[Geopolitical Risks Cool at the Margin; LME Outperforms SHFE Pattern in Aluminum Market Remains Unchanged] On the fundamentals side, the supply gap outside China and low inventory continue to provide bottom support. However, elevated inventory levels in China remain the core factor suppressing significant price rallies. Additionally, weak trading performance in the spot market further limits the upside room for aluminum prices. In the short term, aluminum prices are expected to continue the pattern of LME outperforming SHFE, fluctuating at highs.

SMM May 23: Metals market: Last Friday's overnight domestic market saw base metals mostly rise. SHFE copper rose 0.58%. SHFE aluminum fell 0.14%, SHFE lead rose 0.3%. SHFE zinc fell 0.16%. SHFE tin rose 1.09%. SHFE nickel rose 0.49%. In addition, the most-traded alumina futures contract fell 0.77%, and the most-traded foundry aluminum futures contract fell 0.06%. Last Friday's overnight ferrous metals mostly fell. Iron ore was flat at 792.5 yuan/mt, stainless steel rose 0.34%, rebar edged down 0.09%, and hot-rolled coil fell 0.15%. Coking coal and coke: coking coal continued to fall for the third consecutive trading day, down 1.45%, and coke fell 0.95%. Last Friday's overnight overseas metals market saw LME base metals rise across the board. LME copper rose 0.18%. LME aluminum rose 0.45%, LME lead rose 0.4%. LME zinc edged up 0.06%. LME tin rose 1.16%. LME nickel rose 0.67%. Last Friday's overnight precious metals : COMEX gold fell 0.7%, posting a second consecutive weekly decline with a 1.13% weekly drop; COMEX silver fell 1.06%, falling for two consecutive weeks with a 2.1% weekly drop. Last Friday's overnight SHFE gold most-traded contract fell 0.1%, posting a second consecutive weekly decline with a 2.13% weekly drop; SHFE silver most-traded contract rose 0.51%, but SHFE silver fell for two consecutive weeks with a 7.81% weekly drop. As of 8:31 am on May 23, last Friday's overnight closing prices: Macro front China: [PBOC: 600 billion yuan MLF operation to be conducted on May 25] PBOC: To maintain ample liquidity in the banking system, on May 25, 2026, the People's Bank of China will conduct a 600 billion yuan MLF operation with a fixed quantity, interest rate tender, and multiple-price winning method, with a maturity of 1 year. [CSRC: Crackdown on illegal cross-border securities business; investors' property safety unaffected by the rectification] Xinhua News Agency reported that recently, with the approval of the State Council, the CSRC and seven other departments jointly issued the "Implementation Plan for Comprehensive Rectification of Illegal Cross-border Securities, Futures, and Fund Business Activities." Regarding this rectification, all parties are highly concerned about how the legitimate rights and interests of existing investors will be protected. In this regard, the plan emphasized that investors' property safety will not be affected by the rectification. A CSRC official said the plan specified numerous measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of existing investors. For example, a 2-year concentrated rectification period will be set to phase out relevant domestic services of overseas institutions. Overseas institutions are required to properly communicate with investors affected by rectification measures in China and arrange account disposal to ensure client property safety. [Hong Kong SFC: Enhanced measures to address forged documents and money laundering risks and raise account opening standards] The Hong Kong SFC issued a circular on May 22, setting out the monitoring measures that should be implemented when opening accounts and maintaining customer relationships. The circular was issued following the SFC's review of account opening practices at 12 securities brokerages. The review identified multiple significant deficiencies, including inadequate due diligence on account opening documents, acceptance of suspicious or forged documents during the account opening process, and weaknesses in managing cross-border agency relationships with ex-China intermediaries. (Wallstreetcn) US dollar: Last Friday, the overnight US dollar index rose 0.12% to 99.32. On a weekly basis, the US dollar index posted its second consecutive weekly gain, up 0.04% for the week. The 17th Fed Chairman Warsh was sworn in at the White House on Friday. Warsh stated: "The Fed's mission is to promote price stability and full employment." He said, "When these goals are pursued with wisdom and clarity, independence and resolve, inflation can be lower, economic growth can be stronger, real take-home wages can be higher, America can be more prosperous, and just as importantly, America's standing in the world can be more secure." He added: "To fulfill this mission, I will lead a reform-oriented Fed that learns from past successes and mistakes, breaking free from static frameworks and models while adhering to clear standards of integrity and performance." (Jin10 Data) Fed Governor Waller's hawkish remarks put US Treasury prices under pressure, with money markets fully pricing in a 25-basis-point interest rate hike in 2026. The most significant policy signal on Friday came from Fed Governor Waller. On Friday local time, Fed Governor Waller stated that as the energy shock from the Iran war pushes up prices, he supports making it clear that the Fed's next rate move is as likely to be a hike as an interest rate cut. Waller said his current stance is to remain patient and keep rates