[SMM Precious Metal Express] Singapore Exchange announced it will establish an OTC gold clearing system and plans to launch central bank vault custody services by October, accelerating global gold market infrastructure development. This move is expected to enhance Singapore's position as an international gold trading hub, providing more comprehensive clearing and custody infrastructure for the precious metals market.

[E-Bike Market Dynamics] According to the traffic police of Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, in order to prevent e-bike road traffic safety risks at the source, the Traffic Management Detachment of the Chifeng Municipal Public Security Bureau recently continued to conduct in-depth inspections at e-bike sales and repair shops within its jurisdiction, carried out special investigations and publicity and education campaigns, strictly cracked down on illegal acts such as modifications and assemblies, and guided the public to ride e-bikes properly.

[E-bike Market Dynamics] According to the Shanxi Provincial People's Congress website, the "Shanxi Province E-bike Management Regulations (Draft)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Regulations")) is currently open for public comments, with the submission deadline set for July 12, 2026. The "Regulations" explicitly prohibit violations such as assembling or modifying electric motors, batteries, and speed-limiting devices; vehicles that do not comply with the "E-bike Safety Technical Specifications" will be subject to transitional management, with the transition period ending no later than December 31, 2030.

[SMM Precious Metal Express] The US-Iran agreement has been finalized, with the Strait of Hormuz set to reopen on Friday, sending oil prices sharply lower. However, precious metals rose instead of fell, as market focus shifted from geopolitical risks to Federal Reserve policy expectations. The US dollar index edged up to 99.67, while Treasury yields remained elevated. Precious metals climbed for a third consecutive day, indicating continued inflows of safe-haven capital.

National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data shows that from January to May, national real estate development investment totaled 3,035.6 billion yuan, down 16.2% YoY; of which, residential investment was 2,342.6 billion yuan, down 15.6%. In January–May, floor space of newly built commercial buildings sold was 313.2 million m², down 10.8% YoY; of which residential floor space sold fell 12.1%. Sales value of newly built commercial buildings reached 2,936.6 billion yuan, down 13.5%; of which residential sales value fell 14.1%. I. Real Estate Development Investment Completion From January to May, national real estate development investment totaled 3,035.6 billion yuan, down 16.2% YoY (calculated on a comparable basis; see Note 5); of which, residential investment was 2,342.6 billion yuan, down 15.6%. From January to May, floor space of buildings under construction by real estate development enterprises was 5.4878 billion m², down 12.3% YoY. Of which, residential floor space under construction was 3.8083 billion m², down 12.6%. Floor space of buildings newly started was 179.29 million m², down 22.6%. Of this, residential newly started floor space was 130.84 million m², down 23.4%. Floor space of buildings completed was 140.87 million m², down 23.4%. Of which, residential completed floor space was 99.99 million m², down 25.0%. II. Sales and Pending Sales of Newly Built Commercial Buildings In January–May, floor space of newly built commercial buildings sold was 313.2 million m², down 10.8% YoY; of which residential floor space sold fell 12.1%. Sales value of newly built commercial buildings was 2,936.6 billion yuan, down 13.5%; of which residential sales value fell 14.1%. At month-end May, pending sale area of commercial buildings was 771.82 million m², down 0.4% YoY. Of which, pending sale area for less than 3 years was 571.52 million m², down 2.8%. III. Funding of Real Estate Development Enterprises From January to May, funds received by real estate development enterprises totaled 3,275.6 billion yuan, down 19.0% YoY. Of which, domestic loans were 487.5 billion yuan, down 28.7%; self-raised funds were 1,198.5 billion yuan, down 13.0%; deposits and advance receipts were 1,001.2 billion yuan, down 16.1%; and individual mortgage loans were 406.6 billion yuan, down 28.0%.

From June 3 to June 5, Indonesia Critical Minerals 2026 was held at the Pullman Jakarta Central Park in Jakarta, Indonesia. The conference was organized by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) and co-organized by the Indonesia Nickel Miners Association (APNI) , the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia , the National Economic Council of Indonesia , and MMR , in a strategic partnership with the Jakarta Futures Exchange . The conference featured six dedicated forums: the main forum, the nickel and cobalt forum, the tin forum, the coal & energy transition forum, the aluminum forum, and dedicated sub-forums, attracting 3,500+ attendees from 45 countries and regions worldwide, featuring more than 120+ speakers sharing insights on market prices, supply-demand patterns, industry policies, low-carbon development, and ESG development, etc. Conference Background As the largest economy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia is accelerating its energy transition and green, low-carbon development, presenting strategic opportunities for the PV and energy storage industry. To realize its 2060 carbon neutrality vision, the Indonesian government has issued a national energy plan that explicitly sets a target of 100 GW of PV installations by 2030. At the same time, Indonesia's resource-based industries such as nickel ore are concentrated, and mining enterprises face increasingly stringent ESG compliance requirements and pressure for sustainable transformation. Coupled with the challenges of accelerating domestic industrialization and persistently tight power supply, equipping mines with PV and energy storage systems has become a core pathway to addressing power shortages, reducing carbon emissions, and controlling energy costs. Market demand is being rapidly unleashed, creating vast opportunities for future industrial cooperation. Against this backdrop, SMM has organized a Coal & Energy Transition Forum at this conference, aiming to gather industry elites and jointly explore new opportunities for PV+ESS development in Indonesia. 