[SMM Silicone Weekly Review: Downstream Procurement Sentiment in the Silicone Market Remained Cautious, and New Order Transactions Were Relatively Weak] After completing the price increase last week, quoted prices generally remained stable this week, but actual market transactions were relatively weak. Cost side, affected by geopolitical developments, raw material methanol prices held up well, which also provided some support for silicone DMC prices. However, subsequent impacts and changes still require close attention to the extent of raw material price fluctuations and the duration of their effects.

According to SMM, as of February 27, 2026, the days of inventories for domestic aluminum rod plants were recorded at 12.7 days, an increase of 8.6 days from before the holiday.In the first week after the holiday, the weekly operating rate of the domestic aluminum wire and cable industry rebounded to 57%, up 4 percentage points MoM, significantly higher than the pre-holiday low of 53%.

[SMM Analysis: An Overview of the Resumption of Work for Aluminum Plate/Sheet, Strip and Foil Enterprises After the 2026 Chinese New Year] Looking ahead, as the industry moves past the holiday impact following the Lantern Festival, coupled with the approaching peak season of "Golden March and Silver April" and the "rush to export" window brought about by adjustments in battery export tax rebate policies, the operating rate of the industry is expected to steadily rebound in late March.

Against the backdrop of the global automotive industry's accelerated transition toward electrification, intelligence, and low-carbon development, the ASCC 2025 SMM (7th) SMM Automotive Supply Chain Conference & New Material Application Summit will be held from September 3-5, 2025 in Wuhan, Hubei Province . Themed "Dual Circulation at Home and Abroad, Seeking Global Development," this conference will focus on cutting-edge industry trends. It will bring together representatives from global mainstream automakers, leading parts enterprises, and research institutions to engage in in-depth discussions on hot topics such as innovations in three-electric technologies, lightweight material applications, and supply chain globalization. Through diverse formats including thematic seminars and technical exhibitions, the event aims to establish an industrial collaborative innovation platform and contribute to building a more resilient automotive supply chain system. Here, SMM jointly with Fenan Aluminum Industry Co., Ltd. cordially invites industry peers to participate, working together to promote the green and low-carbon transformation of the automotive industry and foster win-win cooperation in the global industry chain. Click the registration form to sign up now. We look forward to meeting you at the conference. Fenan Aluminum Industry Co., Ltd. , established in 1988, specializes in the R&D, production, and manufacturing of aluminum alloy products. Its product portfolio includes industrial aluminum semis, special aluminum semis, 3C consumer electronics aluminum semis, and lightweight automotive aluminum precision processing products. The company operates three production sites: in south China—Fuzhou, Fujian; north China—Jiaozuo, Henan; and western China—Ziyang, Sichuan. It also houses the Fenan Business School and Fenan Aluminum Technology Research Institute, which comprises specialized research centers for special alloy (military) products, automotive lightweighting, PV mounting brackets, 3C consumer electronics aluminum semis, and curtain walls. With over 30 years of expertise in researching new aluminum and aluminum alloy processes and technologies, it provides customers with integrated aluminum product solutions spanning R&D, design, production, and service. Main products: battery trays, battery module end plates, liquid cooling plates, sill beams, bumper beams, auto body structural components, and 3C consumer electronics aluminum semis. Contact Lijie Liao 147 5992 5917 Click here to join the ASCC 2025 SMM (7th) Automotive Supply Chain Conference now SMM Conference Contact Kexin Lou 190 6801 9380 loukexin@smm.cn

So, what was the actual situation of domestic aluminum ingot arrivals during the Labour Day holiday? According to SMM's latest statistics, the actual arrivals in the three regions during the holiday were approximately 56,000 mt, about 16,000 mt less than pre-holiday expectations and about 6,000 mt less than the same period last year. Specifically, the actual arrivals in Wuxi were 18,000 mt, in Foshan were 18,000 mt, and in Gongyi were approximately 20,000 mt, all lower than expected.

Despite the projections based on in-transit data and feedback from multiple sources before the Labour Day holiday that domestic aluminum product arrivals during this year's Labour Day holiday would likely exceed those of the same period last year, attention should be paid to the risk of periodic inventory buildup caused by concentrated arrivals during the holiday. Looking back at the pre-holiday expectations, the Gongyi and Foshan regions were expected to face relatively severe pressure from concentrated arrivals after the holiday, while the Wuxi region would experience relatively milder pressure. So, what was the actual situation of domestic aluminum ingot arrivals during the Labour Day holiday? According to the latest statistics from SMM, the actual arrivals in the three regions during the Labour Day holiday amounted to approximately...

Driven mainly by pre-holiday restocking demand, and with the slower pace of arrivals since the second half of April, coupled with the temporary end of disruptions from imported supplies, the destocking of domestic aluminum ingot inventory accelerated again by the end of April, approaching the 600,000 mt mark, providing a certain degree of upward support for aluminum prices before the holiday. According to SMM statistics, as of April 30, the inventory of aluminum ingots at major domestic consumption hubs stood at 614,000 mt, down 29,000 mt from Monday this week, with a destocking of 44,000 mt WoW from Thursday, and a decrease of 177,000 mt YoY, remaining at a relatively low level compared to the same period in the past three years. In terms of outflows from warehouses...

Driven mainly by restocking demand ahead of the holiday, along with a slower pace of arrivals since the second half of April and a temporary end to disruptions from imported supplies, the destocking of domestic aluminum ingot inventory accelerated again by month-end April, approaching the 600,000 mt mark, providing a certain degree of upward support for aluminum prices ahead of the holiday. According to SMM statistics, as of April 30, the inventory of aluminum ingots in major domestic consumption areas stood at 614,000 mt, down 29,000 mt from Monday this week, with destocking of 44,000 mt WoW from Thursday last week, and a decrease of 177,000 mt YoY, remaining at a low level compared to the same period in the past three years. In terms of outflows from warehouses...

[SMM Weekly Aluminum Price Review: Macro Sentiment Improves, Coupled with Pre-Holiday Destocking, but Imbalance Between Bulls and Bears Still Exists]

【SMM Aluminum Downstream Weekly Survey: Uneven Operating Rates Downstream, Policy Disturbances Accelerate Aluminum Processing Structure Adjustment】This week, the operating rate of leading aluminum downstream processing enterprises in China increased by 0.1 percentage points WoW to 62.5%.