unchanged until the impact of the war becomes clearer, but he warned on Friday that he does not rule out the possibility of future rate hikes if inflation does not begin to slow down soon. Waller's remarks were released almost simultaneously with the swearing-in of new Fed Chairman Warsh. The interest rate environment Warsh currently faces is notably more hawkish than the Fed's internal dot plot expectations. (Wall Street CN) "Fed whisperer" Nick Timiraos noted that there were several key moments during Kevin Warsh's swearing-in ceremony at the White House: ① Trump asked Warsh to be "completely independent." Trump said, "(I hope he) doesn't look at me, doesn't look at anybody." ② Just two minutes later, Trump offered some "suggestions" indicating the economic direction he hoped to see: "Strong economic growth doesn't need to be cooled down," "Economic growth does not mean inflation," and "I want the economy to boom to unprecedented levels, because there is indeed some debt to deal with." ③ Trump hinted that the US Fed's decision-making body would "converge." He said other Fed policymakers "will make their own decisions, but they will listen to Kevin throughout," even those "whose positions are slightly different." ④ Warsh referenced Greenspan, not Bernanke. Warsh recalled the historical scene of Greenspan being sworn in at the White House in 1987, and pledged to "begin work with abundant energy and a sense of mission, just as Chairman Greenspan did." He made no mention of former Chairman Bernanke, with whom he had worked for five years during his previous tenure as a governor. (Jin10 Data) In addition, affected by the Iran war, the US consumer confidence index in May fell to a historic low, and long-term inflation expectations also deteriorated significantly. Data showed that the University of Michigan's final reading of the May consumer confidence index dropped to 44.8, with consumers expecting prices to rise at an annualized rate of 3.9% over the next five to ten years, up from 3.5% in April and hitting a seven-month high. They also expected prices to rise 4.8% over the next year. Gasoline prices continued to hover near their highest levels since 2022, exacerbating Americans' concerns about rising living costs and the failure to reach a deal to end the war. The impact of inflation on household budgets, particularly for low-income consumers, poses risks to the future consumption outlook. Joanne Hsu, the survey director, stated: "Cost of living concerns remain the top issue on people's minds, with 57% of respondents spontaneously citing that high prices are eroding their personal finances, up from 50% last month." She stated: "The key point is that consumers appear worried that inflation will not only spread beyond fuel prices to other areas, but that this upward trend could persist well into the future." (Jin10 Data) Regarding other currencies: ECB President Lagarde stated that despite the deepening impact of the Iran conflict, long-term inflation expectations remained broadly in line with the 2% target. Although the energy crisis is pushing up inflation and dragging down the economy, long-term inflation expectations have remained well-anchored overall. The impact of this conflict on medium-term inflation and economic activity will depend on the intensity and duration of the energy price shock, as well as the scale of its indirect transmission effects. (Wall Street Journal) Bank of Japan Governor Ueda Kazuo said that Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae told him during their meeting on Friday that she hoped the BOJ would adopt appropriate policies, taking into account the government's price measures. Ueda Kazuo told reporters after the meeting with Takaichi Sanae at the Prime Minister's residence in Tokyo that it was a routine meeting between the two and that no specific details of monetary policy were discussed. (Wall Street Journal) On the macro front: Data to be released this week include the UK May CBI retail sales balance, US March FHFA house price index MoM, US March S&P/CS 20-city non-seasonally adjusted house price index YoY, US May Conference Board consumer confidence index, US May Dallas Fed business activity index, Australia April non-seasonally adjusted CPI YoY, New Zealand RBNZ interest rate decision through May 27, Switzerland May ZEW investor confidence index, US weekly ADP employment change for the week ending May 9, US May Richmond Fed manufacturing index, Eurozone May industrial confidence index, Eurozone May economic sentiment index, Canada Q1 current account, US initial jobless claims for the week ending May 23, US April core PCE price index YoY, US April personal spending MoM, US Q1 real GDP annualized QoQ revised, US April core PCE price index MoM, US April durable goods orders MoM, US April new home sales annualized, Japan April unemployment rate, France May CPI MoM preliminary, France Q1 GDP YoY final, Germany May seasonally adjusted unemployment change, Germany May seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, Germany May CPI MoM preliminary, Canada March GDP MoM, US May Chicago PMI, and China May official manufacturing PMI. In addition, other events to watch this week include: 500 billion yuan in 1-year medium-term lending facility (MLF) and 1 billion yuan in 7-day reverse repo maturing today; BOJ Governor Ueda Kazuo delivering a speech at a monetary policy conference hosted by the BOJ; the RBNZ releasing its interest rate decision and monetary policy statement; RBNZ Governor Breeman holding a monetary policy press conference; the ECB publishing the minutes of its April monetary policy meeting; permanent FOMC voter and New York Fed President Williams delivering a keynote speech at a conference co-organized by the Central Bank of Iceland; 2028 FOMC voter and St. Louis Fed President Musalem delivering a speech; Bank of England Governor Bailey delivering a speech; 2028 FOMC voter and Kansas City Fed President Schmid delivering a speech; and US Fed Governor Bowman delivering a speech. In addition, it is worth noting that due to the Memorial Day holiday, the US stock market will be closed for one day on May 25 (Monday). Trading of precious metals and WTI crude oil futures contracts under CME will end early at 02:30 Beijing time on May 26, and trading of US equity and Treasury futures contracts will end early at 01:00 Beijing time on May 26. Due to the Buddha's Birthday holiday, the Hong Kong stock market will be closed for one day on May 25 (Monday), with Southbound and Northbound trading suspended. The South Korean stock market will also be closed for one day on the same date. In addition, due to the Spring Bank Holiday, the UK stock market will be closed for one day on May 25 (Monday). Trading of Brent crude oil futures contracts under ICE will end early at 01:30 Beijing time on May 26. Investors are advised to take note. (Jin10 Data) The overseas market exchange closure schedule is as follows (all in Beijing time): Crude oil: Both oil futures rose during the overnight session last Friday, with WTI up 0.67% and Brent up 1.62%. On a weekly basis, WTI futures declined 3.98% for the week, and Brent futures declined 4.59% for the week. Since the ceasefire agreement was reached in April this year, US-Iran negotiations have remained deadlocked, with no comprehensive agreement to end the conflict in sight. Although a draft reportedly "close to being finalized" has been emerging, four core obstacles still stand in the way of lasting peace. According to Bloomberg, the Strait of Hormuz, nuclear issues, the Lebanon conflict, and sanctions currently constitute the four core points of divergence in the negotiations. For investors, this war has plunged global energy markets into severe turbulence, and any progress or breakdown in negotiations will have an impact on commodity prices. (Wallstreetcn) Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei stated on May 22 that it was premature to say a US-Iran agreement was close to being reached, as significant differences remained between the two sides. According to Iranian media reports on May 22, Baghaei, commenting on the visit of senior Pakistani officials to Tehran, said it indicated that the current situation had entered a "turning point or decisive stage." He mentioned that Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Munir had visited Tehran and that related communications were still ongoing. When asked whether this meant a change in the negotiation process, Baghaei said it could not be said that a US-Iran agreement was close to being reached, as there were serious and wide-ranging differences between the US and Iran, and "diplomacy is a time-consuming process." Baghaei added that one should not expect to see results within weeks or months through several rounds of back-and-forth consultations. He emphasized that diplomatic negotiations are inherently a long-term process, and both sides are utilizing various opportunities to convey their respective positions. (Xinhua) Baker Hughes data showed that US drilling companies increased the number of oil and natural gas rigs for the fifth consecutive week. The total US oil rig count for the week ending May 22 was 425, compared to the previous reading of 415. In addition, Kazakhstan's national oil and gas company reported that Q1 oil production fell 12% YoY to 5.6 million mt. (Jin10 Data) According to Bloomberg, affected by the Iran war, the national average gasoline price in the US has surpassed $4.5 per gallon, with California exceeding $6. Despite high prices, consumers have not significantly reduced fuel purchases. For most Americans, driving to work and picking up children are daily necessities. Gasoline spending is nearly impossible to cut, and consumers can only reduce discretionary spending to balance their budgets. Philadelphia resident Avarisse Crawford said she has cut entertainment expenses, replacing steak dinners and bar outings with free park activities. The ongoing Middle East tensions continue to push oil prices higher. The effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has hindered global crude oil transportation, and US gasoline inventory has fallen to its lowest level for the same period since 2014. Morgan Stanley expects it to hit a seasonal historic low by the end of August. Facing persistently climbing oil prices, the Trump administration has successively released strategic petroleum reserves, waived the Jones Act, and discussed implementing a federal gasoline tax holiday, but the effects remain unclear. As the Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer travel season, upward demand pressure is expected to further strain already tight inventories. (Wallstreetcn) Recommended Reading:

In May 2026, the European Union adopted a series of restrictive measures against China in the new energy sector, several of which are directly related to the photovoltaic and energy storage supply chains. In this situation, how will the European's solar market goes...?

