[Shanghai Zinc: SHFE Zinc Futures Prices Fluctuate at Highs, Market Transactions Sluggish] Today, the mainstream transaction prices of #0 zinc were concentrated in the range of 24,880-25,005 yuan/mt, Shuangyan mainstream transactions were at 24,990-25,105 yuan/mt, and #1 zinc mainstream transactions were at 24,810-24,935 yuan/mt. In the morning session, the market offered premiums of 20-40 yuan/mt against the SMM average price for cargoes with invoices dated next month, with no quotes against the futures price yet...

[Ningbo zinc: Downstream players are cautious at high prices, overall trading sluggish] The transaction price of mainstream brand 0# zinc in the Ningbo market was around 24,880-24,965 yuan/mt. Ningbo regular brands offered a premium of 5 yuan/mt against the 2609 contract and a premium of 25 yuan/mt against Shanghai spot zinc. Mainstream sellers in Ningbo were quoting against the 2609 contract...

SMM, July 31 news: Metals market: As of the midday close, base metals in the domestic market mostly rose. SHFE copper rose 0.72%, SHFE aluminum rose 0.23%. SHFE lead fell 0.99%. SHFE zinc rose 0.87%. SHFE tin rose 1.89%. SHFE nickel rose 0.49%. In addition, the most-traded cast aluminum futures contract rose 0.15%, while the most-traded alumina contract fell 0.76%. The most-traded lithium carbonate contract extended the decline from the previous trading day, falling another 3.44%. The most-traded silicon metal contract rose 0.12%. The most-traded polysilicon futures contract rose 0.88%. Ferrous metals mostly fell. Iron ore fell 0.76%, rebar fell 0.5%, hot-rolled coil fell 0.86%. Stainless steel rose 0.41%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract fell 3.48%, and the most-traded coke contract fell 2.93%. For base metals in the overseas market, as of 11:38, LME metals mostly rose. LME copper and LME aluminum edged up, with gains within 0.1%. LME lead fell 0.29%, LME zinc rose 0.35%. LME tin rose 0.1%. LME nickel fell 0.23%. For precious metals, as of 11:38, COMEX gold fell 0.68%, COMEX silver fell 0.74%. For domestic precious metals: SHFE gold rose 0.47%, the most-traded SHFE silver contract rose 0.97%. Additionally, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures contract rose 1.11%, and the most-traded palladium futures contract rose 1.73%. As of the midday close, the most-traded European container shipping futures contract fell 0.23% to 1,722 points. As of 11:38 on July 31, some futures midday quotes: Spot and fundamentals Copper: Today, spot #1 copper cathode in Guangdong against the front-month contract: high-quality copper was quoted at 120 yuan/mt, down 30 yuan/mt from the previous trading day; standard-quality copper was at a premium of 40 yuan/mt, down 40 yuan/mt from the previous trading day; SX-EW copper was at a discount of 20 yuan/mt, down 40 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. The average price of #1 copper cathode in Guangdong was 105,790 yuan/mt, up 335 yuan/mt from the previous trading day; the average price of SX-EW copper was 105,690 yuan/mt, up 330 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Spot market: Guangdong inventory fell for three consecutive days, mainly due to reduced arrivals... Macro front Domestic: [NDRC: Recently working with relevant departments to expeditiously formulate an implementation plan for the strategy of expanding domestic demand, 2026-2030] Zhou Hongwei, deputy director of the Department of National Economy under the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said at a press conference that recently, the NDRC is working with relevant departments to expeditiously formulate an implementation plan for the strategy of expanding domestic demand (2026-2030). Going forward, the NDRC will work with relevant departments to more forcefully and effectively expand domestic demand. [NBS: July manufacturing PMI at 49.2%, business sentiment pulled back somewhat; high-tech manufacturing continued to expand] Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that in July, the manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) was 49.2%, down 1.1 percentage points MoM, with business sentiment pulling back somewhat. In July, the non-manufacturing business activity index was 49.0%, down 1.2 percentage points MoM, indicating a decline in non-manufacturing business sentiment from the previous month. In July, the composite PMI output index was 49.3%, down 1.3 percentage points MoM, suggesting that China's enterprise production and business activities slowed down MoM. Huo Lihui, chief statistician of the NBS Service Survey Center, said that in July, the manufacturing PMI pulled back, while high-tech manufacturing continued to expand. Due to a high base from the rapid growth of the manufacturing sector earlier and the onset of the traditional production off-season for some manufacturing industries, the manufacturing PMI fell to 49.2%. Equipment manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing continued to play a supporting and leading role. The PMIs for equipment manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing were 51.4% and 53.3%, respectively, significantly above the overall manufacturing level, maintaining relatively fast expansion and driving the manufacturing sector towards new and better development; the PMIs for consumer goods and high energy-consuming sectors were 47.8% and 47.0%, down 2.4 and 0.1 percentage points MoM, respectively, reflecting a pullback in business sentiment. [PBOC net injected 45 billion yuan via reverse repos today, open market operations net injected 421.5 billion yuan this week] The PBOC today conducted 134 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repos and 600 billion yuan of overnight reverse repos. With 89 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repos and 600 billion yuan of overnight reverse repos maturing today, a net injection of 45 billion yuan was achieved. This week, the PBOC conducted a total of 1,242 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repos and conducted 600 billion yuan of overnight reverse repos each day from the 29th to the 31st. With a total of 1,020.5 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repos and 400 billion yuan of 1-year MLF maturing this week, a net injection of 421.5 billion yuan was realized. (Jin10 data app) US dollar: As of 11:38, the US dollar index rose 0.24% to 100.22. Data released by the US government on Thursday showed that