》Click to view the conference live photo coverage June 4: Coal & Energy Transition Forum Keynote Speeches Keynote Speech: The Future of Renewable Energy for Mining Contractors in Indonesia Guest Speaker: Bambang Tjahjono, Executive Director of ASPINDO Panel Discussion: The Indonesia 2060 Net-Zero Roadmap: The Role and Transition Pathway for the Mining Sector Moderator: Verena Streitferdt, Director, Tri Hita Consulting Panelists: Alfonsius Ariawan, Mining & Metals Lead, Indonesia, dss+ Yan Yan Muhammad Achdiansyah, Innovative Project Manager for Asia Pacific, HDF Energy Ardhi Ishak, Chairman of Industry Relations & Industry Associations, PERHAPI (Association of Indonesian Mining Professionals) Keynote Speech: Banking on the Transition: Sustainable Finance Solutions for Indonesia’s Mining and Energy Sector Guest Speaker: Dendi Ramdani, Vice President for Industry and Regional Research, PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk. [Panel Discussion] Reshaping the Role of Coal: Balancing Indonesia's Energy Security and Just Transition Moderator: Muhammad Saly Putra, Head of Marketing, MMS Resources Panelists: Putra Adhiguna, Managing Director, Energy Shift Institute Anton Frian Yohanes Reynaldo, Global Relations Team, Badan Pengaturan Badan Usaha Milik Negara (BP BUMN) Gita Mahyarani, Executive Director, APBI-ICMA Emmanuel Jefferson Kuesar, Chief Executive Officer, Sun Energy Ardhi Ishak, Chairman of Industry Relations & Industry Associations, PERHAPI (Association of Indonesian Mining Professionals) Keynote Speech: Shifting Global Demand: Capturing Emerging Markets in South Asia Guest Speaker: Vasudev Pamnani, Director, iEnergy Natural Resources Limited Executive Roundtable – Margin Protection Strategies: Managing High Production Costs, Royalty Hikes, and Domestic Pricing Caps Moderator: Kevin Triadi Gunawan, Country BD Manager, Argus Panelists: Suryo Suwignjo, CEO, PT Titan Infra Sejatera Ashok Mitra, Senior Advisor, Bakrie Capital Indonesia FH Kristiono, CEO, UCoal Keynote Speech: The Cost of Compliance: Balancing Cash Flow and Strategic Investment Amidst RKAB Quota Cuts and DMO Burdens Speaker: Subhashish Datta, CFO, Kaltim Prima Coal June 5 Coal & Energy Transition Forum Keynote Speeches Panel Discussion: Vision to Leverage 100GW of Solar - What are the Opportunities and Challenges Moderator: Tengku Zulchairi P., Indonesia Sales Manager, LONGi Solar Panelists: Dr. Farid Wijaya, Manager of Sectoral Decarbonization Research, Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) Eka Himawan, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Xurya Daya Indonesia Johan Hadi Wardoyo, Chief Commercial Officer, PT Trina Mas Agra Indonesia Keynote Speech: Navigating the Cycles: The Evolution of Global PV Supply Chains and Its Strategic Impact on Indonesia Speaker: Ryan Tey Tze Yang, PV Analyst, Shanghai Metals Market Keynote Speech: From Ambition to Action: AESI's Roadmap for Solar deployment in Indonesia's Critical Minerals Sector Speaker: I Made Aditya Suryawidya, Vice Chairman of Research and Technology, Asosiasi Energi Surya Indonesia (AESI) Panel Discussion: Hybrid Energy Systems: Designing the Optimal Mix of Solar, Storage, and Diesel for Mega-Mines Moderator: Ryan Tey Tze Yang, PV Analyst, Shanghai Metals Market Panelists: Eka Satria, CEO, Medco Power Indonesia Ricky Cahya Andrian, Vice President of Decarbonization Business Development and Energy Management, PT PLN (Persero) Karina Darmawan, Chief Executive Officer, SUN Mobility Muchtazar, Head of Sustainability, Nickel Industries Limited Nian Gao, Director, Microgrid Solution Department, Sungrow Keynote Speech: EV Infrastructure & Energy Storage: The Final Piece of the Mining Decarbonization Puzzle Speaker: Christopher Marvel, Country Business Development Manager - Indonesia, StarCharge Mining carbon emissions are typical operational emissions, with emission sources spanning the entire operational chain of a mine. Mine decarbonization cannot be achieved solely through carbon disclosure, carbon offsets, or green procurement. Daily production activities such as transportation and turnaround, captive power supply, crushing and grinding, mine ventilation, and process electricity are the core carriers of carbon emissions. The core challenge for the industry today is to steadily reduce carbon emission intensity against a backdrop of growing demand for minerals. This requires a systematic restructuring of the mine’s overall energy system, rather than simply replacing fuels for individual equipment. Diesel-powered transport is the key battleground for carbon reduction in mines Various types of mobile equipment are the key targets for carbon emission monitoring. The average annual fuel consumption of a single mining truck is close to one million liters. For open-pit mines, fuel consumption is closely linked to haul distance, road gradient, payload, dispatch management, and vehicle idling. Therefore, the transport phase becomes the optimal breakthrough point that balances carbon reduction and production efficiency. The electrification of mining trucks is not a technical bottleneck; the real key lies in whether the supporting core infrastructure, such as charging and energy storage, can enable the equipment to operate at full capacity and ensure that production is not affected. The global fleet of large mining haul trucks numbers about 28,000 units, and is still predominantly diesel-powered. According to RMI estimates, the average annual diesel consumption of a single truck reaches 900,000 liters; energy consumption by haul vehicles accounts for 30%–50% of total mine energy use, corresponding to annual CO2 emissions from the global fleet of approximately 68 million mt. Keynote Speech: From Blueprint to Site: Engineering Practices for High-Availability PV-Storage Microgrids in Indonesia’s Tropical Rainforests Guest Speaker: Frank Qi, CEO, AI Power (Suzhou) Tech. Co., Ltd. Suryawan Teddy, Director of ATW Solar Panel Discussion: What Will Drive the Next Wave of Industrial Solar in Indonesia? Moderator: Eric C. Listyosuputro, Partner, EY-Parthenon Indonesia Panelists: Jannata (Egi) Giwangkara, Country Lead – Indonesia, Climateworks Zidny Ilman, Associate Vice President of Public Policy and Government Relations, Suryanesia