SMM May 22 update: Metals market: Overnight, base metals generally fell across both domestic and overseas markets. LME lead led the gains with a 1.39% increase, SHFE lead rose 0.57%, and LME aluminum gained 0.29%. LME nickel and SHFE tin both fell over 1%, with LME nickel down 1.21% and SHFE tin down 1.03%. LME tin closed flat at $53,795/mt, while other metals declined less than 1%. The alumina main contract fell 0.37%, and the casting aluminum main contract dropped 0.26%. Overnight, ferrous metals collectively declined, with hot-rolled coil down 0.7%, rebar down 0.5%, and iron ore and stainless steel showing slight fluctuations. Coking coal and coke side, coking coal fell 2.86% and coke dropped 1.53%. Overnight, precious metals side, COMEX gold rose 0.2% and COMEX silver gained 1.09%. In China, SHFE gold rose 0.43% and SHFE silver gained 1.85%. Overnight closing prices as of 6:40 AM on May 22: Macro Front China: [NDRC: To improve policy measures on fair competition, investment and financing, promotion of technological innovation, and business regulation] Li Hui, Director of the Private Economy Development Bureau of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), stated at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office that the NDRC will better leverage its coordination function in promoting private economy development, organize and implement specific measures outlined in the rule-of-law action plan for safeguarding the private economy, and strengthen the implementation of the Private Economy Promotion Law. The NDRC will improve supporting systems, refine relevant policy measures on fair competition, investment and financing, promotion of technological innovation, and business regulation; continue to jointly release typical cases with relevant departments to demonstrate law interpretation through cases; implement policy effectiveness assessments, promote direct and swift delivery of enterprise-benefiting policies, and guide enterprises in enhancing governance capabilities. US dollar: As of the overnight close, the US dollar index rose 0.08% to 99.21. Last week, the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits decreased, indicating a degree of resilience in the labour market and providing room for the US Fed to focus on addressing rising inflation. Data showed that initial jobless claims fell by 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 209,000 for the week ending May 16. Although economists expect jobless claims to increase over the summer due to seasonal factors, the labour market currently remains in a holding pattern. Financial markets currently expect the US Fed to maintain the benchmark overnight rate in the 3.50%-3.75% range until next year. Jin Shi Data APP) US Fed's Barkin stated that the ability of enterprises and consumers to absorb the latest round of supply shocks will determine whether the US central bank can continue to "look through" higher inflation without raising interest rates. In remarks prepared for a speech in Raleigh, North Carolina on Thursday, Barkin said: "After inflation has been above our 2% target for more than five years, it's worth asking whether the cumulative effect of so many rounds of shocks might loosen the 'anchor' of inflation expectations." He also said: "For me, the key question is how much more pressure enterprises, consumers, and inflation expectations can bear." Barkin added that he is increasingly concerned that the US may have entered a "new phase" in which supply shocks will become more frequent. These shocks could stem from multiple factors, including heightened geopolitical tensions, fragmentation of the trading system, more extreme weather events, rising government debt, and other structural forces. He also noted that, for now, the US Fed's monetary policy stance is "in a good place" to address risks on both the employment and inflation fronts. (Jin Shi Data APP) According to CME "FedWatch": the probability of the US Fed maintaining rates unchanged through June was 96.8%, with a 3.2% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point rate hike. The probability of the US Fed maintaining rates unchanged through July was 85.4%, with a 14.2% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point rate hike and a 0.4% probability of a cumulative 50 basis point rate hike. (Jin Shi Data APP) On the data front: Data to be released today include the US May University of Michigan consumer sentiment index final reading, US May one-year inflation expectations final reading, US April Conference Board leading indicators MoM, UK May GfK consumer confidence index, UK April public sector net borrowing, UK April seasonally adjusted retail sales MoM, Germany June GfK consumer confidence index, Germany Q1 non-seasonally adjusted GDP YoY final reading, Germany May IFO business climate index, Japan April core CPI YoY, and Canada March retail sales MoM. In addition, 2027 FOMC voter and Richmond Fed President Barkin will deliver a speech, and US Fed Governor Waller will deliver a speech. On crude oil: As of the overnight close, oil prices on both markets fell together, with WTI down 0.26% and Brent down 0.1%. According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) citing Al Arabiya, a final draft of the US-Iran agreement has been reached under Pakistan's mediation and is expected to be announced within the coming hours. Rapidan Energy Group stated that if the Strait of Hormuz closure persists through August, downside economic risks will increase, with severity potentially approaching that of the 2008 Great Recession. The consultancy's base-case scenario assumes the waterway will reopen in July, under which daily average oil demand would decline by 2.6 million barrels and the benchmark Brent crude oil spot price would peak near $130 per barrel during the summer. (Wallstreetcn) According to informed sources, seven major OPEC+ producing countries may agree to a modest raise in oil production for July when they meet on June 7. Despite the ongoing Iran war currently raging, actual crude delivery channels for several of these countries remain in a state of complete disruption. The monthly combined production target proposed by the seven core OPEC+ members is expected to increase by approximately 188,000 barrels per day. Official OPEC statistics showed that total global OPEC+ oil production plunged sharply from 42.77 million barrels per day in February this year to 33.19 million barrels per day in April. Of that, daily production from Gulf region producing countries alone collapsed by 9.9 million barrels. (Reuters) As the US-Iran conflict has resulted in the loss of millions of barrels of crude oil supply, demand slowdown will be forced to become the primary means of balancing the supply-demand gap. The market is increasingly inclined to believe that oil prices will peak near $100 per barrel over the next year. This was one of the conclusions from a Bloomberg Intelligence survey this month, which received 126 responses from asset managers and other energy market professionals. Amrita Sen, co-founder and head of research at Energy Aspects, stated that the oil market is currently in a state of severe undersupply but has not yet faced a major shortage. The market is currently drawing down inventory and strategic reserves, but Energy Aspects estimates that if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, shortages could begin to emerge by the end of June. "We are really just barely getting by right now, drawing down those inventories. Global refiners' purchases are low, and if they start buying again, market prices could overshoot. There won't be a global tank-bottoming, but it will certainly happen in some regions — on the crude side, parts of Asia, while the US refined products market is currently heading rapidly in that direction." (Bloomberg)

