On March 27, Ninebot announced a brand partnership with Xiaotiandou, a popular IP under POP MART. The two parties will engage in in-depth co-creation centered on young consumer groups and the expression of sentiment value, and are expected to launch their first co-branded IP EV product in April.

SMM Morning Meeting Summary: Overnight, LME copper opened at $12,714.5/mt and climbed to $12,715/mt at the start of the session. Copper prices then saw the center move straight downward, before fluctuating rangebound and eventually closing at $12,340/mt, down 3.44%. Trading volume reached 33,600 lots, and open interest stood at 288,300 lots, down 4,872 lots from the previous trading day, mainly due to long position liquidation. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE copper 2605 contract opened at and touched a high of 98,000 yuan/mt, after which the center of copper prices moved straight downward to a low of 95,920 yuan/mt, then fluctuated upward and finally closed at 96,340 yuan/mt, down 2.58%. Trading volume reached 103,000 lots, and open interest stood at 198,000 lots, up 9,911 lots from the previous trading day, mainly due to increased short positions.

Iran’s threat to drive oil prices up to $200 a barrel may sound like hyperbole, but as the energy crisis persisted, that outcome already looked more likely than US President Trump’s prediction that oil prices would soon pull back to pre-war levels… The conflict involving Israel and the US against Iran entered its third week — and escalated into one spanning the entire Middle East — yet the global oil benchmark’s response so far was surprisingly “mediocre.” Brent crude oil was currently trading near $100 a barrel, up about 65 from the start of the year. Although that level would have been unimaginable just a few weeks ago, it still remained below last Monday’s brief peak of nearly $120. Given that since the conflict began, the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz had trapped about one-fifth of global oil supply — roughly 20 million barrels a day — crude oil prices should, in theory, have been much higher. That seemed to suggest investors still retained a degree of trust in Trump , betting that the crisis would be resolved quickly and that the Strait of Hormuz would soon reopen — whether it was called the “Trump put,” the “TACO trade,” or “buy Trump,” many oil traders appeared to be wagering that the president would ultimately be able to limit the market damage. “When this is over, oil prices will come down very, very quickly,” Trump said on Monday this week. Yet that optimism looked increasingly difficult to reconcile with realities on the ground — whether on a battlefield where the conflict was intensifying, or in the physical oil market, where supply bottlenecks were steadily spreading. Signals Being Overlooked In fact, the physical crude oil market was sending an increasing number of stress signals, even though the international benchmark “paper oil” market had so far largely ignored them. Although trade had stalled under the impact of the Iran conflict, Middle Eastern crude benchmarks still surged to record highs, making them the most expensive crude in the world. The spike in these benchmark indicators, which are used to price millions of barrels of Middle Eastern crude sold to Asia, was raising costs for Asian refiners and forcing them to seek alternatives or make further production cuts in the coming months. S&P Global Platts said Dubai spot crude assessments for May-loading cargoes hit a record $157.66 a barrel on Tuesday, surpassing the previous all-time high of $147.5 set by Brent crude oil futures in 2008. That left Dubai crude’s premium to swaps at $60.82 a barrel, compared with an average premium of just 90¢ in February. Meanwhile, Oman crude oil futures hit a record high of $152.58 per barrel on Tuesday, with its premium to the Dubai swap set at $55.74 per barrel, versus an average premium of just 75¢ in February. Oman crude oil is exported from a terminal outside the Strait of Hormuz. This surge reflected massive uncertainty over actually available supply in the Middle East after Iran repeatedly attacked Oman's oil terminal and the UAE's major oil export terminal of Fujairah outside the Strait of Hormuz. Are Brent and WTI Failing to Reflect the "True Severity" of the Oil Market? As JPMorgan's head of commodities, Natasha Kaneva, pointed out in her latest research note on Tuesday , there was a clear mismatch between international benchmark crude pricing and the Middle Eastern geography of the supply disruptions. The core issue was that Brent and WTI are benchmark indicators at opposite ends of the Atlantic basin, while the current shock is concentrated in the Middle East. As a result, these benchmark crude prices were particularly influenced by relatively loose regional fundamentals—commercial oil inventory in both the US and Europe were ample in early 2026, and supply across the Atlantic basin was also relatively abundant in the short term. In addition, expectations for a release from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR)—as well as a partial release that will soon materialize—further eased prompt tightness in Brent- and WTI-linked markets. By contrast, Middle Eastern crude benchmarks such as Dubai and Oman more accurately reflected the current dislocation in the physical market. Dubai and Oman spot prices were both trading above $150 per barrel, underscoring the severity of crude oil shortages originating in the Gulf region. These Middle Eastern oil prices were directly affected by export disruptions and therefore more effectively reflected marginal supply deficits than Atlantic-linked crude prices. Crucially, trade geography intensified this dynamic. Most of the crude transported via the Strait of Hormuz goes to Asia—before the outbreak of the Middle East conflict, about 11.2 million barrels of crude and 1.4 million barrels of refined products flowed through the strait to Asia each day. As a result, the direct physical shortage—and the surge in oil prices—was concentrated in Asian markets most dependent on Gulf crude. In fact, early signs of demand destruction had already emerged in Asia as product prices surged and spot crude became prohibitively expensive. JPMorgan noted that timing effects further reinforced this divergence. A typical voyage from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to Asia takes about 10 to 15 days, while cargoes bound for Europe via the Suez Canal require nearly 25 to 30 days, or 35 to 45 days if rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope. Therefore, the impact of disrupted Gulf flows would hit Asian markets sooner and more severely, while Atlantic Basin benchmarks such as Brent and WTI would enjoy a longer buffer because of surplus inventory and slower supply adjustments. The US, with crude oil production exceeding 13 million barrels per day, would be affected the least. JPMorgan believed that, in this context, the apparent price stability shown by Brent and WTI should not be taken as evidence of adequate global supply. It reflected a temporary buffer created by regional surplus inventory, benchmark composition, and policy intervention. In fact, for refiners, especially those in Asia, the current crude oil shortage had already become a serious problem. About 60% of the region’s crude oil imports depended on the Middle East, and the difficulty of finding alternative, timely supplies was rapidly becoming acute. The pressure had already forced many countries into painful adjustments. Refiners across Asia had begun cutting run rates to conserve dwindling inventory. Some countries had banned exports of refined products, a defensive move that could further tighten the global market. As the crude oil shortage worsened, refined product prices surged. Asian jet fuel prices were approaching $200 a barrel, near the record high of about $220 reached earlier this month. The Crisis Could Spread Further Ultimately, this crisis was expected to extend beyond Asia. Data from analytics firm Kpler showed that Europe accounted for about three-quarters of Middle Eastern jet fuel exports shipped through the Strait of Hormuz last year—about 379,000 barrels per day—but since the conflict began, no such cargoes had passed through the strait. Unsurprisingly, jet fuel barge prices in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp refining hub had surged to a record $190 a barrel, exceeding the previous peak set after the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022. The comparison with the Russia-Ukraine crisis may be even more compelling. Before the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, Russia supplied about 30% of Europe’s crude oil imports and one-third of its refined product imports. As traders feared Europe would lose supplies from one of the world’s largest oil producers, Brent crude rose to $130 a barrel after the Russia-Ukraine conflict—even though that worst-case scenario never fully materialized in the end. By contrast, according to Morgan Stanley, the physical disruption caused by the Iran conflict had already exceeded that level of concern by more than threefold. Even if the Strait of Hormuz were to reopen immediately, it would not bring immediate relief. According to the International Energy Agency, about 10 million barrels per day of production in the Middle East has been shut in since the conflict began. Restoring these flows will take weeks, if not months. To be sure, the oil market entered the Iran conflict in a relatively loose state, and the International Energy Agency had projected that global supply would exceed demand by about 3.7 million barrels per day. But that surplus has now been erased by the current turmoil. Last week, the International Energy Agency announced plans to release a record 400 million barrels from member countries' strategic petroleum reserves, which will help cushion the initial shock. But drawing down inventories cannot substitute for deliveries of new oil. In other words, the supply shock to the oil market is real and may persist. Once the Strait of Hormuz finally reopens, oil prices could initially plunge in a relief rebound, but given the harsh realities of the physical market, traders may need to think twice before betting that the return to normalcy promised by Trump is about to arrive…