the US June PCE price index fell 0.1% MoM, the first monthly decline since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, further explaining why the Fed chose to keep rates unchanged this week. The annual PCE inflation rate slowed to 3.7% from the three-year high of 4.1% in May. However, it remains unclear whether inflation will continue to retreat. The cooling of inflation in June was mainly due to lower oil prices after the fragile temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran. The core PCE price index rose 0.1% MoM in June, below market expectations, and the YoY growth rate fell to 3.3% from 3.4%. The Fed considers the PCE price index, especially the core PCE, to be the most accurate indicator of US inflation trends. Currently, it shows that US inflation has been above the Fed's 2% target for the sixth consecutive year. According to CME "FedWatch": the probability that the Fed will keep rates unchanged in September is 36.6%, while the probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate hike is 63.4%. The probability that the Fed will keep rates unchanged in October is 26.9%, that of a cumulative 25-bps hike is 56.3%, and that of a cumulative 50-bps hike is 16.9%. Citigroup economists Andrew Hollenhorst and Veronica Clark said that Fed Chairman Warsh hinted that other inflation indicators beyond the PCE price index will play a larger role in monetary policy, reducing the likelihood of a near-term Fed rate hike. The core PCE inflation rate in June fell to 3.3% from 3.4%. By comparison, the core Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 2.6%, closer to the Fed's 2% target. Hollenhorst and Clark said: "In the coming months, the market should see more clearly that the broader inflation measures Warsh is focusing on do not show worrisome signs of accelerating inflation." The market currently expects a 59% probability of a Fed rate hike in September. However, the two economists believe this expectation may be wrong. (Jin10 data app) Other currencies: [BOJ voted 8-1 to keep rates unchanged, will hike rates as conditions warrant] The Bank of Japan (BOJ) kept its policy rate at 1% on Friday, as expected, after having raised the benchmark rate to the highest since 1995 last month. BOJ board member Hajime Takata dissented, calling for a 25-bps hike, arguing that the situation has entered a new phase and the BOJ needs to adopt a flexible approach to deal with upside price risks and changes in overseas financial conditions. The BOJ said it will continue to raise rates in accordance with economic, price developments and financial conditions, that underlying inflation is approaching 2%, financial conditions remain accommodative, and significant downside risks to economic activity and upside risks to prices have both diminished. In its latest economic outlook, the BOJ lowered its core CPI forecast for fiscal 2026 to 2.5% from 2.8%, and raised its GDP growth forecast for fiscal 2026 to 0.6% from 0.5%. (Jin10 data) Data: Today will see the release of US Q2 Employment Cost Index quarterly rate, US July Chicago PMI, US July University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index final reading, US July one-year inflation expectations final reading, US July one-year inflation expectations final reading, UK July Nationwide House Price Index monthly rate, Switzerland June real retail sales annual rate, France July CPI monthly rate preliminary, Germany July seasonally adjusted unemployment change, Germany July seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, Canada May GDP monthly rate, Eurozone July CPI annual rate preliminary, Eurozone July CPI monthly rate preliminary, Japan June unemployment rate, and Japan's central bank target rate through July 31, among other data. Additionally, attention should be paid to: China will open a new round of price adjustment window for refined oil products. Amazon and Apple reported earnings after the US stock market close on July 30, Japanese NAND flash memory manufacturer Kioxia reported earnings, the Bank of Japan released its interest rate decision and economic outlook report, and Bank of Japan Governor Ueda Kazuo held a monetary policy press conference. In crude oil: As of 11:38, oil prices in both markets declined, with US crude down 1.58% and Brent crude down 1.24%. The market saw a mix of bullish and bearish factors: mutual airstrikes between the US and Iran posed geopolitical risks, while recently rebounded shipping activity in the Strait of Hormuz eased some supply concerns. Traders remained cautious overall, with limited willingness to make big directional bets. (Wall Street Insights) The previously slowed crude oil transshipment services in the Strait of Hormuz have recently become active again, helping move millions of barrels of crude oil out of the strait. As hostilities in the Middle East escalate, this mode of transportation once again plays a critical role. This transshipment model emerged during the most intense period of conflict, becoming a vital lifeline for some oil-producing countries to maintain exports. Relevant vessels transport crude oil from the Persian Gulf—typically turning off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders to avoid detection—and then conduct ship-to-ship (STS) transfers outside the Strait of Hormuz, after which the receiving tanker delivers the crude oil to buyers around the world. Although crude oil transported through the Strait of Hormuz remains below pre-war levels, the crude that has been successfully shipped has played an important role in alleviating market concerns about oil price surges. Two people with direct knowledge of the matter said that for at least two shipping enterprises involved in Strait of Hormuz transport, transshipment volumes are now near levels seen before the escalation of hostilities. (Jin10 Data APP) According to Reuters, citing shipping data firm Kpler, 25 commercial cargo vessels passed through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Thursday, while shipping activity in the Strait of Hormuz remains at low levels, with only two oil tankers passing through. Of the 25 vessels transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, 18 were inbound and 7 were outbound. These vessels included two VLCCs, one Suezmax tanker, and five Aframax tankers. Meanwhile, two vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz carried no cargo. (Jin10 Data APP) Spot Market Overview: ► ► ► ► ► ►