In May, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, all regions and departments thoroughly implemented the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, adhered to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, fully, accurately and comprehensively implemented the new development philosophy, accelerated the creation of a new development pattern, earnestly carried out more proactive macro policies, and effectively responded to external shocks and challenges. Production and supply rose steadily, employment and prices remained generally stable, the resilience of foreign trade continued to manifest, new driving forces grew stronger, and the national economy sustained a generally stable development trajectory with improvement and upgrading. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that in May, the value added of industrial enterprises above designated size grew by 4.5% YoY in real terms, 0.4 percentage point faster than the previous month. On a MoM basis, the value added of industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 0.40% from April. For January-May, it grew by 5.4% YoY. Value Added of Industrial Enterprises Above Designated Size Grew by 4.5% in May 2026 In May, the value added of industrial enterprises above designated size grew by 4.5% YoY in real terms (the real growth rates of value added are calculated after deducting price factors), 0.4 percentage point faster than the previous month. On a MoM basis, the value added of industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 0.40% from April. From January to May, it rose by 5.4% YoY. By sector, in May, the value added of the mining industry grew by 2.3% YoY, manufacturing by 4.4%, and the production and supply of electricity, heat, gas and water by 7.6%. By ownership, in May, the value added of state-holding enterprises grew by 3.7% YoY; joint-stock enterprises by 5.2%, enterprises funded by foreign investors or investors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan by 1.9%; and private enterprises by 2.7%. By industry, in May, the value added of 28 out of the 41 major industries registered YoY growth. Among them, coal mining and washing grew by 3.5%, petroleum and natural gas extraction by 1.5%, agricultural and sideline food processing by 1.5%, wine, beverages and refined tea manufacturing fell by 2.7%, the textile industry grew by 2.6%, chemical raw materials and chemical products manufacturing by 0.3%, non-metallic mineral products fell by 5.6%, ferrous metals smelting and rolling processing grew by 1.6%, non-ferrous metals smelting and rolling processing fell by 4.5%, general equipment manufacturing grew by 6.7%, special equipment manufacturing by 9.1%, automobile manufacturing by 8.3%, railway, shipbuilding, aerospace and other transport equipment manufacturing by 7.4%, electrical machinery and equipment manufacturing by 4.7%, computer, communication and other electronic equipment manufacturing by 17.0%, and electricity and heat production and supply by 8.7%. By product, in May, among the 626 products of industrial enterprises above designated size, 300 saw YoY output growth. Specifically, steel output was 123.03 million mt, down 2.8% YoY; cement 149.91 million mt, down 8.1%; ten non-ferrous metals 6.98 million mt, up 2.2%; ethylene 3.38 million mt, up 2.1%; automobiles 2.582 million units, down 3.2%, of which NEVs 1.489 million units, up 17.8%; power generation 784.3 billion kWh, up 4.2%; crude oil processing volume 53.72 million mt, down 9.1%. In May, the product sales ratio of industrial enterprises above designated size was 96.0%, down 0.1 percentage point YoY; the export delivery value of industrial enterprises above designated size reached 1,388.4 billion yuan, a nominal YoY increase of 10.1%. In May, National Economy Operated Generally Stable, with New and Quality Development In May, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, all regions and departments earnestly implemented the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, adhered to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, fully and faithfully applied the new development philosophy, accelerated the creation of a new development pattern, effectively implemented more proactive macro policies, and effectively responded to external shocks and challenges. Production supply was stable with an upward trend, employment and prices were generally stable, the resilience of foreign trade continued to be demonstrated, and new growth drivers grew stronger. The national economy continued its development trend of overall stability with new and quality improvements. 