This week，the solid-state battery industry showed a dual-engine momentum driven by "intensive breakthroughs on the technology front and targeted solutions on the policy front." CATL disclosed a sulphide patent, Zhongkeyuanben's 20Ah all-solid-state battery passed third-party detection, and Dreame Technology released a 450Wh/kg product; Guangdong took the lead in incorporating diversified solid-state battery technology routes and eVTOL scenarios into provincial-level action plans.

Iran previously stated that, in accordance with relevant international laws and resolutions, during wartime the rules of the Strait of Hormuz would be controlled by Iran. The statement also said that military and commercial vessels belonging to the US, Israel, and European countries and their supporters are strictly prohibited from transiting these waters and, if discovered, will be struck.

This week，the solid-state battery industry showed a dual-engine momentum driven by "intensive breakthroughs on the technology front and targeted solutions on the policy front." CATL disclosed a sulphide patent, Zhongkeyuanben's 20Ah all-solid-state battery passed third-party detection, and Dreame Technology released a 450Wh/kg product; Guangdong took the lead in incorporating diversified solid-state battery technology routes and eVTOL scenarios into provincial-level action plans.

[SMM Tin Morning Update: SHFE Tin Prices Opened Slightly Higher in the Night Session and Then Consolidated at High Levels; As Prices Rebounded, Spot Cargo Transactions Gradually Cooled]

The US tariff reset is increasingly reshaping the ex-China battery market as a supply-chain design issue, not just a cost issue. With EV growth slowing and volatility rising, ESS—driven by project-based infrastructure demand—can provide a utilization and cash-flow buffer. As a result, “localization × ESS” execution and product-mix flexibility (including LFP) are becoming more central to competitiveness.

Citi said 'on Friday that the gold investment allocations were being influenced by a wide range of geopolitical and economic risks. However, around half of these risks may disappear later in the year.