[Guangdong: High Prices Suppress Market Demand, Downstream Demand Performance Is Relatively Weak] Guangdong mainstream 0# zinc was transacted at 24,785-24,855 yuan/mt, with mainstream brands quoting discounts of 120-75 yuan/mt against contract 2609 and a discount of 70 yuan/mt against Shanghai spot, and the Shanghai-Guangdong price spread remained...

[Tianjin Zinc: Futures Surge, Market Sluggish] In the Tianjin market, #0 zinc ingot was mainly traded at 24,740-24,910 yuan/mt, Zijin was traded at 24,860-24,970 yuan/mt, #1 zinc ingot was traded around 24,740-24,860 yuan/mt, Zijin was quoted at around parity against the 2600 contract, Huludao Zinc was quoted at 26,215 yuan/mt, #0 zinc ingot was quoted at a discount of 60-120 yuan/mt against the 2609 contract, and the Tianjin market was at a discount of around 100 yuan/mt against the Shanghai market.

In 2026, the global lead-acid battery industry maintains steady growth, holding irreplaceable advantages in starting, industrial, and energy storage applications. Secondary lead has become the core raw material supply, and green recycling and compliant manufacturing have become the industry baseline. The global industry chain is accelerating its shift to Southeast Asia, where Vietnam, leveraging its motorcycle and automobile ownership, manufacturing supporting facilities, and trade facilitation advantages, has become a strategic hub for lead smelting, battery production, and recycling. Meanwhile, the lead industry chain faces multiple challenges such as raw material supply-demand balance, international trade compliance, upgrading environmental standards, iteration of advanced lead battery technologies, supply chain security, and cost control. To build a global lead industry exchange and cooperation platform and promote collaborative innovation across the entire chain of lead ore, primary lead, secondary lead, lead-acid batteries, equipment, and auxiliary materials, the 2026 SMM Global Lead-Acid Battery Supply Chain Innovation Conference is set to take place in Ho Chi Minh City. SMM, in partnership with Hunan Ruiyi Resources and Environment Technology Co., Ltd. , invites you to join the conference. The event will focus on industrial policies, market trends, technological upgrades, circular economy, and the joint development of the global supply chain, helping enterprises seize opportunities and achieve win-win collaboration. Click to register now for the conference, and join us in witnessing and participating in this extraordinary and far-reaching industry event, creating a brilliant new chapter together! Hunan Ruiyi Resources and Environment Technology Co., Ltd. is an "industry-academia-research-application" cooperation partner of Central South University. Relying on the Institute of Resource Recycling and Environmental Engineering of Central South University, the company primarily engages in technology development and transformation, technical consulting services, process and plant design, equipment manufacturing, and engineering contracting in fields such as clean and efficient utilization of secondary non-ferrous metal resources, comprehensive recovery and safe disposal of heavy metal and arsenic-containing hazardous waste, and extraction. The company focuses on technology R&D and promotion in the hazardous waste disposal industry. With side-blown furnaces, pure oxygen converters, low-temperature pyrolysis furnaces, electric furnaces, and fuming furnaces as core equipment, it enhances metal recovery rates, saves energy, and reduces emissions in the secondary lead recycling industry, the comprehensive recovery and safe disposal of copper scrap, the vitrification of fly ash and residues from municipal solid waste and hazardous waste incineration, and the comprehensive recovery and safe disposal of heavy metal and arsenic-containing