SMM News, May 21: Metals market: As of the midday close, most base metals on the domestic market rose. SHFE copper gained 1.33%, SHFE aluminum rose 0.33%, SHFE lead climbed 1.55%, SHFE zinc advanced 1.47%, and SHFE tin surged 3.21%. SHFE nickel fell 0.57%. In addition, the most-traded casting aluminum futures rose 0.39%, the most-traded alumina contract gained 0.37%, the most-traded lithium carbonate contract rose 1.18%, the most-traded silicon metal contract climbed 0.35%, and the most-traded polysilicon futures rose 0.37%. Ferrous metals mostly rose. Iron ore fell 0.5%, rebar edged up, hot-rolled coil gained 0.23%, and stainless steel rose 0.41%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract rose 0.33%, and the most-traded coke contract was flat at 1,774.5 yuan/mt. Overseas base metals: as of 11:32, LME metals generally fell. LME copper dropped 0.15%, LME aluminum was flat at 3,629 yuan/mt, LME lead rose 0.71%, LME zinc fell 0.1%, LME tin declined 0.53%, and LME nickel dropped 0.92%. Precious metals: as of 11:32, COMEX gold rose 0.12% and COMEX silver fell 0.26%. Domestic precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold contract gained 0.89% and the most-traded SHFE silver contract rose 1.85%. In addition, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures rose 0.74% and the most-traded palladium futures gained 0.47%. As of the midday close, the most-traded Europe containerized freight index contract rose 7.66% to 2,957.5 points. As of 11:32 on May 21, midday futures quotes for selected contracts: Spot cargo and fundamentals Nickel: On May 21, SMM #1 refined nickel prices rose 1,550 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Spot premiums: Jinchuan #1 refined nickel averaged 1,200 yuan/mt, down 250 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Domestic mainstream brand electrodeposited nickel premiums ranged from -600 to 500 yuan/mt. Macro front China: [NDRC: To improve policy measures on fair competition, investment and financing, promotion of sci-tech innovation, and business regulation] Li Hui, Director of the Private Economy Development Bureau of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), stated at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office that the NDRC will better leverage its coordination function in promoting private economy development, organize and carry out specific measures outlined in the action plan for safeguarding the private economy through the rule of law, and strengthen the implementation of the Private Economy Promotion Law. The NDRC will improve supporting systems and refine policy measures on fair competition, investment and financing, promotion of sci-tech innovation, and business regulation. It will continue to work with relevant departments to publish typical cases to illustrate the law through cases, conduct assessments of policy implementation effectiveness, promote direct and swift access to enterprise-friendly policies, and guide enterprises in enhancing their governance capabilities. [China's Enterprise Credit Index Reached 162.41 in April This Year, Maintaining a Positive Trend] According to the State Administration for Market Regulation, China's Enterprise Credit Index stood at 162.41 in April this year, up 0.15 points from March, with enterprise credit levels maintaining a positive trend. In April, the top 5 industries by credit index ranking were finance, electricity/heat/gas and water production and supply, education, manufacturing, and water conservancy/environment and public facilities management. Compared with the previous month, the indices for information transmission/software and information technology services, finance, and health and social work showed relatively notable increases, achieving positive growth for three consecutive months, with credit development trends continuing to improve. (CCTV News) [Qiushi Commentary Article: How to Thoroughly Address "Involution-Style" Competition in Manufacturing] The article pointed out that thoroughly addressing "involution-style" competition requires institutional innovation to drive competition toward quality upgrading. Only when government behavior is regulated and market mechanisms are streamlined can enterprises shift from low-price disorderly competition to value-based competition. A unified national market should be built to break down market segmentation, policies hindering fair competition should be resolutely eliminated, outdated capacity should be phased out in an orderly manner in accordance with laws and regulations to prevent "bad money driving out good," and competitive enterprises should be allocated resources commensurate with their competitiveness. Performance assessment reform should be used to correct government behavior, shifting assessment focus toward "quality" indicators such as development quality, technological innovation, and industrial coordination, aligning local government incentives with high-quality development, and curbing the impulse for homogeneous investment attraction at the source. Evaluation mechanism reform should be used to rectify competitive behavior, reversing the "price-only" tendency, establishing comprehensive evaluation mechanisms centered on technology, quality, and service, making premium quality at premium prices a market consensus, and guiding resources toward enterprises with strong innovation capabilities and high product value-added. The PBOC conducted 100 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repo operations in the open market at an interest rate of 1.40%, unchanged from the previous day. Today, 500 million yuan of reverse repos matured. US Dollar: As of 11:32, the US dollar index rose 0.05% to 99.19. The US Fed meeting minutes showed that participants anticipated elevated energy prices would continue to exert upward pressure on headline inflation in the near term. Participants generally expected that the impact of tariffs on core goods inflation would