, we are strengthening our plan to fully decarbonise the power grid by 2030," CEO Ruben Alvarado said in a statement. "This reinforces our path towards sustainable mining, aligning with our goal to be a pillar of sustainability in Chile and globally." Source: mining.com

Despite the global market being "overshadowed" by Trump's erratic tariff policies, May was still a strong month for the US stock market, with the S&P 500 Index achieving its best monthly performance since November 2023. However, JPMorgan Chase is not confident that this rally can be sustained. The bank believes that the resurgence of global trade tensions, weakening consumer confidence, and the growing discussion around "stagflation" are all signs that the rally in US stocks this summer will slow down. In a report on Monday, JPMorgan Chase's equity strategists, led by Mislav Matejka, wrote: "After the recent rebound, we believe weakness will follow, which may resemble the stagflation period, during which trade negotiations are expected to conclude." JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon also recently pointed out the risk of stagflation. In the eyes of economists, stagflation could be more severe than a recession. This is because, due to concerns about rising inflation, central banks cannot stimulate economic growth by lowering interest rates. Coincidentally, Torsten Sløk, Chief Economist at Apollo, also believes that the groundwork for stagflation has been laid. In its latest report, JPMorgan Chase pointed out five unfavourable factors in the stock market that investors should be aware of. 1. The gap between soft data and hard data Although recent inflation data has started to decline, approaching the US Fed's 2% target, consumer confidence has remained weak, indicating a discrepancy between forward-looking economic data and forward-looking sentiment. Many on Wall Street are also skeptical about whether the cooling of inflation will become a lasting trend. Strategists suspect that inflation may rise in the second half of the year as the impact of tariffs on the economy becomes more fully felt. JPMorgan Chase believes that after consumers and businesses made early purchases at the beginning of the year, there is still room for the weak data to deteriorate further. "The past practice of placing orders in advance on the eve of tariff hikes may have paid off, but with purchasing power being squeezed, consumers' purchasing power will weaken. Even with a significant pullback, the current tariff situation is worse than what most people expected at the beginning of the year," the bank wrote. 2. Bond yields may rebound slowly Heightened concerns about inflation, coupled with a widening deficit, may push up bond yields. Moody's downgrade of the US debt rating and Trump's tax bill (expected to increase the deficit by trillions of US dollars) have caused bond yields to surge in recent weeks, and concerns about the deficit may also lead to a weakening of the US dollar. The yield on 10-year US Treasuries is around 4.4%, lower than its recent peak. However, JPMorgan Chase believes that bond yields may rise again due to inflationary pressures. A survey conducted by Evercore ISI among institutional investors showed that 45% of respondents said the stock market would stop rising if the 10-year Treasury yield reached 4.75%. 3. Earnings Downgrades Looking ahead, JPMorgan Chase suggests that Wall Street's consensus on earnings-per-share (EPS) growth appears overly optimistic. The market generally expects a 10% increase this year and a 14% increase next year, but the bank views these expectations as too aggressive. In JPMorgan Chase's view, EPS will face negative revisions. Higher input costs and interest expenses may erode profit margins. Historically, earnings growth for S&P 500 companies has required GDP growth exceeding 2%, which is unlikely during periods of stagflation. 4. US Stocks Remain Expensive The forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio for the S&P 500 is 22, which is high and may not be sustainable in the long term, considering inflation and tariff concerns. Amid tariff worries disrupting the S&P 500, international stock markets have emerged as a bright spot, and JPMorgan Chase believes their strength may persist. Although US stocks typically perform best during periods of market volatility, the bank believes that stagflationary pressures may allow international stock markets to shine. The bank wrote, "If the market weakens again, the US typically outperforms other regions during risk-off periods, but this time, tech stocks and the US dollar may not be 'safe' havens." 5. US Households Hold Record Stocks Retail investors have recently been buying the dip and flooding into the stock market, but their enthusiasm may be a contrarian signal for stocks, as it is often seen as a sign of an overbought market. Currently, US households hold stocks close to 30% of their total assets, higher than the peak in 2000 before the dot-com bubble burst.

The global copper scrap market has grown as an industry worth billions of dollars. The market size value of $60.02 billion in 2021 will witness a CAGR of 5.2% from 2022 to 2030, according to Grand View Research. These are believed to be the offshoots of policies that ensure sustainability, technological advances in recycling, and an acceptance of greater circularity in the economy. It is at the heart of a successful business, treading on very fragile balances between supply and demand driven by geopolitical tensions, global trade policies, and market volatility.