SMM June 11 news: Metal market: Overnight, base metals on the domestic market mostly fell. SHFE copper fell 0.79%. SHFE aluminum edged up 0.02%, while SHFE lead and SHFE tin fell slightly. SHFE zinc fell 1.98%. SHFE nickel fell 0.72%. In addition, the most-traded alumina futures rose 0.73%, and the most-traded foundry aluminum contract rose 0.63%. Overnight, ferrous metals all rose. Iron ore rose 0.07%, hot-rolled coil edged up, stainless steel rose 0.17%, and rebar rose 0.19%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal futures contract rose 0.44%, and the most-traded coke futures contract rose 2.34%. Overnight, on the overseas market, LME base metals fell across the board. LME copper fell 0.81%. LME aluminum fell 1.09%, and LME lead fell 0.93%. LME zinc fell 2.19%. LME tin fell 0.34%. LME nickel fell 1.47%. Overnight, precious metals : Overnight, COMEX gold fell 4.49%, and COMEX silver fell 2.67%. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE gold contract fell 3.37%, and the most-traded SHFE silver contract fell 1.08%. Citibank expects that if the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz continues into this summer, global gold purchasing demand may shrink further, and gold prices may fall to $3,500 per ounce by September. Currently, Citibank has lowered its three-month gold price target from $4,300 per ounce to $4,000 per ounce. CITIC Securities pointed out that the US CPI for May was broadly in line with expectations, with high oil prices continuing to push up the overall inflation rate, while core inflation was mild. CITIC Securities believes the risk of a second round of US inflation is low, and the overall CPI YoY may have peaked for this cycle. It is expected to gradually decline slowly until September, then rebound slightly, before pulling back rapidly in March next year. The US Fed is expected to keep its target rate unchanged this year, and the interest rate hike expectations priced in the derivatives market have room to be revised downwards. The key focus of next week's Fed meeting will be the new Chair, Mr. Walsh's, remarks on the current inflation situation and interest rate levels. For US Treasuries, trading opportunities are more suitable than allocation opportunities now, and short-term bonds are better than long-term bonds. The US dollar index finds support, and gold prices may need to wait for accommodative expectations to restart before breaking out of their predicament. As of 7:19 AM on June 11, overnight closing prices: Macro front Domestic: [Zheng Zhajie: Fully implement the "AI+" initiative and deeply address "involution-style" competition] On June 10, Zheng Zhajie, Director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), chaired an expert symposium on the economic situation, exchanging views with Cai Fang, a member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Zhang Li, President of the CCID Research Institute, and chief economists from some domestic and international securities firms, including BOC International. The discussion focused on analyzing and assessing the current economic situation, continuously expanding domestic demand, promoting high-level sci-tech self-reliance and strength and autonomous control of the industry chain, and stabilizing employment, enterprises, the market, and expectations. The attending experts' views, opinions, and suggestions were heard. Zheng Zhajie stated that the NDRC would earnestly implement the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee and the State Council by making best use of its macro policies and leveraging the integrated effects of existing and incremental policies; strengthening the planning and construction of water networks, new-type power grids, computing power networks, new-generation communication networks, urban underground pipeline networks, and logistics networks to promote a close integration of investment in objects and investment in people, and effectively implementing the consumer goods trade-in policy; accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system and fully implementing the "AI+" initiative; continuously strengthening reform and innovation to deeply advance the construction of a unified national market and deeply address "involution-style" competition; enhancing energy and resource security levels and implementing a comprehensive conservation strategy; effectively ensuring the basic wellbeing of the people and making every effort to promote employment for key groups; at the same time, promptly researching and reserving a batch of targeted and highly operational policy tools, ready to be introduced and implemented as needed, to continuously consolidate the foundation for sustained and stable economic improvement. It is hoped that the experts would provide more suggestions to contribute their wisdom and strength to promoting high-quality development. [Ministry of Commerce and seven other units issue "Several Measures to Promote the Integrated Development of Railways and Tourism and Expand Service Consumption"] It is proposed to strengthen the coordination and alignment of railway and tourism planning. Planning guidance should be enhanced. Compiling railway-related plans should encompass the developmental needs of the tourism industry, site planning and layout must be effectively executed, and the accessibility and convenience of tourism resources should be elevated. The compilation of tourism-related plans should coordinate the layout and development of cultural tourism resources and railway resources, promoting the integrated and mutually reinforcing development of railways and tourism. [NRDC Price Cost and Certification Center Conducts Survey at SPIC] On June 3, Cheng Gang, Deputy Director of the Price Cost and Certification Center of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), led a team to conduct a survey at State Power Investment Corporation Limited (SPIC). The two sides exchanged views on the operation of wind power and PV projects, as well as the development of the hydrogen-based energy industry. (NDRC Price Cost and Certification Center) US dollar: Overnight, the US dollar index rose 0.09%, closing at 100.04. Data released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics on Wednesday showed that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 4.2% YoY in May, the highest level since early 2023 and in line with market expectations. This marked the first time in three years that CPI inflation breached the 4% mark. The main factor driving the overall inflation higher was the rise in energy prices triggered by the Iran war. The 0.5% MoM rise matched expectations and was slightly lower than the previous 0.6%. "New Fed wire" Nick Timiraos' analysis pointed out that on a three-month annualized basis, the overall CPI increase in May was as high as 8.2% ; the overall CPI rose 0.47% MoM, with an annualized rate of approximately 5.8%, pushing the 12-month increase to 4.2%, a three-year high. Core CPI rose 2.9% YoY in May , matching expectations and edging up from the previous 2.8%; the MoM increase was 0.2%, lower than the market expectation of 0.3% and a significant slowdown from the previous 0.4%. Core inflation was mild, but US real wages have already seen their first YoY negative growth since April 2023, worsening the situation for consumers. Furthermore, multiple Wall Street institutions believe that while this CPI data reinforces the "higher for longer" logic, it is not enough to trigger an interest rate hike. Market bets on the Fed resuming rate hikes have risen, but mainstream institutions still tend to believe the Fed will stay on hold in the coming months. (Wall Street Insights) According to CME "FedWatch": The probability of the Fed keeping rates unchanged in June is 98.4%, with a 1.6% chance of a cumulative 25 basis point rate cut. The probability for the Fed to keep rates unchanged through July is 89.1%, with a 9.5% chance of a cumulative 25 basis point rate hike and a 1.5% chance of a cumulative 25 basis point rate cut. (Jin10 Data APP) Other currencies: The Bank of Japan (BOJ) stated on Wednesday that BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda has been hospitalized and is expected to remain in hospital for about two weeks, therefore he will miss the monetary policy meeting on June 15-16 but is expected to attend the meeting on July 30-31. BOJ Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino will chair the June 15-16 monetary policy meeting, and Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida will hold a press conference after the June meeting. (Jin10 Data APP) Data: Today's releases include the Eurozone ECB Deposit Facility Rate up to June 11, the Eurozone ECB Main Refinancing Rate up to June 11, the US Initial Jobless Claims for the week ending June 6, and the US May PPI YoY and MoM rates. Also, focus on: the Ministry of Commerce holds its second routine press conference of June; the ECB announces its interest rate decision; ECB President Christine Lagarde holds a monetary policy press conference. Crude oil: Overnight, both oil futures rose, with US crude up 4.14% and Brent crude up 3.88%. The Iran situation escalated abruptly, causing crude oil prices to surge. Additionally, a sharp decline in Cushing crude oil inventories and significant withdrawals from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) once fueled an acceleration in the rise of oil prices. Trump subsequently stated on social media that over 100 million barrels of crude oil are currently transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which slightly capped the gains. (Wall Street Insights) The US Department of Energy (DOE) stated on Wednesday local time that the US is seeking to lend up to 40 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to energy companies to help lower fuel prices. This plan is part of the previous agreement to release 172 million barrels from the SPR. To date, the US has lent approximately 133 million barrels of crude oil under this agreement. In March, after the US and Israel launched the war on Iran on February 28, the US reached an agreement with about 30 member countries of the International Energy Agency to jointly release approximately 400 million barrels of strategic reserves to help stabilize the international oil market. Currently, the US SPR inventory stands at 349.2 million barrels, the lowest level since August 2023. Enterprises borrowing crude oil must return an equivalent amount of crude oil plus pay a premium of up to 24% in extra crude oil. (Jin10 Data APP)