gradually diminish over the course of this year. However, some participants noted that tariff rates could rise further above current levels, resulting in greater upward pressure on inflation. Several participants emphasized that, after inflation had remained above 2% for several consecutive years, elevated inflation could have a greater influence on wage- and price-setting decisions. Almost all participants noted that the conflict in the Middle East could persist for an extended period, or even if the conflict ended, oil and other commodity prices could remain elevated for longer than expectations. In such a scenario, participants anticipated that factors such as supply chain disruptions, elevated energy prices, or the pass-through of higher input costs to other prices would continue to push inflation higher. The vast majority of participants noted that the time required for inflation to return to the Committee's 2% target could be longer than they had previously expected, and that risks had increased. The US Fed meeting minutes showed that regarding the monetary policy outlook, participants generally believed that persistently elevated inflation and uncertainty about the duration and economic impact of the Middle East conflict could necessitate maintaining the current policy stance for longer than expectations. Some participants emphasized that it might be appropriate to lower the target range for the federal funds rate once clear signs emerged that the pullback trend in inflation had steadily resumed, or signs of greater softness in the labour market appeared. However, most participants noted that if inflation remained persistently above 2%, some tightening measures might be necessary. To address this scenario, many participants indicated that they would prefer to remove language from the post-meeting statement that implied the Committee's future rate decisions might lean toward easing. Participants noted that monetary policy was not predetermined and that future policy decisions would be made on a meeting-by-meeting basis. According to the CME "FedWatch" tool: the probability of the US Fed maintaining rates unchanged through June was 97.3%, with a cumulative probability of a 25-basis-point interest rate cut at 2.7%. The probability of the US Fed maintaining rates unchanged through July was 87.2%, with a cumulative probability of a 25-basis-point interest rate cut at 2.4%, and a cumulative probability of a 25-basis-point rate hike at 10.4%. (Jin Shi Data) On the data front: Data to be released today include US initial jobless claims for the week ending May 16, US April annualized housing starts, US April building permits, US May Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index, US May S&P Global Manufacturing PMI preliminary reading, US May S&P Global Services PMI preliminary reading, Eurozone May Manufacturing PMI preliminary reading, Eurozone March seasonally adjusted current account, Eurozone May Consumer Confidence Index preliminary reading, France May Manufacturing PMI preliminary reading, Germany May Manufacturing PMI preliminary reading, UK May Manufacturing PMI preliminary reading, UK May Services PMI preliminary reading, UK May CBI Industrial Orders balance, and Australia April seasonally adjusted unemployment rate. In addition, attention should also be paid to the following: Bank of England Governor Bailey delivered a speech, and China's refined oil products were set to enter a new round of price adjustment window. Crude oil: As of 11:32, oil prices in both markets rose, with WTI up 0.94% and Brent up 0.83%. Supply concerns driven by market worries over the uncertain prospects of a US-Iran peace deal continued to support oil prices. In addition, declining US crude oil inventory also lent support to oil prices. EIA report: Commercial crude oil inventory, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, fell by 7.863 million barrels to 445 million barrels, a decline of 1.74%. The weekly EIA crude oil inventory drawdown for the week ending May 15 was the largest since the week of February 13, 2026. A research report from CITIC Securities noted that global oil inventory was declining sharply, intensifying the risk of energy shortages. The US-Israel-Iran conflict disrupted passage through the Strait of Hormuz, causing global oil inventory to plummet at a record pace and heightening the risk of summer energy shortages. The market temporarily cushioned the pressure by relying on previously surplus inventory, exemptions from Russian oil sanctions, and strategic petroleum reserve releases by multiple countries, while high oil prices also triggered a contraction in global oil demand. International oil prices are currently fluctuating at elevated levels, US refined product prices have hit multi-year highs, oil supplies in multiple energy-importing regions in Asia are on the verge of shortages, dragging down regional economic growth. Oil prices may still have significant upside room, and accelerating the development of renewable energy has become a long-term measure for countries to guard against energy risks. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) of the UAE, said on the 20th that the UAE was building an east-west oil pipeline bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. The project was nearly 50% complete and is expected to be completed and operational by 2027. According to the UAE's Gulf News, Al Jaber said at an online event hosted by the US think tank Atlantic Council that a large volume of global energy transportation still relied on a few critical maritime chokepoints, and the UAE hoped to reduce its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz and enhance the security of energy exports through this project. (Xinhua) Goldman Sachs stated that as the Middle East war continued and supply remained constrained, global crude oil and refined product inventory was being depleted at a record pace this month. Goldman Sachs analysts noted in a report dated May 20 that since the beginning of May, visible inventory had been declining at a record rate of 8.7 million barrels per day, nearly double the average pace since the outbreak of the conflict. They stated, "The physical market continues to tighten, and oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz are estimated to remain at only 5% of normal levels." Goldman Sachs analysts noted that two-thirds of the inventory decline in May was driven by a reduction in so-called "oil on water," with exports falling more than imports. The import slump is now "spreading from Asia to Europe," they noted, with European jet fuel imports 60% below the 2025 average. (Jin10 Data) Spot Market Overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

Rumored NPI production cuts at one of Indonesia's largest nickel hubs reveal a deeper structural shift — and a stark gap in per-megawatt-hour returns between aluminum and nickel.