1. Industrial Production Accelerated, with Equipment and High-Tech Manufacturing Growing Rapidly In May, the value added of industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 4.5% YoY, 0.4 percentage points faster than the previous month; it grew 0.40% MoM. By the three major categories, the value added of mining grew 2.3% YoY, manufacturing grew 4.4%, and production and supply of electricity, heat, gas, and water grew 7.6%. The value added of equipment manufacturing grew 9.5% YoY, and high-tech manufacturing grew 15.1%, accelerating by 1.2 and 2.3 percentage points respectively from the previous month. By type of ownership, the value added of state-controlled enterprises grew 3.7% YoY; joint-stock enterprises grew 5.2%, foreign, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan invested enterprises grew 1.9%; private enterprises grew 2.7%. By product, the output of 3D printing equipment, lithium-ion batteries, and industrial robots grew 54.4%, 40.0%, and 27.9% YoY respectively. In the January-May period, the value added of industrial enterprises above designated size grew 5.4% YoY. In May, the manufacturing PMI was 50.0%, and the index of enterprise production and operation expectations was 53.9%. In the first four months, the total profits of industrial enterprises above designated size reached 2,435.8 billion yuan, up 18.2% YoY. II. Services Grew Steadily, Modern Services Developed Soundly In May, the national services production index grew 4.4% YoY, 0.1 percentage point faster than the previous month. By sector, the production indices of information transmission, software and IT services, leasing and business services, financial services, and transport, storage and postal services grew 11.3%, 10.9%, 7.0%, and 4.8% YoY, respectively. In January-May, the national services production index rose 4.8% YoY. In January-April, the operating revenue of service enterprises above the designated size increased 6.4% YoY. In May, the business activity index for services stood at 50.3%, and the business activity expectations index for services was 55.4%. Among them, the business activity indices for railway transport, telecommunications, radio and television, and satellite transmission services, and insurance were in the relatively high prosperity range of above 55.0%. III. Market Sales Maintained Growth, Service Retail Maintained Sound Momentum In January-May, total retail sales of consumer goods and services grew 2.8% YoY, with retail sales of services up 5.4% and retail sales of goods up 1.2%. In January-May, total retail sales of consumer goods reached 20,603.1 billion yuan, up 1.4% YoY. In January-May, nationwide online retail sales of goods and services reached 8,317.7 billion yuan, up 5.9% YoY, of which online retail sales of goods were 5,271.8 billion yuan, up 5.0%, and online retail sales of services were 3,045.9 billion yuan, up 7.6%. In May, total retail sales of consumer goods amounted to 4,109 billion yuan, down 0.6% YoY and down 0.38% MoM. By location of business establishments, retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas came in at 3,574.1 billion yuan, down 0.9% YoY; retail sales in rural areas were 534.9 billion yuan, up 1.5% YoY. By type of consumption, retail sales of goods stood at 3,648.5 billion yuan, down 0.7% YoY; catering revenue was 460.5 billion yuan, up 0.6% YoY. Sales of daily necessities and some upgraded goods maintained growth. Retail sales of beverages, clothing, footwear, hats and textiles, and cosmetics by enterprises above the designated size increased 6.1%, 3.8%, and 2.5% YoY, respectively. IV. Infrastructure Investment Maintained Growth, Investment in Intellectual Property Products Accelerated In January-May, national fixed-asset investment (excluding rural households) reached 17,851.2 billion yuan, down 4.1% YoY; excluding real estate development, fixed-asset investment fell 1.2%. Among this, investment in intellectual property products grew 9.3% YoY, 0.4 percentage points faster than in January-April. By sector, infrastructure investment rose 0.6% YoY, manufacturing investment fell 0.4%, and real estate development investment dropped 16.2%. The floor space of newly built commercial buildings sold nationwide was 313.2 million m², down 10.8% YoY; the sales value of newly built commercial buildings was 2,936.6 billion yuan, down 13.5% YoY. By industry, investment in the primary sector rose 5.9% YoY, investment in the secondary sector edged up 0.1% YoY, and investment in the tertiary sector fell 6.8% YoY. Private investment declined 7.1% YoY; excluding real estate development, private investment dropped 3.5% YoY. Investment in high-tech industries grew 4.5% YoY, with investment in computer and office equipment manufacturing, aviation and spacecraft and equipment manufacturing, and information services up 18.3%, 16.7%, and 13.8%, respectively. In May, fixed asset investment (excluding rural households) fell 1.91% MoM. V. Rapid Growth in Goods Imports and Exports with Continued Optimization of Trade Structure In May, total goods imports and exports reached 4,451.6 billion yuan, up 16.9% YoY, accelerating 2.7 percentage points from the previous month. Exports stood at 2,587.8 billion yuan, up 13.8% YoY, while imports totaled 1,863.8 billion yuan, up 21.5% YoY. From January to May, total goods imports and exports amounted to 20,682.7 billion yuan, up 15.3% YoY. Exports came to 11,913.7 billion yuan, up 11.8% YoY, and imports hit 8,769.1 billion yuan, up 20.5% YoY. From January to May, imports and exports under Ordinary Trade rose 8.3% YoY. Imports and exports with Belt and Road partner countries grew 13.6% YoY. Imports and exports by private enterprises increased 15.5% YoY. Exports of mechanical and electrical products expanded 18.4% YoY. VI. Generally Stable Employment with a Decline in the Surveyed Urban Unemployment Rate From January to May, the surveyed urban unemployment rate averaged 5.2%. In May, the surveyed urban unemployment rate was 5.1%, down 0.1 percentage points MoM. The surveyed unemployment rate for the local household labor force was 5.2%, and that for the non-local household labor force was 4.9%, with the rate for the non-local agricultural household labor force at 4.9%. The surveyed urban unemployment rate across 31 major cities was 5.1%, down 0.1 percentage points MoM. The average weekly working hours of employees in enterprises nationwide was 48.2 hours. VII. Mild Rise in Consumer Prices and Widening YoY Increase in Producer Prices In May, the national consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.2% YoY, the same growth as the previous month, and fell 0.1% MoM. By category, prices for food, tobacco, alcohol, and dining out fell 0.9% YoY, clothing prices rose 1.4% YoY, housing prices edged down 0.2% YoY, prices for household articles and services increased 1.8% YoY, transportation and communication prices climbed 5.4% YoY, education, culture, and entertainment prices went up 1.3% YoY, healthcare prices grew 2.1% YoY, and prices for other goods and services surged 9.9% YoY. Among food, tobacco, alcohol, and dining-out prices, pork prices fell 16.1%, fresh fruit prices dropped 2.2%, grain prices edged down 0.3%, while fresh vegetable prices rose 1.6%. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, posted a 1.1% YoY increase. For January–May, national consumer prices rose 1.0% YoY. In May, national industrial producer EXW prices rose 3.9% YoY, with the growth rate widening by 1.1 percentage points from the previous month, and rose 0.5% MoM. National industrial producer purchasing prices rose 5.8% YoY and 1.3% MoM. For January–May, national industrial producer EXW prices and purchasing prices rose 1.0% and 1.6% YoY, respectively. Overall, the national economy operated stably in May, with development resilience continuing to show. However, it should also be noted that the external environment has become more complex and volatile, the contradiction of strong domestic supply and weak demand remains pronounced, some enterprises face considerable operating pressure, and the foundation for sustained economic improvement still needs consolidation. In the next stage, efforts should focus on adhering to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as guidance, maintaining the principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, improving quality and efficiency, strengthening counter-cyclical and cross-cyclical adjustments, continuously expanding domestic demand and optimizing supply, enhancing increments and revitalizing existing assets, developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions, deepening the building of a unified national market, working to stabilize employment, enterprises, markets, and expectations, and promoting effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth of the economy. Recommended reading:

According to SMM, in May, the operating rate of copper cathode rod enterprises was 67.55%, down 3.64 percentage points MoM, up 0.13 percentage points from expectations, and down 2.65 percentage points YoY. Among them, the operating rate of large enterprises was 78.48%, medium-sized enterprises was 49.95%, and small enterprises was 64.5%. In May, the operating rate of copper cathode rod enterprises was 67.55%, down 3.64 ppts MoM and down 2.65 ppts YoY (70.26% in May last year). Overall, the performance of the copper cathode rod market in May was similar to that in April. As rising copper prices suppressed purchase willingness among downstream processing enterprises, a strong wait-and-see sentiment prevailed in the market, new orders at copper cathode rod enterprises continued to weaken, and order growth was significantly insufficient. Affected by low purchase willingness among downstream clients and a slowdown in the pace of cargo pick-up, finished product inventories at copper cathode rod enterprises continued to build up. Sluggish new orders, coupled with elevated finished product inventories, weighed on production, causing the overall operating rate of China's copper cathode rod enterprises to pull back significantly in May. By downstream sector, due to the rebound in copper prices, operating rates of wire and cable and enamelled wire enterprises also slipped to varying degrees. In May, days of raw material inventories at copper cathode rod enterprises were 2.06 days, and days of finished product inventories were 3.58 days. After copper prices rebounded, copper cathode rod enterprises turned more cautious in procurement, only purchasing as needed. When copper prices corrected, they restocked as needed, driving days of raw material inventories up by 0.21 days MoM. Meanwhile, orders from downstream wire and cable and enamelled wire enterprises showed mediocre performance, with demand continuing to weaken. The speed of picking up goods slowed down compared with the earlier period, pushing days of finished product inventories up by 0.23 days MoM. The operating rate of copper cathode rod enterprises in June is expected to be 66.59%. Looking forward to June, the operating rate of copper cathode rod enterprises is expected to decline by 0.96 percentage points MoM to 66.59%, and down 3.56 percentage points YoY. Although orders on hand can provide short-term support for production and stage-wise support for operating rates, as the market gradually enters the off-season, end-user demand for cables, enamelled wire and other sectors weakens, coupled with concerns over copper price fluctuations, it was originally expected that the operating rate would continue to trend weak. However, recent market conditions have changed. This week, a sharp pullback in copper prices stimulated concentrated price-based procurement by downstream buyers, leading to a significant increase in new orders for copper cathode rod enterprises, far exceeding earlier expectations. With marginal improvement on the demand side, the industry’s June operating rate has the potential to be revised upward and break through the previously pessimistic forecast.

[SMM Daily Review: Silver Price Technical Rebound Continues, Spot Premiums Stable, Trading Weak] SMM, June 16 – The US-Iran deal landed, and market focus shifted to the US Fed's policy, with silver prices rising for three consecutive days. Spot premiums were stable, but consumption was weak and trading was thin.