SMM, June 10: Metals market: As of the midday close, base metals in the domestic market weakened across the board. SHFE lead fell 0.43%, SHFE tin dropped 1.89%, SHFE nickel lost 2.29%, SHFE copper edged down 0.33%, SHFE aluminum declined 0.85%, and SHFE zinc slipped 0.12%. In addition, the most-traded foundry aluminum futures contract rose 0.11%, the most-traded alumina contract gained 3.21%, the most-traded lithium carbonate contract added 0.53%, the most-traded silicon metal contract increased 2%, while the most-traded polysilicon futures contract fell 1.63%. Ferrous metals mostly fell. Iron ore rose 0.59%, rebar added 0.13%, HRC edged lower, and stainless steel fell 0.59%. In the coking coal and coke segment, the most-traded coking coal contract dropped 3.13%, and the most-traded coke contract declined 1.35%. In overseas base metals, as of 11:39, LME metals were nearly all lower. LME copper edged up 0.06%, LME aluminum fell 1.03%, LME lead dropped 0.38%, LME zinc declined 0.24%, LME tin lost 0.92%, and LME nickel slipped 0.36%. In precious metals, as of 11:39, COMEX gold fell 1.99%, touching an intraday low of $4,195.5/oz, while COMEX silver dropped 1.82%. In domestic precious metals, the most-traded SHFE gold contract declined 3.79%, and the most-traded SHFE silver contract slumped 6.79%. Ilya Spivak, global macro head at Tastylive, noted that the real drivers lie in shifting expectations around US Fed policy, rising yields, and a stronger US dollar. "I think these factors are all weighing on gold," he said. Spivak added that if gold breaks below the $4,100 mark, support levels would fundamentally change, and by the end of the year, we may be looking at the next threshold of $3,500. (Jin10 Data APP) Meanwhile, by the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures contract fell 5.43%, and the most-traded palladium futures contract dropped 2.77%. As of the midday close, the most-traded Europe container freight futures contract climbed 3.2% to 3,993 points. As of 11:39 on June 10, some futures midday quotes: Spot and Fundamentals Zinc: Today, #0 zinc mainstream transaction prices were concentrated in the 24,575-24,745 yuan/mt range, Shuangyan was mainly transacted at 24,675-24,835 yuan/mt, and #1 zinc mainstream deals were at 24,505-24,675 yuan/mt. In early trading, the market quoted premiums of 20-30 yuan/mt against the SMM average price, with no quotes against the futures contract yet... Macro Front China side: [National Bureau of Statistics (NBS): May CPI Rose 1.2% YoY, PPI Rose 3.9% YoY, with PPI Continuing to Increase] NBS data showed that in May 2026, the national consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.2% YoY. Specifically, urban CPI rose 1.3% YoY, while rural CPI rose 1.1% YoY; food prices fell 1.7% YoY, while non-food prices rose 1.9% YoY; consumer goods prices rose 1.6% YoY, while services prices rose 0.8% YoY. In the January–May average, national CPI rose 1.0% YoY. In May, national CPI edged down 0.1% MoM. In May 2026, China’s national producer price index (PPI) rose 3.9% YoY and 0.5% MoM. The industrial producer purchasing price index rose 5.8% YoY and 1.3% MoM. In the January–May average, PPI rose 1.0% YoY, while the purchasing price index rose 1.6% YoY. Within the purchasing price index in May, price increases were led by non-ferrous metals and wires (22.0%), chemical raw materials (11.8%), fuels and power (10.0%), textile raw materials (2.5%), and ferrous metals (0.3%); meanwhile, declines were seen in building materials and non-metallic products (-5.5%) and agricultural and sideline products (-1.6%). Dong Lijuan, chief statistician of the Urban Department at the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), commented on the CPI and PPI data for May 2026. The PBOC conducted a 159-billion-yuan 7-day reverse repo operation at an operation rate of 1.4%, unchanged from the previous operation. No reverse repos matured today. US dollar: As of 11:39, the US dollar index slipped 0.01% to 99.94. Renewed conflict between the US and Iran drove up both the dollar and oil prices, exacerbating market concerns over inflation and interest rate hikes. Markets are awaiting key US inflation data to gauge the Federal Reserve's monetary policy stance. (Jinshi Data APP) At 20:30 Beijing time tonight, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the May CPI data. This is also the most closely watched heavyweight inflation data ahead of the new Fed Chair Warsh's policy rate meeting next week. According to forecasts, four institutions, including Goldman Sachs, UBS, Deutsche Bank, and Morgan Stanley, project the overall CPI YoY for May to be in the 4.17%–4.3% range, all above April’s 3.81% . However, their MoM core CPI forecasts are generally below market consensus. (Wall Street CN) According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the probability of the Fed keeping rates unchanged through June is 98.2%, while the probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate cut is 1.8%. The probability that the US Fed will keep interest rates unchanged through July stands at 85.8%, while the probability of a cumulative 25 bp rate hike is 12.6%, and that of a cumulative 25 bp rate cut is 1.6%. CSC Financial pointed out that, in the short term, the likelihood of a Fed rate hike remains low, and the market's concerns about Fed tightening are mainly at the expectations level, built on assumptions of sticky US inflation and a persistently hot labor market. CME FedWatch data shows that markets outside China expect the most likely Fed rate hike to begin at the end of October 2026. The current global liquidity tightening and market adjustment represent a front-running reaction to expectations for a Fed rate hike in Q4. For China’s bond market, the increase in expectations of Fed tightening is not a negative factor. China’s bond market is relatively independent and has a relatively small correlation with US Treasuries. Moreover, given the ample liquidity in China, the expected tightening of liquidity outside China and the adjustment in equity markets may not rule out the possibility of driving capital into the bond market, supporting current levels of long-dated bonds. Going forward, the 10-year Chinese government bond yield is expected to continue to fluctuate around the 1.70% mark; a break below 1.70% would still require the emergence of incremental domestic information. Data Releases: Today, the following data will be released: US May unadjusted CPI YoY, US May seasonally adjusted CPI MoM, US May seasonally adjusted core CPI MoM, US May unadjusted core CPI YoY, the Bank of Canada interest rate decision due June 10, and China May M2 money supply YoY (pending). In addition, the following should be watched: the Bank of Canada’s interest rate decision announcement; and a monetary policy press conference by Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem and Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers. Crude Oil: As of 11:39, both oil benchmarks rose, with WTI up 0.94% and Brent up 0.98%. Renewed supply concerns stemming from the re-erupting conflict in the Middle East, together with declining US crude oil inventories, have provided support to oil prices. Data: US API crude oil inventories for the week ended June 5: -9.119 million barrels (expected -3.421 million, prior -6.757 million). US API gasoline inventories for the week ended June 5: -1.191 million barrels (expected -614,000, prior 3.454 million). (Jin10 Data APP) Additionally, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Tuesday local time that, due to the loss of over 11 million barrels per day of crude oil production in the Middle East caused by the conflict, major consuming countries are drawing down inventories at an unprecedented pace to fill the supply gap, and OECD oil inventories are heading towards their lowest levels since at least 2003. EIA stated that, under its current assumption that shipping activity in the Strait of Hormuz is unlikely to return to pre-conflict levels before early 2027, total OECD oil inventories will fall to just below 2.3 billion barrels by December. (Jin10 Data APP) Spot Market Overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

SMM June 10 news: Metal markets: The domestic base metals market mostly fell overnight. SHFE copper fell 0.34%. SHFE aluminum fell 0.67%, and SHFE lead fell 0.4%. SHFE zinc rose 0.14%. SHFE tin fell 1.1%. SHFE nickel fell 1.34%. In addition, the most-traded alumina futures contract rose 0.68%, and the most-traded cast aluminum contract closed flat at 22,995 yuan/mt. Overnight, ferrous metals showed mixed performance, with iron ore up 0.26%, HRC flat at 3,360 yuan/mt, stainless steel down 0.69%, and rebar up 0.19%. Coking coal and coke: The most-traded coking coal futures contract fell 0.58%, and the most-traded coke futures contract rose 0.38%. On the overseas metals market overnight, LME base metals mostly fell. LME copper fell 0.23%. LME aluminum fell 2.08%, and LME lead fell 0.38%. LME zinc rose 0.33%. LME tin rose 0.16%. LME nickel fell 2.2%. Overnight precious metals market : Overnight COMEX gold fell 1.8%, and COMEX silver fell 4.56%. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE gold futures contract fell 1.51%, and the most-traded SHFE silver futures contract fell 4.06%. Bob Haberkorn, Senior Market Strategist at RJO Futures, stated: "Traders are slightly uneasy about the current market situation... A broad risk-off mode has taken hold across all markets. I believe this risk-off sentiment is what drove gold prices down." Haberkorn added: "Until the US Fed provides clearer guidance, gold and silver prices remain under downward pressure." (Jinshi Data APP) Analysts at Saxo Bank stated that gold futures prices closed below their 200-day moving average for the first time since October 2023, following last Friday's non-farm payrolls report and a broad deterioration in risk sentiment that also weighed on stock markets. The combination of a resilient US economy and rising inflation expectations is creating a challenging environment for gold, overshadowing long-term supportive factors such as central bank purchases, fiscal concerns, and reserve diversification. (Jinshi Data APP) As of 7:19 on June 10, overnight closing prices: Macro front China: [Guangdong: Over 3 million charging facilities to be built province-wide by the end of 2027, meeting the charging demand of more than 8 million NEVs] The Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission and other departments recently issued the "Guangdong Province EV Charging Facility High-Quality Development Action Plan." The plan proposes to build a high-quality charging facility system where super-charging, fast charging, and slow charging complement each other by continuously innovating application scenarios, improving charging networks, enhancing charging efficiency, optimizing service quality, and innovating the industrial ecosystem. This aims to promote the balanced development of charging facilities in eastern, western, and northern Guangdong alongside the Pearl River Delta region, and facilitate the wider purchase and use of EVs. By the end of 2027, the province will have cumulatively built over 3 million charging facilities to meet the charging demand of more than 8 million NEVs; the province will achieve "super-charging coverage in every county," with the number of super-charging stations no fewer than the number of gas stations. (Jinshi Data APP) [CPCA: Retail sales in China's domestic narrow PV market reached 1.51 million units in May 2026] According to the latest retail sales statistics from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), retail sales in China's domestic narrow passenger vehicle (PV) market reached 1.51 million units in May 2026, down 22.1% YoY, but up 9.2% MoM. Cumulative sales from January to May totaled 7.099 million units, down 19.5% YoY. US Dollar: The overnight US dollar index fell 0.07% to 99.95. Data: The weekly change in US ADP employment for the week ending May 23 was 29,000, compared to the previous figure of 35,750. Jay Woods, Chief Global Strategist at Freedom Capital Markets, stated that the US May headline CPI YoY rate is expected to jump from 3.8% to 4.2%, which would be the highest level since March 2023. But the real concern isn't the headline number; it's the potentially entrenched "sticky" items like housing, insurance, and services. These categories could keep inflation persistently above the US Fed's comfort zone, as they may remain elevated for longer. Woods noted that high inflation driven by gasoline is typically less worrying, whereas sustained price increases in housing and services could be a trend that takes time to reverse. According to CME "FedWatch": The probability that the US Fed will keep interest rates unchanged through June is 98.2%, with a cumulative probability of a 25 basis point cut at 1.8%. The probability that the Fed will keep rates unchanged through July is 85.8%, with a cumulative probability of a 25 basis point hike at 12.6% and a cumulative 25 basis point cut at 1.6%. (Jinshi Data APP) China Securities pointed out that in the short term, the probability of a US Fed interest rate hike remains low, and market concerns about Fed tightening are mainly at the expectations level, based on assumptions of sticky domestic US inflation and a persistently hot job market. CME FedWatch data indicates that the most likely timing for a Fed rate hike expected by markets outside China begins in late October 2026. The current tightening of global liquidity and market adjustments represent a front-running reaction to expectations of a Q4 Fed rate hike. Regarding the domestic bond market, increased expectations for Fed tightening are not bearish. China's bond market is relatively independent and has a small correlation with US Treasuries. Furthermore, given ample domestic liquidity, the anticipated tightening of overseas liquidity and adjustments in equity markets could potentially drive capital flows into the bond market, supporting the current level of long-term bonds. Subsequently, China's 10-year government bond yield is expected to continue oscillating around the 1.70% level; a break below 1.70% still requires the emergence of new incremental information from domestic sources. Data: Today will see the release of China's May CPI YoY, the US May unadjusted CPI YoY, the US May seasonally adjusted CPI MoM, the US May seasonally adjusted core CPI MoM, the US May unadjusted core CPI YoY, the Bank of Canada interest rate decision as of June 10, and China's May M2 money supply YoY (date TBD), among other data points. Also, attention should be paid to: the Bank of Canada's announcement of its interest rate decision; and the monetary policy press conference held by Bank of Canada Governor Macklem and Senior Deputy Governor Rogers. Crude Oil: Overnight, both oil futures fell, with US crude oil down 2.85% and Brent crude oil down 2.03%. Oil prices were volatile on Tuesday. Trump stated earlier in the day that negotiations with Iran were "in the final stages of a very, very good deal," pushing Brent crude lower. However, Trump subsequently posted on social media stating that Iran had shot down a US Apache helicopter patrolling the Strait of Hormuz and declared "the US must respond," causing oil prices to jump immediately. Iranian officials further warned afterward that "foreign military forces near Iran face risks," briefly lifting oil prices further. Despite this, crude oil closed lower. (Wall Street CN) Data: The US API crude oil inventory for the week ending June 5 fell by 9.119 million barrels, compared to an expected draw of 3.421 million barrels, with the prior figure showing a draw of 6.757 million barrels. The US API gasoline inventory for the week ending June 5 fell by 1.191 million barrels, compared to an expected draw of 614,000 barrels, with the prior figure showing a build of 3.454 million barrels. (Jinshi Data APP) The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) stated on Tuesday local time that due to crude oil production losses exceeding 11 million barrels per day in the Middle East caused by the Iran war, major consumer nations are drawing down inventories to bridge supply shortfalls at an unprecedented rate. Consequently, oil inventories among OECD members are heading toward their lowest levels since at least 2003. The EIA stated that under its current assumptions, where maritime shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz is unlikely to return to pre-conflict levels before the beginning of 2027, total oil inventories held by OECD member nations will fall to just under 2.3 billion barrels by December. (Jinshi Data APP)

SMM News, May 27: Metals market: As of the midday close, most domestic base metals rose, while SHFE copper edged down. SHFE aluminum rose 0.8%. SHFE lead rose 0.33%, SHFE zinc fell 0.72%. SHFE tin rose 0.63%. SHFE nickel rose 1.91%. In addition, the most-traded casting aluminum futures rose 0.52%, the most-traded alumina contract rose 0.96%. The most-traded lithium carbonate contract fell 1.09%. The most-traded silicon metal contract rose 0.47%. The most-traded polysilicon futures contract fell 2.17%. Ferrous metals mostly fell. Iron ore fell 0.19%, rebar fell 0.69%, hot-rolled coil fell 0.44%, and stainless steel rose 1.49%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract fell 1.48%, and the most-traded coke contract fell 1.77%. Overseas base metals, as of 11:38, LME metals rose across the board. LME copper rose 0.6%. LME aluminum rose 0.39%. LME lead rose 0.05%. LME zinc rose 0.4%. LME tin rose 1.24%. LME nickel rose 0.32%. Precious metals, as of 11:38, COMEX gold rose 0.08%, COMEX silver rose 0.63%. Domestic precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold contract fell 1.05%, the most-traded SHFE silver contract fell 0.73%. In addition, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures contract fell 1.15%, and the most-traded palladium futures contract fell 0.98%. As of the midday close, the most-traded Europe containerized freight index contract rose 0.77%, closing at 2,949 points. As of 11:38 on May 27, midday futures quotes for selected contracts: Spot Cargo and Fundamentals Alumina: SMM statistics show that the scale of alumina projects under construction and under planning in Guinea has exceeded... Macro Front China: [NBS: From January to April, profits of China's above-scale industrial enterprises rose 18.2%; non-ferrous metals sector profits surged 117.8%] NBS data showed that from January to April, total profits of China's above-scale industrial enterprises reached 2.44 trillion yuan, up 18.2% YoY. From January to April, the mining sector posted profits of 361.84 billion yuan, up 26.0% YoY; the manufacturing sector posted profits of 1.80 trillion yuan, up 20.4%; and the electricity, heat, gas, and water production and supply sector posted profits of 272.01 billion yuan, down 1.9%. From January to April, profitability of major industries was as follows: non-ferrous metals smelting and rolling processing (up 1.2x YoY), computer, communications, and other electronic equipment manufacturing (up 1.1x), chemical raw materials and chemical products manufacturing (up 73.4%), coal mining and washing (up 21.0%), textile (up 11.2%), petroleum and natural gas extraction (up 8.1%), petroleum, coal, and other fuel processing (turned from loss to profit), general equipment manufacturing (down 0.6%), electricity and heat production and supply (down 2.5%), special equipment manufacturing (down 7.2%), electrical machinery and equipment manufacturing (down 11.4%), agricultural and sideline food processing (down 11.8%), automobile manufacturing (down 16.8%), non-metallic minerals products (down 50.7%), and ferrous metals smelting and rolling processing (down 51.5%). [PBOC Conducts 177.6 Billion Yuan in Open Market Reverse Repo Operations with Net Injection of 127.6 Billion Yuan in a Single Day] The PBOC conducted 177.6 billion yuan in 7-day reverse repo operations in the open market at an operation rate of 1.40%, unchanged from the previous day. 50 billion yuan in reverse repos matured today. US Dollar: As of 11:38, the US dollar index fell 0.05% to 99.1. According to Nikkei, Fed's Kashkari stated that the US Fed may implement a "series" of interest rate hikes in response to inflation concerns triggered by the Middle East situation. During the late-April FOMC meeting, the US Fed kept interest rates unchanged. Kashkari and two other officials dissented against the decision to include language in the Fed's statement hinting at future monetary easing. In a written interview, Kashkari said: "I think the next rate adjustment could be an interest rate cut, or it could be a rate hike." He used this to express his differing views. Kashkari said the outcome would depend on inflation trends, which depend on whether the Strait of Hormuz would reopen soon or remain effectively closed due to further damage to infrastructure in the region, the latter of which would exacerbate the global energy shortage. Kashkari said the concern was that long-term inflation expectations of enterprises and households "could become unanchored." He said the FOMC "may well need to respond forcefully," and rate hikes, or even a series of rate hikes, could be necessary measures. According to CME "FedWatch": the probability of the US Fed keeping rates unchanged through June was 99.2%, with a 0.8% probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point interest rate cut. The probability of the US Fed keeping rates unchanged through July was 88.6%, with an 11.3% probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate hike and a 0% probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point interest rate cut. (Jin10 Data) A CITIC Securities research report noted that the resilience of the global economy is being tested by the Middle East conflict, while a glimmer of hope for the resumption of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz has emerged. The US economy is likely to continue growing mildly but unevenly this year, the pace of the EU's weak recovery is being delayed, and Japan's private-sector demand is inevitably subject to disruptions from energy shortages. High oil prices are already pushing up global inflation, with headline inflation rates in Europe and the US likely to fluctuate at highs this year, while Japan's headline inflation rate may continue its mild performance. The US Fed may not cut interest rates at all this year, while potential rate hikes by the European and Japanese central banks are imminent, and the "unrestrained" fiscal stances of Japanese and European political circles could constitute a source of market risk this year. We maintain our view that US equities will outperform US Treasuries and the US dollar index will find support, while gold prices are expected to break out of their current range as tail risks to inflation dissipate. Other currencies: The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) kept rates unchanged for the third consecutive meeting, opting to continue observing the impact of the global energy shock on domestic consumption and medium-term inflation. The RBNZ's Monetary Policy Committee on Wednesday held the Official Cash Rate (OCR) at 2.25%, in line with market expectations. The RBNZ's latest projections show a rising likelihood of at least two 25bp rate hikes before year-end. In its post-meeting statement, the RBNZ said: "Taken together, the OCR will likely need to be raised sooner and by more than projected in the February Monetary Policy Statement." "The pace of hikes will depend on the relative impact of persistent wage and pricing behavior versus weakening economic activity on medium-term inflation pressures." Following the statement, NZD/USD rose. (Jin10 Data) Bank of Japan (BoJ) Governor Ueda Kazuo said vigilance is needed regarding the impact of surging oil prices on underlying inflation trends, but did not clearly signal how this factor would influence next month's policy meeting outcome. Ueda said on Wednesday: "Japan's experience shows that oil price shocks are never just oil price shocks; they actually test the entire inflation mechanism." Reviewing the impact of oil crises since the 1970s, he noted: "We are in fact experiencing the fifth oil price shock." "If a temporary shock alters wages, inflation expectations, and corporate pricing behavior, it may evolve into persistent inflation." Ueda did not directly signal the future policy path, but as his remarks reflected concerns over the impact of high oil prices, markets may further strengthen speculation about the prospect of a rate hike at the BoJ's June meeting. Overnight swap market pricing shows traders currently assign roughly a 75% probability to a 25bp rate hike by the BoJ next month. (Jin10 Data) Australia's April core inflation rate remained above the upper bound of the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) target range, further reinforcing market expectations that the RBA will maintain its hawkish stance after consecutive rate hikes this year. Data on Wednesday showed the closely watched core inflation gauge—the annual trimmed mean inflation rate excluding volatile items—rose 3.4% YoY, in line with economists' expectations. The RBA targets keeping inflation near the midpoint of its 2%-3% target band. Interest rate swap markets currently price the probability of another rate hike in August at around 50%, down from 64% before the data release. Under the dual pressure of high borrowing costs and surging fuel prices driven by the Iran war, the Australian economy is beginning to show signs of weakness. The unemployment rate in April rose to a four-and-a-half-year high, while approximately one-third of enterprises reported declining revenue over the past four weeks, and half reported rising operating costs. The market widely expects that after raising rates at all three meetings earlier this year, the Reserve Bank of Australia will hold the cash rate unchanged at 4.35% in June. Sue-Ellen Luke, head of price statistics at the Australian Bureau of Statistics, said: "Automotive fuel prices currently remain 23.5% higher than before the outbreak of the Middle East conflict. The impact of rising oil prices is also reflected in goods and services with higher transportation and logistics costs." (Jin10 Data) Data: Today will see the release of the RBNZ interest rate decision as of May 27, Switzerland's May ZEW Investor Confidence Index, US weekly ADP employment change for the week ending May 9, and the US May Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index, among other data. In addition, attention should be paid to: Bank of Japan 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 Breman holding a monetary policy press conference. Crude oil: As of 11:38, both benchmarks declined, with WTI down 2.03% and Brent down 1.75%. Oil prices fell in Asian early trading as traders weighed the prospects of a US-Iran deal. Front-month Brent crude declined. Despite a resurgence in hostilities, hopes remain for an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran signaled that the attacks would not derail negotiations, while US Secretary of State Rubio said it would take a few days to finalise a potential deal. Uncertainty remains high. Kieran Tomkins of Capital Economics noted that while crude oil options data suggest investors expect prices to pull back over the next three months, their conviction is unusually low. He said options indicate investors see a swift resumption of supply through the strait as the most likely outcome, but their implied expectations suggest a 37% probability that oil prices will exceed $100 per barrel in three months. (Zhitong Finance) On the evening of May 26 local time, the Public Relations Department of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced that over the past 24 hours, 25 vessels including oil tankers, container ships, and other commercial vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz with permission, under the coordination and security guarantee of the IRGC Navy. Meanwhile, the IRGC Navy stated that it is exercising "effective and authoritative" control over the Strait of Hormuz, and any act of aggression will be met with a severe response. (CCTV News) (Jin10 Data APP) Spot market overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

SMM May 13 News: Metals market: As of the midday close, base metals in the domestic market generally rose. SHFE copper gained 1.63%. SHFE aluminum rose 0.3%. SHFE lead fell 0.15%. SHFE zinc gained 1.46%. SHFE tin rose 0.08%. SHFE nickel edged down. In addition, the most-traded casting aluminum futures rose 0.15%, the most-traded alumina futures fell 0.71%. The most-traded lithium carbonate futures fell 3.55%. The most-traded silicon metal futures fell 2.74%. The most-traded polysilicon futures fell 0.62%. Ferrous metals mostly fell. Iron ore was flat at 817.5 yuan/mt. Rebar fell 0.7%. Hot-rolled coil fell 0.57%. Stainless steel rose 0.16%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract fell 2.51%, and the most-traded coke contract fell 1.28%. Overseas base metals, as of 11:41, LME metals rose across the board. LME copper gained 0.6%. LME aluminum rose 0.24%. LME zinc gained 0.4%. LME lead rose 0.3%. LME tin gained 1.29%. LME nickel rose 0.87%. Precious metals, as of 11:41, COMEX gold rose 0.48%, and COMEX silver gained 1.99%. Domestic precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold contract fell 0.55%, and the most-traded SHFE silver contract rose 1.1%. In addition, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures edged down, and the most-traded palladium futures fell 1.03%. As of the midday close, the most-traded Europe containerized freight index contract rose 3.17%, closing at 2,539.5 points. As of 11:41 on May 13, midday futures quotes for selected contracts: Spot and Fundamentals Copper: Looking ahead to tomorrow, copper prices continue to fluctuate at highs, downstream purchasing sentiment remains subdued, intraday buying and selling sentiment both pulled back, and spot discounts continued to widen. According to SMM, downstream orders continued to decline from the previous day... Macro Front [China-US Economic and Trade Consultations Begin in South Korea] At noon local time on May 13, the economic and trade teams of China and the US began China-US economic and trade consultations at Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea. (Xinhua) Domestic: [PBOC Reverse Repo Operations Achieved Net Withdrawal of 25.5 Billion Yuan on the Day] The PBOC conducted 500 million yuan of 7-day reverse repo operations today. As 26 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repos matured today, a net withdrawal of 25.5 billion yuan was achieved on the day. US dollar: As of 11:41, the US dollar index rose 0.01%, at 98.31. The US CPI rose faster than expected in April, further intensifying concerns about the impact of inflation on the US economy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Tuesday that, after seasonal adjustment, the overall CPI rose 0.6% MoM and 3.8% YoY. The monthly increase was in line with expectations, but the YoY increase was 0.1 percentage point higher than market expectations. Core CPI, excluding food and energy, rose 0.4% and 2.8% respectively, indicating that although inflation remained well above the US Fed's 2% target, pressure mainly came from non-core areas, especially energy. Energy prices rose 3.8%, once again becoming one of the main drivers of rising inflation; food prices also rose 0.5%. For the full year, energy prices rose 17.9% and food prices rose 3.2%. Gasoline price index was up 28.4% YoY. Although energy, especially gasoline, was the main news focus, inflationary pressures also came from multiple other areas. Housing costs rose 0.6%, tariff-sensitive apparel prices rose 0.6%, airfares rose 2.8% with a YoY increase of 20.7%. Tariffs also appeared to have affected other areas, with household furnishings and related expenditures rising 0.7%. (Jin10 Data) According to the CME "Fed Watch": the probability of the US Fed maintaining rates unchanged through June was 97.1%, with a 2.9% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point interest rate cut. The probability of the US Fed maintaining rates unchanged through July was 96%, with a 3.9% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point interest rate cut. (Jin10 Data) A CITIC Securities research report stated that US April inflation continued to run hot, the spillover effects of the Middle East conflict persisted, and compensatory increases in rent inflation pushed up core readings. High inflation continued to erode the real purchasing power of US households, with low-income households facing stronger cost shocks, and real hourly wages YoY turned negative for the first time in three years. We believe the risk of a second wave of US inflation is relatively small, but high oil prices will constrain the room for inflation to pull back within the year. Under the base case scenario, the US Fed is still expected to cut interest rate by 25bps within the year. US Treasuries are currently more suited for trading opportunities. After the strong earnings season nears its conclusion, US equities should be watched for short-term risks of profit-taking. The US dollar index may remain in the doldrums below 100 rather than on a sustained downtrend. Other currencies: According to a latest estimate by the OECD, the Bank of Japan's benchmark interest rate is expected to reach 2% by the end of 2027. The report noted that, assuming inflation remains around 2%, the current interest rate is still close to the lower bound of the neutral rate range for the economy. The report also recommended that the Bank of Japan should continue to gradually raise interest rates to prevent the economy from overheating. The Bank of Japan previously estimated that Japan's nominal neutral interest rate was between 1.1% and 2.5%, but noted that there was significant uncertainty regarding the specific level. (Jin10 Data) On the macro front: Data to be released today include France's Q1 ILO unemployment rate, France's April CPI MoM final reading, eurozone Q1 GDP YoY revised reading, eurozone Q1 seasonally adjusted employment QoQ final reading, eurozone March industrial output MoM, US April PPI YoY, and US April PPI MoM. In addition, attention should be paid to: Chicago Fed President Goolsbee participating in a Q&A session hosted by a local chamber of commerce; 2028 FOMC voter and Boston Fed President Collins delivering a speech at the Boston Economic Club; Vice Premier He Lifeng leading a delegation to South Korea from May 12–13 for trade consultations with the US side; and US President Trump's state visit to China. Crude oil: As of 11:41, oil prices in both markets fell, with WTI down 1.03% and Brent down 1.06%. Iran presented its "entry ticket" for nuclear talks with the US, including unfreezing assets and recognizing sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump stated: "When negotiating with Iran, I don't consider the financial situation of the American people. I don't consider anyone." Meanwhile, the US Secretary of Defense said the Iran ceasefire agreement remained in effect. (Jin10 Data) American Petroleum Institute (API) data showed that US crude oil inventory fell for the fourth consecutive week last week, while gasoline inventory increased. US API crude oil inventory for the week ending May 8 was -2.188 million barrels, versus expectations of -1.654 million barrels and a prior reading of -8.141 million barrels. US API gasoline inventory for the week ending May 8 was 502,000 barrels, versus expectations of -2.549 million barrels and a prior reading of -6.107 million barrels. The EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook report indicated that if the Strait of Hormuz were closed through the end of June, crude oil prices would be $20/barrel higher than the current forecast, which assumes reopening by the end of May. (Jin10 Data) Spot Market Overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

SMM May 8: Metals market: As of the midday close, base metals on the domestic market mostly fell. SHFE copper dropped 0.21%. SHFE aluminum edged down. SHFE lead fell 0.86%, SHFE zinc rose 0.39%. SHFE tin gained 0.65%. SHFE nickel dropped 2.46%. In addition, the most-traded casting aluminum futures fell 0.2%, the most-traded alumina contract dropped 1.29%. The most-traded lithium carbonate contract rose 0.16%. The most-traded silicon metal contract fell 0.72%. The most-traded polysilicon futures dropped 1.91%. Ferrous metals mostly rose. Iron ore gained 0.25%, rebar rose 0.34%, hot-rolled coil edged up 0.03%, and stainless steel fell 2.45%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract rose 0.12%, and the most-traded coke contract fell 0.41%. Overseas base metals, as of 11:38, LME metals nearly all declined. LME copper rose 0.19%. LME aluminum and LME zinc edged down, LME lead fell 0.66%. LME tin dropped 1.26%. LME nickel fell 1.39%. Precious metals, as of 11:38, COMEX gold rose 0.39%, COMEX silver gained 0.22%. Domestic precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold contract rose 0.19%, the most-traded SHFE silver contract gained 2.73%. In addition, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures fell 1.5%, and the most-traded palladium futures dropped 2.56%. As of the midday close, the most-traded Europe containerized freight index contract rose 2.65%, closing at 2,351.4 points. As of 11:38 on May 8, midday futures quotes for selected contracts: Spot and fundamentals Copper: Today, #1 copper cathode spot prices against the front-month contract in North China were reported at an average discount of 200 yuan/mt to a discount of 120 yuan/mt, with the average discount at 160 yuan/mt, down 10 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. The average transaction price was 102,540 yuan/mt, down 90 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Macro front Domestic: [MIIT Approved Trial Frequencies for Sixth-Generation Mobile Communication System Technology] To further advance China's 6G technology R&D, standard development, and industrialisation, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently approved 6G trial frequency licenses in the 6GHz band to the IMT-2030 (6G) Promotion Group, supporting it in conducting 6G technology trials in selected regions. The trials target the typical scenarios and key performance indicators identified by the International Telecommunication Union for 6G, carrying out technology R&D and testing verification. (Wallstreetcn) The PBOC conducted 500 million yuan of 7-day reverse repo operations in the open market, with the operation rate at 1.40%, unchanged from the previous day. No reverse repo matured today. US dollar: As of 11:38, the US dollar index fell 0.06% to 98.21. Data released by the US Department of Labor on Thursday showed that for the week ending May 2, initial jobless claims rose by 10,000 from the previous week to 200,000, below Bloomberg economists' survey expectations of 205,000. The previous week, the figure had fallen to its lowest level since 1969. (Wall Street CN) New York Fed President Williams said on Thursday that demand for US Treasuries remained strong despite the government's massive borrowing. Williams said the US Fed was watching the government's extremely high borrowing levels "very closely." He noted that while it might be surprising, demand for US Treasuries remained "enormous," and "the US is still seen as the strongest economy in the world" and an ideal safe haven for capital, "even with all the geopolitical issues and other factors, that hasn't changed." Williams also said the US economy had shown considerable resilience in the face of the energy shock triggered by the Middle East war. He said given the surge in energy prices, "the biggest question" was how things would develop, adding that regarding inflation that continued to stay high, the US Fed would "make sure" and work to bring inflation back down to the 2% target. (Jin10 Data) According to the CME "Fed Watch": the probability of the US Fed holding rates unchanged through June was 96.4%, with a cumulative 25-basis-point interest rate cut probability of 3.6%. The probability of the US Fed holding rates unchanged through July was 90.2%, with a cumulative 25-basis-point interest rate cut probability of 9.5% and a cumulative 50-basis-point interest rate cut probability of 0.2%. (Jin10 Data) Data: Data to be released today include the US April unemployment rate, US April seasonally adjusted nonfarm payrolls, US April average hourly earnings year-over-year, US April average hourly earnings month-over-month, US May preliminary one-year inflation rate expectations, US May preliminary University of Michigan consumer sentiment index, US March wholesale sales month-over-month, Germany March seasonally adjusted industrial output month-over-month, Germany March seasonally adjusted trade balance, Switzerland April consumer confidence index, UK April Halifax seasonally adjusted house price index month-over-month, and Canada April employment figures. In addition, China's refined oil products will enter a new round of price adjustment window. 