SMM May 21 News: Metals market: Overnight, base metals collectively rose in both domestic and overseas markets. LME tin lead the gains with a surge of 4.92%, SHFE tin rose 3.93%. LME copper, LME aluminum, LME zinc, LME nickel, SHFE copper, SHFE lead, and SHFE zinc all rose over 1% — LME copper up 1.69%, LME aluminum up 1.17%, LME zinc up 1.61%, LME nickel up 1.09%, SHFE copper up 1.43%, SHFE lead up 1.06%, SHFE zinc up 1.35%. The remaining metals gained less than 1%. The alumina front-month contract rose 0.07%, and the casting aluminum front-month contract rose 0.24%. Overnight, ferrous metals showed mixed performance. Stainless steel rose 0.51%, iron ore fell 0.56%, and rebar fell 0.09%. Hot-rolled coil and rebar both edged up. For coking coal and coke, coking coal rose 0.12% and coke rose 0.11%. Overnight, for precious metals, COMEX gold rose 0.78% and COMEX silver rose 1.39%. In China, SHFE gold rose 0.88% and SHFE silver rose 2.7%. Overnight closing prices as of 6:42 AM on May 21: Macro Front China: [Ministry of Finance: Securities transaction stamp tax reached 93.5 billion yuan in January-April, up 74.8% YoY] In January-April, national general public budget revenue totaled 8,340.4 billion yuan, up 3.5% YoY. Of this, national tax revenue was 6,809.7 billion yuan, up 3.9% YoY; non-tax revenue was 1,530.7 billion yuan, up 1.6% YoY. By central and local breakdown, central general public budget revenue was 3,547.4 billion yuan, up 4.6% YoY; local general public budget revenue was 4,793 billion yuan, up 2.7% YoY. Stamp tax was 206.3 billion yuan, up 27.8% YoY. Of this, securities transaction stamp tax was 93.5 billion yuan, up 74.8% YoY. [MOFCOM: The Chinese government implements export controls on rare earths and other critical minerals in accordance with laws and regulations, and reviews compliant, civilian-use license applications] The head of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of MOFCOM provided interpretation on preliminary trade and economic outcomes. MOFCOM stated that the Chinese and US trade teams had thorough communication on export control issues, and both sides will jointly study and resolve each other's reasonable and legitimate concerns. The Chinese government implements export controls on rare earths and other critical minerals in accordance with laws and regulations, and reviews compliant, civilian-use license applications. China is willing to work with the US, together with DAS solar, to create favorable conditions for promoting mutually beneficial cooperation between enterprises of both countries and safeguarding the security and stability of global industry chain and supply chains. US dollar: As of the overnight close, the US dollar index fell 0.18% to 99.13. The US Fed meeting minutes showed that regarding the monetary policy outlook, participants generally believed that persistently elevated inflation levels and uncertainty about the duration and economic impact of Middle East conflicts could require the current policy stance to be maintained for longer than expected. Several participants emphasized that it might be appropriate to lower the target range for the federal funds rate once clear signs emerged that the pullback trend in inflation had steadily resumed, or if signs of greater weakness in the labour market appeared. However, most participants noted that if inflation remained persistently above 2%, some tightening measures might be needed. To address this situation, many participants indicated that they would prefer to remove language from the post-meeting statement that implied the Committee's future rate decisions might lean toward easing. Participants noted that monetary policy was not set in stone and that future policy decisions would be determined based on the specific circumstances at each meeting. (Jin10 Data APP) The US Fed meeting minutes showed that regarding monetary policy expectations, the US Fed's head of market operations noted that market-implied expectations still indicated that market participants did not anticipate much change in the federal funds rate target range this year, with options prices implying approximately a 30% probability of a rate hike by Q1 2027. In the Open Market Trading Desk survey, the median of the modal path continued to show two 25-basis-point interest rate cuts over the next year, but respondents now expected the cuts to come later than in the previous survey, with cuts anticipated in Q3 or Q4 2026 and Q1 2027, respectively. (Jin10 Data APP) Market analysts noted that the US Fed's April meeting minutes showed that as the Iran conflict pushed inflation higher, an increasing number of officials raised hawkish concerns. At the prior meeting in March, "some" participants had indicated that the US Fed had ample reason to provide balanced policy guidance—that the next move could be either a rate hike or a rate cut—contrary to the prevailing assumption that rates would eventually be cut. In April, this group expanded to include "many" officials who preferred more neutral language in the policy statement. The April minutes also noted that, overall, officials generally believed that rates would need to remain on hold for longer than they had initially anticipated. (Jin10 Data APP) According to the CME "FedWatch" tool: the probability of the US Fed holding rates unchanged through June was 97.3%, with a 2.7% cumulative probability of a 25-basis-point interest rate cut. The probability of the US Fed holding rates unchanged through July was 87.2%, with a 2.4% cumulative probability of a 25-basis-point interest rate cut and a 10.4% cumulative probability of a 25-basis-point rate hike. (Jin10 Data APP) On the data front: Data to be released today include China's April SWIFT yuan share in global payments, US initial jobless claims for the week ending May 16, US April annualized housing starts, US April building permits, US May Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index, US May S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (preliminary), US May S&P Global Services PMI (preliminary), Eurozone May Manufacturing PMI (preliminary), Eurozone March seasonally adjusted current account, Eurozone May Consumer Confidence Index (preliminary), France May Manufacturing PMI (preliminary), Germany