Due to potential safety hazards in some models of power banks, Shenzhen Romoss Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Romoss"), an established power bank company founded in 2012, has found itself at the center of public controversy. According to an announcement released on June 16 on the official website of the Shenzhen Market Supervision and Administration Bureau, due to the potential combustion risk of some products under extreme scenarios, Shenzhen Romoss Technology Co., Ltd. will recall some mobile power supplies manufactured from June 5, 2023, to July 31, 2024, involving three models: PAC20-272, PAC20-392, and PLT20A-152, totaling 491,745 units. According to product information, the capacity of the three recalled products is 20,000 mAh each. (Image source: Official website of the Shenzhen Market Supervision and Administration Bureau) Public information shows that Romoss, founded in 2012, has nine major product lines, including mobile power supplies, outdoor power supplies, data charging cables, and power adapters. On the afternoon of June 17, one day after the recall announcement was released, a reporter from Caixin Media arrived at the office location indicated on Romoss' official website—Floors 15-18, Tower B, Building 7, Phase III of Shenzhen International Innovation Valley. The reporter found on-site that Romoss' office was enveloped in the atmosphere of the recall incident: the front desk staff continuously received calls and repeatedly told the callers, "You can contact customer service." Multiple staff members were walking while making calls and repeatedly mentioned keywords such as "recall" and "battery cell." Regarding the reporter's interview request, the front desk staff of Romoss stated that they had contacted the brand department on behalf of the reporter, but the other party said it was currently inconvenient to accept interviews. It is worth mentioning that on the afternoon of June 17, the reporter from Caixin Media called the customer service hotline shown in the announcement twice, and the phone prompt said, "The user you dialed has been suspended due to arrears." Two hours later, when the reporter called the hotline again, the prompt changed to, "Sorry, the number you dialed is busy." In addition, the Romoss Tmall flagship store currently sells a new 2025 model of the PAC20 power bank with a capacity of 20,000 mAh, and the battery type is indicated as lithium polymer battery. When the reporter from Caixin Media tried to inquire about the battery cell of the product with customer service, multiple replies stated that the current "recall issue has led to a surge in inquiries." According to previous online news, a student claiming to be from a university in Beijing posted, "The school issued a notice: Recently, it was found that the 20,000 mAh Romoss charger is more prone to explosion during charging compared to other brands and models." In the comment section, multiple netizens also posted screenshots of similar notices, which showed messages like "Received a reminder from the superior competent department" and "Please all faculty and staff promptly check if your power bank is of this brand and model, and it is recommended to discard it immediately to prevent danger." In response, Romoss issued a statement on Weibo on June 14, stating, "Regarding the recent discussions on the incident of 'multiple universities in Beijing banning Romoss power banks,' we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to teachers, students, and the public. We hereby solemnly promise that we will assume full responsibility for any Romoss products identified as defective by authoritative institutions in accordance with the law. Meanwhile, we attach great importance to this matter and have initiated an immediate investigation. We have communicated with relevant departments, including the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education. As of the release of this statement, we have not received any risk notifications from the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education. There have been deviations in the dissemination of relevant information, leading to public misunderstandings. We will keep everyone informed of the subsequent developments of this incident through official channels as soon as possible." On June 17, a reporter from Cailian Press interviewed several teachers and students from the Capital University of Economics and Business, Beijing Union University, and Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, all of whom stated that they had not noticed the school issuing such a notice. The reporter learned from the interviews that factors such as overcharging, internal short circuits, and poor heat dissipation could potentially lead to bulging or explosion of power banks. Zhang Xiang, Secretary General of the International Intelligent Transport Technology Association and a visiting professor at Huanghe Science & Technology College, told a reporter from Cailian Press that overheating during the use of power banks could cause the product to expand and deform, leading to misalignment of the internal structures such as the positive and negative electrode separators and electrolyte within the battery due to compression. In addition, after prolonged use of power banks, lithium batteries are prone to developing dendritic crystals—lithium dendrites—which can puncture the battery separator. These situations can easily trigger short circuits and lead to explosions. According to information from the website of the Shenzhen Market Supervision and Administration Bureau, the mobile power supply products recalled by Romoss may experience overheating during use in a very small number of cases due to the raw materials of some battery cells, posing a combustion risk under extreme scenarios and presenting safety hazards. Regarding battery cell manufacturers, when asked whether they were involved in supplying products to Romoss, a representative from Sunwoda (300207.SZ) told the reporter, "They did not use our battery cells." A representative from the securities department of Desay Battery (000049.SZ) said, "I don't think so." The securities department of EVE (300014.SZ) stated, "We have not seen any relevant news. Everything is subject to the announcement. We are not really clear about this." "The safety and reliability of power banks can be further enhanced by increasing the functionality of the battery management system and improving the distribution of sensors," Zhang Xiang said. Typically, the explosion of a battery is a cumulative process, and battery safety is basically maintained through detection by relevant sensors. The sensor system measures whether the temperature, current, and voltage of the power bank are within the safe thresholds. If any abnormalities are detected, an alert is issued, which can significantly reduce the likelihood of battery explosion.