2026 FOMC voter and Minneapolis Fed President Kashkari will participate in a fireside chat, 2026 FOMC voter and Cleveland Fed President Hammack will deliver a speech, permanent FOMC voter and New York Fed President Williams will deliver a speech, Fed Governor Lisa Cook will deliver a speech, and Bank of England Governor Bailey will deliver a speech on global imbalances. Crude oil: As of 11:38, oil prices in both markets rose, with WTI up 0.9% and Brent up 1.15%. A conflict erupted between the US and Iran near the strait, with the Strait of Hormuz crisis escalating sharply, and market concerns over crude oil supply supported oil prices. In addition, IEA Executive Director Birol stated that the IEA has so far released only about 20% of its total oil reserves and is "prepared to act again" if necessary. US President Trump stated that there is no need to restrict US oil or jet fuel exports. "We don't need them," Trump told reporters in Washington on Thursday. "And we have massive amounts of oil." The blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane, has significantly increased US energy exports, enabling the US to surpass Saudi Arabia as the world's largest crude oil exporter. However, experts have been warning that US supply buffer capacity is nearing its limits, and it remains unclear how long exports at this level can be sustained. Trump dismissed such concerns and praised the surge in exports. "Ships are turning around from routes that used to head to the Strait of Hormuz," he said. "Hundreds of ships are heading to Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska, loading up and heading back, making a fortune." (Jin10 Data) Spot market overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

SMM May 8 News: Metals market: Overnight base metals showed mixed performance across domestic and overseas markets. LME zinc led the gains with a 1.1% rise, SHFE tin rose 0.76%, LME aluminum fell 1.34%, LME tin fell 1.25%, and the remaining metals posted % changes within 1%. The alumina most-traded contract fell 0.03%, while the foundry aluminum most-traded contract rose 0.02%. Overnight ferrous metals: stainless steel fell 0.97% to lead the declines, iron ore temporarily settled flat at 815 yuan/mt, and rebar rose 0.4%. Coking coal and coke showed mixed performance, with coking coal up 0.46% and coke down 0.11%. Overnight precious metals: COMEX gold rose 0.04% and COMEX silver rose 2.09%. In China, SHFE gold rose 0.12% and SHFE silver rose 2.49%. PBOC: China's gold reserves stood at 74.64 million ounces (approximately 2,321.56 mt) at the end of April, up 260,000 ounces (approximately 8.09 mt) MoM from 74.38 million ounces (approximately 2,313.48 mt) at the end of March, marking the 18th consecutive month of gold accumulation. (Jin10 Data APP) As of 6:43 AM on May 8, overnight closing prices: Macro Front China: [Domestic tourism during this year's Labour Day holiday reached 325 million trips, up 3.6% YoY] During the Labour Day holiday, domestic tourism reached 325 million trips nationwide, up 3.6% YoY; total domestic tourism spending was 185.492 billion yuan, up 2.9% YoY. (CCTV News) (Jin10 Data APP) [MOFCOM spokesperson answered reporters' questions on the EU's ban on funding projects using Chinese inverters] According to media reports, EU officials stated that the EU will ban funding for projects using inverters from China and other "high-risk countries." When asked for China's comment, the MOFCOM spokesperson said China has noted the relevant reports. Without any actual evidence, the EU for the first time designated China as a so-called "high-risk country" and used this as a pretext to ban funding for projects using Chinese inverters. This constitutes stigmatization of China and imposes unfair and discriminatory treatment on Chinese products. China rejects and firmly opposes this. China urges the EU to immediately stop stigmatizing China by labeling it a "high-risk country" and to revoke the unfair and discriminatory practices against Chinese products. China will closely monitor and carefully assess the impact of EU policies on the interests of Chinese enterprises and China-EU industrial and supply chains, and will take measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises. (MOFCOM) (Jin10 Data APP) US dollar: As of the overnight close, the US dollar index rose 0.27% to 98.28. New York Fed President Williams said on Thursday that demand for US Treasuries remained strong despite the government's massive borrowing. Williams said the US Fed was watching the government's extremely high borrowing levels "very closely." He noted that while it may be surprising, demand for US Treasuries remained "enormous," and "the US is still seen as the strongest economy in the world" and an ideal safe haven for capital, "even with all the geopolitical issues and other factors, that hasn't changed." Williams also said the US economy had shown considerable resilience amid the energy shock triggered by the Middle East war. He said that given surging energy prices, "the biggest question" was how the situation would evolve, adding that regarding inflation that continued to stay high, the US Fed would "make sure" and commit to bringing inflation back down to the 2% target. (Jin10 Data APP) San Francisco Fed President Daly downplayed the divergence in the US Fed's statement, suggesting she would not dissent like some of her colleagues. She said the wording of the statement was less important than actions, and the real signal from the meeting was the unanimous agreement on the decision. Last month, three officials objected to language hinting at future interest rate cuts, arguing that the energy shock and uncertainty from the Iran war made a signal that "rates could go up or down" more appropriate. Daly, who does not have a vote this year, said the public understood the US Fed's price stability mandate. Daly said there were no signs yet that energy prices were pushing up medium- or long-term inflation expectations. "It's too early to tell. If the conflict ends and oil prices pull back without transmitting to the broader economy, the fundamental dynamics from before the conflict are expected to return." She was committed to achieving the 2% inflation target but should not overreact to the expected duration of the energy shock. She said policy was "slightly restrictive," and if the war were resolved, it would pose downward pressure on inflation; the labour market was stable and not generating inflationary pressure. (Jin10 Data APP) [US Fed's Kashkari: Next interest rate move uncertain due to Iran conflict] Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari said the Middle East conflict had added uncertainty to the interest rate outlook. "Given the uncertainty surrounding the Iran war, I actually don't know what's going to happen," Kashkari said at an event in Marquette, Michigan. "If the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for an extended period, the next interest rate move could very well need to be upward." (Wallstreetcn) According to CME "FedWatch": the probability of the US Fed holding rates unchanged through June was 96.4%, with a 3.6% probability of a cumulative 25 bps interest rate cut. The probability of holding rates unchanged through July was 90.2%, with a 9.5% probability of a cumulative 25 bps cut and a 0.2% probability of a cumulative 50 bps cut. (Jin10 Data APP) Macro: Data to be released today include: US April unemployment rate, US April seasonally adjusted non-farm payrolls, US April average hourly earnings YoY, US April average hourly earnings MoM, US May preliminary one-year inflation expectations, US May preliminary University of Michigan consumer sentiment index, US March wholesale sales MoM, Germany March seasonally adjusted industrial output MoM, Germany March seasonally adjusted trade balance, Switzerland April consumer confidence index, UK April Halifax seasonally adjusted house price index MoM, and Canada April employment figures. In addition, a new round of domestic refined oil price adjustments will open. 2026 FOMC voter and Minneapolis Fed President Kashkari will participate in a fireside chat; 2026 FOMC voter and Cleveland Fed President Hammack will deliver a speech; FOMC permanent voter and New York Fed President Williams will deliver a speech; US Fed Governor Lisa Cook will deliver a speech; and Bank of England Governor Bailey will speak on global imbalances. Crude oil: As of the overnight close, oil prices on both markets rose, with WTI up 2.71% and Brent up 2.13%. Citi's global head of commodities research Max Layton said oil prices would continue to swing wildly until there was clarity on whether Iran and Trump could reach a deal. "It's hard to predict whether Iran will reach a deal, and in an environment where you simply don't know whether a deal will be reached, the market is inevitably news-driven and will experience wild swings." Crude oil fell for a third consecutive trading day on Thursday. Layton said the decline was partly driven by "the market's hope that the two sides could begin deal negotiations." However, physical crude oil market pressures in the Middle East persisted. Traders said that a key crude oil loading terminal in Oman, outside the Strait of Hormuz, experienced loading delays in April, disrupting shipping plans and potentially delaying deliveries to buyers. Layton said the global physical crude oil market had accumulated "quite substantial buffer inventory" of approximately 700 million to 800 million barrels over the past 12 months. "We are burning through this inventory rapidly," he said, but the impact would "manifest gradually over a longer period." He added that before actually lowering oil price forecasts, he needed to see whether Iran was ready to seriously reach a deal with the US. Last month, after the second round of US-Iran peace talks failed to take place, Citi raised its Brent crude benchmark price forecast by $15 to $110/barrel and pushed back its baseline expectation for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz from mid-to-late April to the end of May. (Jin10 Data APP) International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol said the agency was prepared to release more crude oil from its strategic reserves if war-induced supply disruptions persisted. He added that the agency had so far released 20% of its available oil reserves to ease rising prices. Releasing additional crude oil onto the international market would limit demand for US crude at all levels. Demand side, Marathon's refinery in Carson, California reported that it planned to conduct flaring activities from May 8 to May 12 due to maintenance work. (Wallstreetcn)