May Manufacturing PMI (preliminary), UK May Manufacturing PMI (preliminary), UK May Services PMI (preliminary), UK May CBI Industrial Orders Balance, and Australia's April seasonally adjusted unemployment rate. In addition, at 2:00 on May 21, the US Fed will release the minutes of its monetary policy meeting, NVIDIA will report earnings and hold an earnings call after the US stock market close, Bank of England Governor Bailey will deliver a speech, and China will open a new round of refined oil price adjustment window. Crude Oil: As of the overnight close, oil prices on both markets fell in tandem, with WTI crude dropping 4.87% and Brent crude falling 5.5%, as tensions between the US and Iran temporarily eased. Crude oil futures extended their losses as the market shifted its focus to hopes for an agreement to end the US-Iran conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. BOK Financial analyst Dennis Kissler stated that despite the bullish news of a significant decline in US crude oil inventory last week, which should have supported oil prices, prices continued to slide. "That tells me that most likely some kind of negotiation is going on." "The market is pricing in some kind of a deal." (Jin10 Data APP) The US Energy Information Administration (EIA): US EIA crude oil inventory fell by 7.8 million barrels last week, compared with Bloomberg user expectations of a 6 million-barrel decline, analyst expectations of a 2.8153 million-barrel decrease, and a 4.306 million-barrel decline the previous week. The weekly EIA Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) inventory recorded its largest decline in history. The single-week crude oil inventory decline including SPR was the largest on record. (Wallstreetcn) On May 20, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) weekly report showed that last week, total US crude oil inventory including strategic reserves plunged by a record 17.8 million barrels, as oil exports advancing at a historically high pace began to erode the US domestic supply buffer. Of this, the volume drawn from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) accounted for approximately 9.9 million barrels of the total decline. Meanwhile, inventory at the Cushing, Oklahoma delivery hub declined for the fourth consecutive week, continuing to approach "tank bottoms"; traders continue to view movements at this core storage and transportation hub as the primary potential signal that total US inventory is entering a downward decline cycle. (Wallstreetcn)

Korea’s auto industry maintained solid exports and production in 2025, but its 2030 competitiveness will depend on EV transition execution. The domestic market has matured, while hybrids have become a defensive pillar. EV adoption remains below the government’s target, and U.S.-EU policy pressure and Chinese EV competition are reshaping export strategies. Future competitiveness will hinge on pricing, localization, battery sourcing, and charging and safety confidence.

On Tuesday, May 12, the Arctial aluminum smelter project in northern Finland announced plans to produce its first batch of aluminum in the second half of 2029, a project expected to boost domestic aluminum production capacity in Europe. Maxime Vandersmissen, Arctial's Chief Commercial Officer, stated at the CRU World Aluminium Congress in London that this timeline is contingent on a final investment decision being reached by 2027 for the greenfield project, designed to have an annual capacity of 610,000 tons. Arctial will be the first new primary aluminum project built on the European continent in over 30 years, but it will still not be able to fully meet Europe's import demand.

Next week, key macro data releases will include China's April total retail sales of consumer goods YoY, China's April industrial value-added output of enterprises above designated size YoY, the final reading of the US May University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index, and the final reading of the US May one-year inflation rate expectations. In addition, the Fed Chairman transition has been completed, and the monetary policy meeting minutes are set to be released next week. LME lead side, the ex-China mine and smelting sector is going through a turbulent period. Following the accident at a lead-zinc smelter in Kazakhstan in early May, energy supply conflicts in Peru escalated this week. As Peru is a major lead-zinc mining region, this tightened supply expectations on the mine side, supporting lead prices. Meanwhile, spot lead supply tensions in Southeast Asia remained prominent. On one hand, LME lead inventory stood as high as 265,000 mt, mainly consisting of low-grade lead ingots; on the other hand, countries such as Vietnam and Malaysia faced significant lead ingot supply gaps, with spot premiums rising again, mainly due to the scarcity of high-grade lead ingot resources. Overall, LME lead is expected to continue to hold up well. LME lead is expected to trade in the range of $1,975-2,035/mt next week. SHFE lead side, the issue of rising visible inventory of lead ingots caused by short-term deliveries will ease as deliveries conclude. However, the biggest bearish factors currently come from the lead consumption off-season, while secondary lead smelters have shown signs of production resumptions, putting lead prices under pressure. Additionally, the lead ingot import window fully closed this week, and given the regional tight supply of lead ingots outside China, attention should be paid to expectations of the lead ingot export window opening in H2. The most-traded SHFE lead contract is expected to trade in the range of 16,350-16,750 yuan/mt next week. Spot price forecast: 16,300-16,600 yuan/mt. Consumption side, the off-season trend in the lead-acid battery market intensified, with downstream enterprises having limited rigid demand and being relatively cautious in procurement. Supply side, production cuts at secondary lead enterprises improved somewhat, with factories in some regions gradually resuming production. Meanwhile, attention should be paid to the materialization of new maintenance at primary lead enterprises. Spot lead is expected to still trade at a slight discount next week (against SMM #1 lead).