hazardous waste, thereby meeting the growing needs of clients; the company has an R&D and design engineering team centered on professors and senior engineers, bringing together talented professionals from metallurgical production and management, environmental protection, plant design, mechanical manufacturing, automation, electrical engineering, and other fields. It possesses full-chain service capabilities from technical consulting to furnace operation in the areas of secondary lead, copper scrap recycling, secondary zinc, and arsenic-containing hazardous waste disposal. In the R&D and manufacturing of side-blown furnaces and the aforementioned resource recycling fields, it holds over 90 invention patents and utility model patents. RE Technology Co., Ltd. (referred to as RE TECH) is a cooperative high-techcompany (industry-institute-research) affiliated with Central South University, whose metallurgy department is one of the most prestigious in the world. With independent patented oxygen-enriched side-blowing furnace as the core equipment which have widely applied in lead recvcling industry and have won a lot of awards because of its innovative technology, we also have the ability to design the entire plant, and design and fabricate the essential equipment including side-blowing furnace, rotary furnace, blast furnace, convert, electrical furnace, fuming furnace and other equipment. In our role as the leading engineering company in lead recycling, we continue to invest in upgrading equipment and processes to meet the ever-increasing requirement of the industry, including improving metal recovery rates, reducing emissions, and treating materials more efficiently. We are expanding our field from lead to copper, nickel,zinc, tin, antimoney etc. to ensure that nonferrous secondary resources are reused efficiently and cleanly, heavy metals and arsenic-containing hazardouswastes are reecovered and disposed safely. Professors, experts and engineers make up the RE TECH team, whose majors include metallurgy, environmental protection, mechanical, automation, electrical and otherdisciplines. With more than 90 patents, the team is capable of providing consulting, engineering, equipment fabrication, installation, commissioning, and operation services to our respected clients. Contact Tel: 0731-82850226 Email: info@rezh.net Website: http//www.hnrezh.com Address: No. 19 Ziyuan Road, Yuelu District, Changsha, Hunan Province Long press and scan to register now 2026 SMM Global Lead-Acid Battery Supply Chain Industry Conference

[SMM Daily Review: Weaker Dollar and Cooling PCE Resonate, Silver Price Continues to Consolidate at Lows] SMM July 31 News: The dollar plunged below 100, PCE cooled, but conditions for a trend shift in rate hikes were not met, and silver prices consolidated. Spot cargo supply and demand were both weak at month-end, transactions were sluggish. Attention is on next month's maintenance and demand recovery.

Vedanta Limited released its first quarterly results following the effective May 1, 2026 demerger on July 30. Its continuing operations—primarily zinc, copper, ferrochrome and related businesses—reported revenue of ₹23,456 crore for the quarter ended June 30, up 51% year on year. EBITDA reached ₹8,469 crore, up 98%, and profit after tax rose 152% to ₹5,294 crore, both record highs for the continuing business. Quarterly EBITDA margin was about 57%, up 985 basis points year on year, while return on capital employed reached 29%. Cash and cash equivalents stood at ₹19,992 crore against net debt of ₹8,299 crore, lowering net debt-to-EBITDA to 0.3x. The demerger unlocked more than ₹71,000 crore of combined market capitalization during the quarter. The supplied information did not disclose zinc-specific production, costs, concentrate supply or sales; these remain key items to monitor.