In mid-June 2026, the CAAM and the China Power Battery Industry Innovation Alliance successively released relevant data on the automobile and power battery markets for May 2026. The CAAM stated that in May, auto production and sales rose MoM but edged down YoY. Affected by multiple factors including policy adjustments, changes in market structure, and a macro environment under pressure, the Chinese market continued to show a double-digit decline YoY; meanwhile, exports were strong and sustained rapid growth. .......SMM has compiled the relevant data on the automobile and power battery markets for May 2026, for readers’ reference. Automobile CAAM: May Auto Production and Sales Reached 2.616 Million and 2.629 Million Units, Both Up MoM In May, auto production and sales reached 2.616 million and 2.629 million units, up 1.6% and 4.1% MoM respectively , and down 1.2% and 2.1% YoY respectively. From January to May, auto production and sales totaled 12.235 million and 12.207 million units, down 4.6% and 4.2% YoY respectively, with the declines narrowing further compared with the first four months. CAAM: May NEV Production and Sales Rose 22.4% and 14.4% YoY Respectively; NEV Sales Accounted for 47.5% of Total New Vehicle Sales In May, NEV production and sales reached 1.554 million and 1.496 million units, up 22.4% and 14.4% YoY respectively . NEV sales accounted for 56.9% of total new vehicle sales. From January to May, NEV production and sales reached 5.841 million and 5.802 million units, up 2.5% and 3.5% YoY respectively, and NEV sales accounted for 47.5% of total new vehicle sales. CAAM: NEV Exports More Than Doubled in May and January-May In May, NEV exports reached 446,000 units, up 3.8% MoM and 110% YoY. Of these, passenger NEV exports stood at 435,000 units, up 3.4% MoM and 110% YoY; commercial NEV exports reached 12,000 units, up 21% MoM and 48.1% YoY. From January to May, NEV exports totaled 1.833 million units, up 110% YoY . Of these, passenger NEV exports were 1.792 million units, up 120% YoY; commercial NEV exports were 41,000 units, up 0.6% YoY. The CAAM commented that in May, auto production and sales rose MoM but edged down YoY. Affected by multiple factors such as policy adjustments, market structure changes, and a macro environment under pressure, the Chinese market continued to see a double-digit decline YoY; exports developed robustly, sustaining a rapid growth trajectory. By car model, passenger vehicle sales edged down YoY, commercial vehicle sales maintained growth, and the NEV market stabilized and rebounded. Since the beginning of this year, the auto market has exhibited a pronounced characteristic of "domestic demand under pressure, foreign trade strong." The industry's operations have faced multiple challenges, including insufficient domestic demand, high costs, and external shocks. On the end-user side, policies and market expectations should be stabilized, industry governance deepened, restrictive measures introduced cautiously, and the consumption baseline solidified; on the foreign trade side, it is necessary to deepen international development, effectively address various risks and challenges, and strengthen the stabilizing support role of the international cycle. Meanwhile, the CPCA also released data on the passenger vehicle market for May. From May 1st to 31st, retail sales of passenger vehicles nationwide reached 1.51 million units, down 22.1% YoY, but up 9.2% MoM; cumulative retail sales since the start of the year reached 7.099 million units, down 19.5% YoY. In the NEV segment, May NEV retail sales fell 7% YoY, with domestic brands declining 10%, mainstream joint ventures growing 51%, and luxury brands growing 8%. Domestic retail sales of domestic economy EVs were significantly impacted by the sharp drop in subsidies. Due to strong subsidies for NEV commercial vehicles, the low and mid-end MPV segment experienced a relatively large decline. In terms of NEV exports, passenger NEV exports in May reached 424,000 units , up 112.6% YoY and up 4.4% MoM. These accounted for 54.1% of total passenger vehicle exports, an increase of 9.5 percentage points compared to the same period last year. Among them, BEVs accounted for 59.3% of NEV exports (compared to 66.1% same period last year), with the core focal A00+A0 class BEVs accounting for 53.8% of BEV exports (compared to 50.7% same period last year). Alongside the emerging scale advantages of Chinese NEVs and the demand for market expansion, an increasing number of Chinese-made NEV branded products are going overseas, with their recognition outside China continuously improving. Among NEV exports, narrow-body plug-in hybrid vehicles accounted for 36.2% (compared to 31.9% same period last year), and extended-range EVs accounted for 4.4% (compared to 2.0% same period last year). Although external interference from certain countries has occurred recently, the export of domestic narrow-body plug-in hybrids to developing countries has grown rapidly and shows bright prospects. The CPCA stated that the domestic passenger vehicle market in May 2026 presented an operational dynamic of overall volume under pressure, MoM strengthening, and extreme structural differentiation, without achieving a substantive recovery overall. The slight recovery in the auto market in May was mainly attributed to the evident effectiveness of the industry's "anti-involution" efforts, stabilizing automaker sales promotions and weakening the consumer expectation of price cuts. This, combined with the warmth-boosting effect of the Beijing Auto Show, released some pent-up car purchase demand, forming a phased terminal rebound. It said that the core features of the auto market in May were the collapse of internal combustion engine vehicle domestic sales, the strong dominance of new energy vehicles, and the counter-trend growth of exports. The main cause of the domestic auto market decline was the sharp contraction in fuel vehicle sales under the impact of high oil prices. In May, fuel vehicles accounted for a 37.1% share, but their YoY decline contributed 82% of the total decline in passenger vehicles, dragging down the overall market trend. Factors such as high oil prices and consumption transformation accelerated the "fuel-to-electric substitution" process. This month, the retail penetration rate of new energy vehicles continued to exceed 60%, reaching a historical high of 62.9%. The electrification transformation of joint venture brands accelerated. In May, sales of new energy JV car models grew 51% YoY, while fuel vehicle sales fell 41% YoY. Exports continued to be the industry's core growth engine. In May, the share of new energy in exports hit a new high of 54%, but fuel vehicle exports also showed strong performance with 46% growth, forming an exceptionally strong performance of China's all-round export growth. Characteristics of the passenger vehicle market in May 2026: 1. Overall volume was under pressure, with major structural divergence, and "fuel cold, new energy hot" became the biggest focus. The core reason for the decline in domestic retail was the "fuel collapse," which drove the new energy retail penetration rate to break through 60% to 62.9% (a new high), with the pace of electrification substitution exceeding expectations. 