China's March silver (unwrought silver ingots with purity ≥99.99%, HS code 71069110) imports reached 398.62 mt, up 93% MoM, fulfilling expectations of rising silver ingot imports. Cumulative imports from January to March 2026 totaled 639.91 mt, surging 5,346% from 11.75 mt in the same period of 2025. Historical Comparison: Similarities and Differences Between Two Import Windows Historically, in 2023, surging PV demand widened silver price spreads in and outside China, and silver imports grew significantly (imports in June 2023 surged 5,329%). The similarity between this round and the historical pattern lies in the short-term surge in PV industry demand — in 2023, it was driven by the scaled-up commissioning of silver powder and silver paste capacity, while in 2026, it was driven by PV export rush stockpiling. Both were underpinned by rigid demand for industrial physical silver. The difference is that in 2026, precious metals experienced a rare bull market driven by both industrial demand and interest rate cut cycles. Retail investment demand exacerbated industrial raw material shortages, and China's spot silver ingot market saw significant premiums, boosting physical import profitability. In addition to silver ingots, silver-containing products and crude silver raw materials also entered China in large volumes as semi-manufactured products, which were then processed into silver ingots for circulation. Drivers of the Import Surge This Round 1. PV Export Rush Stockpiling Solar cell and module manufacturers needed to complete order deliveries before the export tax rebate cancellation on April 1. Intermediate processing segments stockpiled large volumes of raw materials in Q1, with certain manufacturers being the core drivers of the industrial import surge. 2. Retail Investment Demand Against the macro backdrop of global interest rate cuts, US debt crisis concerns, and safe-haven demand in Q1, gold and silver became important asset allocation options, with silver gaining popularity as a "gold alternative." After gold prices repeatedly hit new highs, small-denomination investment silver bars were heavily traded as alternatives to high-priced gold investments. 3. Sustained Arbitrage Window Domestic silver prices, driven by robust demand, were significantly higher than London spot prices. Stable SHFE silver premiums prompted global traders to ship silver to China for arbitrage. Some silver ingots exported through China's processing trade were not shipped to Europe or the US but were instead re-imported by traders directly into the Shenzhen market, forming a unique "export-to-domestic sales" pathway. Q2 Outlook: Pulse-Like Rally Fades Entering Q2, the explosive import growth is expected to be unsustainable. Although China's silver prices still carried a premium over London, physical demand and spot premiums had shifted, with some traders' imported silver ingots already experiencing sluggish sales in late March. The demand side weakened simultaneously. Both industrial and investment demand in China declined, and the spot market softened further. After the PV export rush ended, silver nitrate manufacturers' purchasing enthusiasm dropped sharply; silver prices moving sideways and uncertainty over Middle East conflicts cooled investment enthusiasm, with funds previously flowing into the precious metals market redirected to high-momentum markets such as the US dollar, US Treasuries, and crude oil. China's silver ingot market transitioned from "scarce supply" in April to "trading at discounts with no takers," and as month-end approached, suppliers were forced to cut premiums for bulk shipments or transfer inventory to participate in SHFE deliveries. Profit margins were sharply compressed. The spot premiums, which peaked at 3,650 yuan/kg in February, had pulled back to near parity by April. Some suppliers sold at discounts due to cash flow needs, import silver ingot profits declined significantly, and the arbitrage window disappeared. Overall, the record-breaking silver imports in Q1 were a "pulse-like" rally driven by both retail investment fever and PV export rush stockpiling. As both drivers faded simultaneously, combined with assessments of actual trade market orders, imports in April are expected to pull back.

China's imports of silver (unwrought silver ingots with purity ≥99.99%, HS code 71069110) reached 398.62 mt in March, up 93% MoM from February, fulfilling expectations that silver ingot imports would maintain their upward momentum. Total silver imports from January to March 2026 reached 639.91 mt, up 5,346% YoY compared with 11.75 mt in Q1 2025. Historically, against the backdrop of a sharp increase in demand from China's PV industry in 2023, the price gap between the Chinese and international silver markets gradually widened, and silver imports also surged significantly. () The similarity between this round of silver ingot import window opening and the historical one lies in the short-term surge in PV industry demand — 2023 marked the initial large-scale commissioning of silver powder and silver paste capacity, while 2026 saw short-term stockpiling demand driven by the PV export rush. Behind both import windows was rigid demand for physical silver in industrial production. The difference, however, is that in 2026, precious metals experienced a rare bull market driven by both industrial demand and the interest rate cut cycle, with retail investment demand further tightening already scarce industrial raw materials. As a result, significant spot premiums emerged in China's spot silver ingot market, boosting profits from physical imports. It is understood that in addition to silver ingots, silver-containing products and crude silver raw materials also entered the Chinese market in large quantities as semi-manufactured products for further processing into silver ingots and market circulation. Specifically, the driving factors behind this round of import surge were: 1. PV industry export rush stockpiling Solar cell and module manufacturers needed to complete order deliveries before the export tax rebate cancellation on April 1, leading to massive raw material stockpiling by midstream processing firms in Q1, with some individual manufacturers being the core drivers of the industrial import surge. 2. Retail investment demand: Against the macro backdrop of global interest rate cuts, US debt crisis concerns, and safe-haven demand in Q1, gold and silver became important asset allocation options, with silver gaining popularity as a "gold alternative." After gold prices repeatedly hit new highs, small-denomination investment silver bars were heavily traded as an alternative to high-priced gold. 3. Sustained arbitrage window Driven by robust demand, Chinese silver prices were significantly higher than London spot prices. With stable SHFE silver premiums, global traders were incentivized to ship silver to China for arbitrage. Even silver ingots exported through China's processing trade were not shipped to Europe or the US but were instead re-imported by traders directly into the Shenzhen market, forming a unique "export-to-domestic-sales" pathway. Q2 outlook: Entering Q2, the explosive growth in silver ingot imports is unlikely to sustain. Although Chinese silver ingots still carry a premium over London prices, demand for physical silver ingots and spot premiums have changed, with some traders' imported silver ingots already experiencing sluggish sales since late March. On one hand, domestic industrial and investment demand declined simultaneously, and the spot market weakened further. After the PV export rush orders ended, silver nitrate manufacturers' purchasing enthusiasm dropped sharply. Additionally, as silver prices moved sideways and uncertainties from Middle East conflicts dampened precious metals investment sentiment, funds that had previously flowed into the precious metals market shifted back to high-momentum markets such as US dollar, US Treasuries, and crude oil. Chinese silver ingots gradually transitioned from "hard to find" in April to "trading at discounts with no buyers." Approaching month-end, suppliers began lowering premiums to offload inventory or transfer stock for SHFE delivery. On the other hand, import profit margins were significantly compressed, mainly because spot premiums, which peaked at 3,650 yuan/kg in February, had pulled back to near parity by April. Some suppliers even sold at discounts due to cash flow needs, causing import silver ingot profits to decline sharply and the arbitrage window to close. Overall, the record-breaking silver imports in Q1 this year were a "pulse-like" event driven by both retail investment enthusiasm and PV stockpiling rush. As both driving factors fade simultaneously, combined with an assessment of actual import order performance in the trade market, imports in April are expected to pull back.