2026 marks the opening year of the “15th Five-Year Plan”. Against the backdrop of intensifying global macro volatility and the deepening advancement of high-quality development in China, the zinc industry is undergoing profound transformation: tightness at the ore end and the release of smelting capacity are creating structural tension; divergence between domestic and overseas inventory reflects the complex dynamics of supply and demand rebalancing; and technological innovation is becoming the key momentum to resolve contradictions and reshape the landscape. Key “15th Five-Year Plan” sectors such as new energy and new-type infrastructure are injecting fresh momentum into traditional zinc consumption, while green, low-carbon development and the circular economy are also accelerating the reshaping of industrial logic under the drive of technological innovation. With the joint support of upstream and downstream enterprises in the zinc industry, industry associations, and other relevant parties, SMM the 2026 SMM Zinc Industry Conference and the 8th Hot-Dip Galvanizing Industry Development and Technological Innovation Forum, and the 14th Zinc Salts, Zinc Oxide and Secondary Zinc Resources Development Forum, and the Casting Zinc Alloy Development Forum are about to be held in Qingdao, Shandong, from August 6 to 8. Under the theme “Harness Zinc Momentum · Build the Zinc Industry · Embark on a New Journey”, the conference will be driven by a dual engine of macro perspective and fundamentals analysis, closely aligned with the main line of high-quality development under the “15th Five-Year Plan”. It will focus on four key dimensions—macro policy, the supply-demand pattern, global trade, and technological innovation—leveraging technological breakthroughs to drive cost reduction and efficiency improvement, and using collaborative innovation to address market fluctuations, jointly charting a new blueprint for high-quality and sustainable development of the zinc industry.‌ Jiangsu Myande Energy-Saving Evaporation Equipment Co., Ltd. will make a distinguished appearance at this grand event, joining industry peers to discuss industry development trends and work together to propel the zinc industry to new heights. Click to register for the conference now, and jointly witness and participate in this extraordinary and far-reaching industry event, creating a brilliant new chapter together! System Solution for Resource Utilization of High-Salinity Wastewater in the Metallurgical Industry From “High-Salinity Burden” to “Resource Gains”—Empowering Green and Intelligent Manufacturing in Zinc Smelting I. Wastewater Treatment Challenges in the Secondary Zinc Industry A large volume of high-salinity wastewater is generated during zinc recovery from zinc-containing scrap, requiring compliant environmental protection treatment with stringent standards. This results in both high investment in environmental protection equipment and high subsequent operating costs, compressing enterprise profit margins. Moreover, secondary waste is generated after environmental protection disposal, adding disposal costs and making it difficult for enterprises to continue bearing the burden. II. Root Causes of Wastewater Treatment In the zinc recovery process for zinc-containing scrap, low-grade zinc oxide must be rinsed to remove chlorides and other impurities in the raw material to avoid affecting the purity of zinc products. In addition to sodium chloride and potassium chloride, the rinsing wastewater also contains sulphate radicals, fluoride, COD, and many other components. Its composition is complex and fluctuates significantly, making wastewater treatment highly challenging. III. Three Core Processes, One-Stop Breakthrough 1. Deep pre-treatment—precisely removes fluorides, heavy metals, and organic matter, ensuring long-term stable operation of the system 2. Evaporation Concentration + Fractional Crystallization—Recovering High-Purity Potassium Chloride and Sodium Chloride, Achieving Salt Resource Recovery 3. Evaporative Condensate Reuse in Production Processes—Self-Circulation of Process Water, Achieving True "Zero Discharge" 4. Dual Benefits Empowering Enterprises Turning high-salinity wastewater into a valuable resource, while achieving environmentally compliant disposal, recovering salt resources, with revenue covering operating costs, shortening the payback period, and enhancing overall economic benefits. Contact Person Zhu Manager 15161877256 Wu Manager 15952706514 Tel: 0514-87843988 Email: zzj@myande.com Website: evap.myande.com Address: No. 199 Ji’an South Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province Product Inquiry QR Code Evaporation Official Website QR Code Official Website QR Code Official WeChat QR Code Long-Press to Scan to Register Now 2026 SMM Zinc Industry Conference

Ivanhoe Mines released its second-quarter 2026 results on July 30. Its Kipushi mine in the DRC produced a record 70,177 tonnes of zinc during the quarter at a cash cost of $0.90/lb. The concentrator processed a record 200,774 tonnes of ore, averaging 38.7% zinc, while recoveries averaged nearly 92%. The company maintained Kipushi’s 2026 zinc production guidance of 240,000–290,000 tonnes and expects the mine to rank among the world’s three largest zinc mines this year. At Kamoa-Kakula, quarterly copper production reached 64,328 tonnes, with inventory build and temporary constraints affecting performance; management plans to destock inventory in the second half. Further attention should be paid to Kipushi’s second-half delivery against guidance and cost trends.