2. The electrification transformation of joint venture brands accelerated. In May, domestic retail sales of mainstream JV new energy vehicles grew 51% YoY, while the overall growth rate of domestic new energy vehicles slowed by 10%. JV brands such as Buick (with new energy accounting for 45%) began to show initial results in their shift to new energy. 3. Exports showed explosive growth, with new energy accounting for 54% (a new high) in exports, driven by both new energy and domestic brands, and going global becoming the core growth engine. 4. Clear characteristics of passive destocking and a relatively rapid decline in channel inventories. Listed dealers suffered overall losses, and dealer survival pressure continued to increase. 5. Independent brands made notable breakthroughs in the high-end segment, with retail sales of passenger vehicles in the 200,000-300,000 yuan, 300,000-400,000 yuan, and above 400,000 yuan price segments all exceeding 50%. 6. Micro EVs were under pressure, A-class cars shrank, entry-level consumption badly needed support, and the launch of economy EV standards was eagerly anticipated. Power Battery Update In April, power and ESS battery sales grew 47.4% YoY. January-May cumulative sales grew 48.5% YoY. In May, China's power and ESS battery sales reached 182.2 GWh, up 11.0% MoM and 47.4% YoY . Among them, power battery sales were 127.0 GWh, accounting for 69.7% of total sales, up 16.6% MoM and 45.2% YoY; ESS battery sales were 55.2 GWh, accounting for 30.3% of total sales, down 0.1% MoM but up 52.7% YoY. From January to May, China's cumulative power and ESS battery sales reached 783.4 GWh, up 48.5% YoY . Of this, cumulative power battery sales reached 527.9 GWh, accounting for 67.4% of total sales, up 34.9% YoY; cumulative ESS battery sales were 255.5 GWh, accounting for 32.6% of total sales, up 87.7% YoY. May China power battery installations up 25.9% YoY, LFP share at 81.2% In May, China's power battery installations reached 71.9 GWh, up 15.2% MoM and 25.9% YoY . Ternary battery installations were 13.4 GWh, accounting for 18.6% of total installations, up 15.9% MoM and 27.3% YoY; LFP battery installations were 58.4 GWh, accounting for 81.2% of total installations, up 14.9% MoM and 25.4% YoY. From January to May, cumulative power battery installations in China reached 259.1 GWh, up 7.3% YoY . Ternary battery cumulative installations were 50.8 GWh, accounting for 19.6% of total installations, up 13.3% YoY; LFP battery cumulative installations were 208.2 GWh, accounting for 80.4% of total installations, up 6.0% YoY. May: Leap Motor dominated among NEV startups; BYD's export growth impressive In early June, May domestic NEV sales/delivery figures were released. BYD continued to lead the global NEV market with sales exceeding 380,000 units. Among domestic NEV startups, Leap Motor's outstanding performance once again ignited market enthusiasm, setting a new monthly delivery record with over 80,000 units! Details are as follows: BYD: According to its announcement, BYD sold a total of 383,453 vehicles in May, including 376,990 passenger vehicles. By brand: Dynasty/Ocean series sold 330,215 units; Fang Cheng Bao sold 30,186 units; Denza sold 16,303 units; Yangwang sold 286 units. From January to May, BYD's cumulative sales reached 1,405,039 units. The company's cumulative NEV sales surpassed 16.5 million units. BYD's sales recovery was mainly supported by exports. Data shows that in May, BYD's overseas sales reached 161,000 units, up 80.4% YoY. NEV Startups: In May, Leap Motor delivered 81,569 vehicles across its entire lineup, up 81% YoY, setting a new historical high for monthly deliveries. The company's NEV sales grew steadily, maintaining its lead. Leap Motor also performed excellently in Italy's pure electric vehicle market, with monthly registrations reaching 4,765 units, up 1,278% YoY, and its pure electric market share reaching a record high of 34.5%. NIO delivered a total of 37,705 new vehicles in May, up 62.3% YoY and 28.4% MoM. Specifically, NIO brand deliveries reached 20,013 units, up 50.8% YoY; Ledao brand delivered 12,029 units, up 91.5% YoY and 124.8% MoM; and Firefly brand delivered 5,663 units, up 53.9% YoY and 13.7% MoM. In the first five months of this year, NIO delivered a total of 150,526 new vehicles, representing a 68.7% YoY increase. To date, NIO's cumulative deliveries have reached 1,148,118 units. Li Auto ranked third among NEV startups with monthly deliveries of 33,350 units this time. As of May 31, 2026, Li Auto's cumulative deliveries reached 1,702,792 units. Li Xiang, Chairman and CEO of Li Auto, said that since Q1 this year, Li Auto's deliveries have entered a growth trajectory, reclaiming the top spot among Chinese brands in the NEV market priced above 200,000 yuan. As of May 31, 2026, Li Auto had 498 retail centers across China, covering 160 cities; and 543 after-sales repair centers and authorized service centers, covering 222 cities. Li Auto has put into use 4,088 Li Auto supercharging stations nationwide, equipped with 22,563 charging piles. XPeng Motors delivered 32,158 new vehicles in May. On May 20, the new technology flagship XPeng GX was officially launched and began deliveries. Within 12 hours of launch, firm orders reached 24,863 units, with the Ultra flagship edition accounting for over 80% of orders. Showroom traffic and test drive volume hit a record high for the same period of any new car launch, making it one of the most popular products among users in the high-end luxury car market and a key step in XPeng Group's brand elevation. In the global market, XPeng maintained strong momentum. In April, overseas deliveries of the P7+ commenced, and monthly overseas sales exceeded 6,000 units for the first time. As of the end of Q1, XPeng had entered over 60 countries and regions worldwide, with 393 overseas sales outlets. Starting from