SMM April 17 News: Metals Market: Overnight, domestic base metals generally rose. SHFE copper fell 0.06%. SHFE aluminum rose 0.97%, SHFE lead fell 0.98%. SHFE zinc rose 0.08%. SHFE tin rose 0.05%. SHFE nickel rose 0.11%. In addition, the most-traded alumina futures rose 0.42%, and the most-traded casting aluminum futures rose 0.72%. Overnight, ferrous metals all rose. Iron ore rose 0.45%, stainless steel rose 1.39%, rebar rose 0.42%, and hot-rolled coil rose 0.33%. Coking coal and coke: coking coal rose 0.28%, coke rose 0.74%. Overnight, overseas metals generally rose. LME copper fell 0.26%. LME aluminum rose 0.55%, LME lead fell 0.99%. LME zinc rose 0.6%. LME tin rose 1.31%. LME nickel rose 0.41%. Overnight Precious Metals : COMEX gold fell 0.26%, COMEX silver fell 1.47%. Overnight SHFE gold rose 0.17%, SHFE silver fell 1.43%. As of 7:02 AM on April 17, overnight closing prices: Macro Front China: [Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development: Launching 2026 Central Fiscal Support for Urban Renewal Action] The General Office of the Ministry of Finance and the General Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development issued a notice on launching the 2026 central fiscal support for urban renewal action. The notice stated that the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development will select, through competitive evaluation, certain cities with strong foundational conditions, high enthusiasm, and distinctive features, to integrate various resources at the city level, explore the establishment of guarantee mechanisms for funding, land use, finance, and other key factors, and form a coordinated effort. The central government will provide fixed-amount subsidies to selected cities. Selected cities will formulate urban renewal work plans, coordinate the use of central and local funds, significantly improve urban infrastructure levels, enhance the living environment in old districts, refine laws and regulations, planning standards, investment and financing mechanisms, and related supporting policies, and explore replicable and scalable mechanisms and models for urban renewal. In 2026, the scope of central fiscal support for urban renewal covers prefecture-level and above cities, with no more than 15 cities to be selected. [State Administration for Market Regulation: Dynamically Adjusting CCC Certification Catalog to Avoid Low-Price, Low-Quality Involution-Style Competition] The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) deployed a nationwide special campaign to safeguard the bottom line of CCC certification, strengthening CCC certification supervision across the entire chain and in all dimensions to create a safe and reassuring consumer environment. Compulsory product certification, commonly known as CCC certification, is a conformity assessment system with market access nature established by the Chinese government in accordance with WTO rules and international practices. Products listed in the CCC certification catalog must obtain certification before they can be shipped, imported, or sold. This special campaign emphasized strictness. Comprehensive supervisory inspections will be conducted on designated certification bodies, focusing on key areas such as power banks, e-bikes, and gas-burning appliances, with effectiveness spot checks. The campaign will further advance the pilot reform of CCC certification marks, precisely crack down on fraudulent CCC certification marks, and strengthen product quality responsibility traceability. A SAMR official stated that, to further strengthen source governance of product quality and safety, the CCC certification catalog will be optimized with dynamic management, and research will be conducted to bring products involving industrial safety, public safety, and personal health safety under CCC certification management. In response to issues arising after some products in the CCC certification catalog adopted self-declaration evaluation, such as some enterprises failing to fulfill quality responsibilities and false commitments leading to declining product quality, SAMR has switched 16 product categories, including small-power motors and automotive safety glass, to third-party certification management. Certification and detection institutions are required to conduct cost accounting and charge reasonable fees based on publicly disclosed standards after accounting, to avoid low-price, low-quality involution-style competition. (CCTV News) [National Energy Administration Deploys Nationwide Special Campaign to Improve Power Supply Quality] Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration issued a notice, organizing local government departments, power grid enterprises, user enterprises, industry associations, and other parties to work in coordination. Focusing on new requirements for power supply quality arising from the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, the cultivation and expansion of emerging industries, and the forward-looking development of future industries, the campaign centers on addressing key issues such as voltage sags. Targeting full coverage of terminal monitoring for new quality productive forces-related enterprises sensitive to power quality, and significantly reducing the impact of voltage sags on key power supply lines on the production and operations of new quality productive forces-related enterprises, a series of specific measures were proposed. The special campaign for power supply quality improvement will be implemented over three years, with all tasks to be fully completed by the end of 2028, driving stronger power supply assurance capabilities for high-quality development of new quality productive forces, broader coverage, more effective support, and more efficient service response, striving to address the "lingering concerns" of new quality productive forces development and providing safer and more efficient energy and power support for high-quality economic and social development. (National Energy Administration) [Chinese Research Team Pioneers Green Extraction Technology for Critical Metals] A research team composed of Researcher Gao Jun and Professor Li Chaoxu from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the National Key Laboratory of Solar Energy Photoelectric Conversion and Utilization, together with Researcher Jiang Lei from the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, successfully developed a universal heavy metal ion membrane separation method inspired by biological calcium ion channels. This method can efficiently, greenly, and selectively extract uranium, copper, gold, and other heavy metal resources critical to new energy, and is expected to solve the long-standing challenges of high pollution, low efficiency, and high energy consumption in traditional heavy metal resource extraction technologies. (CCTV News) [Nanjing: Expanding Housing Provident Fund Cross-Regional Loan Coverage to All of Anhui Province] The Nanjing Housing Provident Fund Management Center issued a notice to optimize housing provident fund usage policies. It specified that the scope of housing provident fund cross-regional loans will be expanded to cover all of Anhui province. Building on the existing 17 cities in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, the cross-regional loan coverage will be extended to all of Anhui province. Housing provident fund contributors in all 29 cities across Jiangsu and Anhui provinces can apply for housing provident fund loans from the Nanjing Housing Provident Fund Management Center when purchasing property in Nanjing. Nanjing housing provident fund contributors purchasing owner-occupied housing in any city in Anhui province can process housing provident fund purchase withdrawals and loan repayment withdrawals in accordance with Nanjing's relevant policies, without restrictions based on the contributor's workplace or household registration location. [Zhengzhou: Adjusting the Upper Age Limit for Housing Provident Fund Personal Housing Loan Borrowers] The Zhengzhou Housing Provident Fund Management Center issued a notice on adjusting the upper age limit for housing provident fund personal housing loan borrowers. After deliberation, it was decided to adjust the upper age limit. For employees with delayed retirement applying for housing provident fund personal housing loans, subject to a maximum loan term of no more than 30 years, the loan maturity age for males is extended from the original 65 to 68, and for females from the original 60 to 63. This notice takes effect from the date of issuance. Matters not covered herein shall be governed by existing policies, and where the state has other provisions, those provisions shall prevail. US Dollar: Overnight, the US dollar index rose 0.12% to 98.2. US Fed Governor Miran stated that, given the inflation situation that existed before the Middle East conflict, he may again lower his interest rate cut expectations for this year. Miran said: "If I were writing my dot on the dot plot now, I would lean toward 3 cuts, maybe 4. I haven't decided yet." In March, Miran projected four 25-basis-point interest rate cuts this year, but he indicated that the pace of cuts could slow down as price trends became "less favorable." Former US Treasury Secretary Paulson called on the US government to develop a contingency plan to prevent a potential collapse in demand for US Treasuries. He warned that such a scenario would have "extremely serious" consequences. Paulson said: "We need an emergency response plan that is targeted and short-term, prepared in advance, and ready to be activated once a tipping point is reached." Paulson noted that if the $31 trillion US Treasury market were to malfunction, it would be fundamentally different from the financial crisis he dealt with during his tenure two decades ago. "It was already bad then, but the government still had fiscal space to address the credit crisis. But if a US public debt crisis occurs, hitting a tipping point where the government tries to issue Treasuries but the US Fed is the only buyer, and Treasury prices fall while interest rates rise, that would be a very dangerous situation." For years, US budget experts have warned of a potential "doom loop": as government debt continues to expand, investors demand higher yields, driving up government interest expenses and further widening the fiscal deficit. In an extreme scenario, if the Treasury cannot raise enough funds to pay interest or principal, the market generally believes the US Fed would have to step in as an emergency buyer. Paulson said, "Once it happens, the shock will be very severe, so we must be prepared for this possibility." According to the CME FedWatch tool: the probability of a 25-basis-point rate hike by the US Fed in April was 0.5%, with a 99.5% probability of holding rates unchanged. The probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate cut by June was 1.4%, with a 98% probability of holding rates unchanged and a 0.5% probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate hike. (Jin10 Data) Additionally, on the data front, US initial jobless claims fell last week, indicating that labour market conditions remained stable, although employers remained cautious about hiring new workers as the Middle East conflict cast a shadow over the economy. The latest data showed that US initial jobless claims for the week ending April 11 fell by 11,000 to 207,000, below the market expectation of 215,000. Initial jobless claims this year have remained within the range of 201,000 to 230,000. While layoffs remained low, the oil price shock from the US-Israeli war against Iran may have hindered hiring. Economists noted that the labour market had already been in a state of stagnation before the war broke out, attributing it to the uncertainty brought by Trump's sweeping import tariffs and mass deportations. Economists said the Middle East conflict was just another layer of uncertainty for businesses. (Jin10 Data) Macro Front: Today, data including the eurozone February seasonally adjusted current account and the eurozone February seasonally adjusted trade balance will be released. Also worth watching: 2027 FOMC voter and San Francisco Fed President Daly will deliver a speech. Crude Oil: Overnight, both oil futures rose, with WTI up 1.72% and Brent up 3.46%. The market was concerned about whether renewed US-Iran peace negotiations could ease supply disruptions. The US launched an operation codenamed "Economic Fury" against Iran, imposing maximum economic pressure. The Iranian armed forces stated that Iran's military was fully prepared for defense. (Jin10 Data) US President Trump said he expected a deal with Iran to be announced soon, claiming the deal would bring the US "free oil" and "free passage through the Strait of Hormuz." When asked about the economy and oil prices, Trump said current oil prices were lower than previously expected. He said: "If you look at oil prices and what we're paying, it's about half of what people originally expected, provided you do what I had to do." He added: "I think the negotiations are going very well right now. If a deal is reached, it will be announced soon, and it will give us free oil and free passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Everything will be fine. I think oil prices will be even lower than before." (Jin10 Data) CITIC Securities pointed out that the US-Israel-Iran conflict has effectively created three fault lines: oil price shocks on the energy front, physical disruptions on the supply front, and leverage games on the geopolitical front. The market's pricing of oil price shocks largely reflects cost-side pressure transmitting downstream, but this framework follows the old logic of a closed economy. Under global exposure, as ex-China supply capability is impaired by cost-side shocks, Chinese enterprises may see medium and long-term opportunities for margin expansion. As the world shifts from "efficiency first" to "security first," recurring conflicts will inevitably pose ongoing challenges to supply chains. Following three medium and long-term themes—accelerated electrification, order diversion and substitution, and supply chain diplomacy—actively going long on the resilience of China's supply chain will be an important investment theme for global investors to hedge against fluctuations and navigate through cycles.