Q2, international business revenue contribution is expected to exceed 20%. In H2 this year, XPeng plans to deliver four global car models, aiming to achieve sustained monthly overseas sales of over 10,000 units in Q4 and more than double full-year overseas sales. Xiaomi Auto's monthly deliveries continued to exceed 30,000 units in May, and its cumulative deliveries surpassed 139,000 units from January to May. On June 13, the latest news, Lei Jun, Chairman of Xiaomi Group, posted on Weibo that Xiaomi Auto attaches great importance to testing, with massive investment and scale. Currently, the testing team consists of over 800 members, of which over 45% are experts with more than 10 years of experience. This team has conducted tests in more than 300 cities and completed over 35 million kilometers of cumulative testing. Xiaomi Auto has 126 laboratories across four cities—Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Wuhan—covering a total area of over 65,600 m². It has also rented two full-vehicle comprehensive testing grounds in Yancheng, Jiangsu, and Guangde, Anhui. There is a dedicated team of around 500 personnel for extreme environment testing. This team is split into summer testing and winter testing units and is mainly responsible for four major extreme environment tests: Heihe (extreme cold), Turpan (extreme heat), the Kunlun Mountains (high altitude), and Hainan (high humidity). Overall, Cui Dongshu, Secretary General of the CPCA, noted that the key features of the auto market in May were “sluggish domestic sales of internal combustion engine vehicles, strong dominance of new energy vehicles, and YoY growth in exports amid headwinds.” Based on the current industry situation, the CPCA adjusted market expectations, revising the decline in full-year domestic passenger vehicle retail sales to 11%, from the 1% decline forecasted at the start of the year. Cui Dongshu stated that the auto market will gradually stabilize and improve in Q3, return to a growth trajectory in Q4, and the full-year decline in domestic passenger vehicle retail sales is expected to narrow to 11%, with the market still holding recovery potential. If the global situation stabilizes, commodity and oil prices return to reasonable ranges, transportation costs subsequently pull back, domestic consumer confidence in car purchases will gradually recover, and the auto retail market will also see a sustained recovery. Looking ahead to June, the CPCA projects that China’s domestic passenger vehicle market in June 2026 will present a weak recovery pattern of “MoM recovery, YoY pressure,” with the market slowly mending based on its own fundamentals. As a month-end period, June sees automakers pushing for their semi-annual sales targets, with OEMs and end-user stores increasing order replenishment efforts, a key positive factor supporting MoM recovery. There will be 21 working days this month, forming a YoY advantage of one extra working day compared to the base of 20 working days in June last year, providing a positive boost to overall production and sales. However, based on past experience, during months when the World Cup is held, the auto market’s sequential performance tends to be weaker. It fell 7% MoM in June 2018, and by 4% MoM in both June 2010 and June 2014. The negative impacts from the previous reduction in passenger vehicle trade-in subsidies and the cooling of the industry price war have been largely absorbed, marking an end to negative policy factors and providing a foundation for market recovery. End-user pace, the auto market showed a “front-loaded and then stabilizing” trend. Combined with the month-end semi-annual sales push effect, the overall monthly trajectory was relatively steady. Notably, the Dragon Boat Festival holiday fell on June 19 this year, significantly later than its May 31 date last year. The concentrated disruption from holiday foot traffic and diverted consumer spending affected the market this month, slightly suppressing mid-month car ordering enthusiasm and partially offsetting some of the benefits from the semi-annual month-end sales push and extra working days. This emerged as a key seasonal factor influencing the monthly trend. It is worth noting that geopolitical conflicts have driven international oil prices to fluctuate at highs, causing the cost of using fuel vehicles in China to keep climbing. This not only directly suppresses the willingness to purchase fuel vehicles but also adds to residents' expenditure pressure, further weakening overall car purchase consumption power and becoming a core factor constraining significant YoY growth in the auto market. At the same time, however, high oil prices have also been continuously accelerating the transition to vehicle electrification. Coupled with the momentum of pushing for half-year targets at the end of June, automakers have introduced compliant concession policies such as interest subsidies and car purchase gift packages for new energy models. Together with the concentrated delivery of multiple new NEV models, the industry's product portfolio has been continuously improved, and strength on the supply side has increased substantially. Currently, industry inventory is being gradually and orderly digested, the vicious price war has largely subsided, and terminals are clearing inventory through mild sales promotions, making market competition trend toward a benign state. Driven by multiple favorable factors, the passenger NEV penetration rate is expected to remain firmly above 60%, with the electrification process continuing to accelerate, becoming the core pillar supporting the resilience of the auto market. Against the backdrop of sluggish domestic demand, automobile exports have become the core pillar of industry growth, creating a pattern of "weak domestic demand, leading overseas demand." Chinese automakers continue to deepen their presence in overseas markets, focusing on diverse markets such as Latin America and Europe, effectively offsetting the impact of declining demand in the Middle East, with export sales maintaining high growth. Relying on the mature domestic new energy industry chain and high-quality products, automobile exports continue to move upscale and upgrade across all categories, effectively offsetting the growth pressure in the Chinese market and supporting the overall stable operation of the industry. Overall, the Passenger Vehicle Association estimates that the auto market's recovery momentum in June will be limited, structural potential remains large, and the overall weak recovery trend will persist.