Valterra Platinum’s first half of 2026 was shaped more by market prices than by production growth. Earnings increased fourfold to R33.4 billion, while metal production from its mines rose only modestly. The difference was driven by stronger PGM prices and the release of previously processed metal from the company’s pipeline. Amandelbult’s recovery was a major contributor to the improvement, while China became a significantly larger market.

Mining operators across Zambia are formalizing their policy demands ahead of the upcoming national elections, calling on the government to strengthen incentives for local mineral processing, greenfield exploration, and power generation expansion. Industry leaders emphasize that these measures are vital to achieving the national benchmark of tripling annual copper output to 3 million tonnes. This push coincides with a tight physical market, where surging demand for critical metals in electric vehicles, power networks, and construction has driven benchmark copper futures up over 40% in the past year to $14,000 per tonne. Fiscal stabilization and closer engagement with miners have already drawn over $10 billion in committed investment to Zambia since the 2021 election. However, expanding long-term output hinges on resolving critical infrastructure bottlenecks. According to the Zambia Chamber of Mines, maintaining a robust exploration pipeline via greenfield spending and licensing reforms is essential to secure real industry growth. Meanwhile, unintegrated producers continue to advocate for export duty relief on copper concentrates. Industry executives estimate that Zambia needs at least 2,000 megawatts of additional generation capacity to prevent severe power shortages from capping planned mine expansions. Because mining remains the country's economic backbone, contributing 9% of GDP, 72% of export earnings, and nearly half of government revenue, analysts expect general policy continuity for foreign direct investment following the polls.

August 4, 2026 Silver trades at around USD 58, roughly 52 per cent below its January record. At the same time, the market is heading for its sixth consecutive supply deficit. Two facts that appear not to fit together – and one deficit figure currently circulating through the financial press in two entirely different versions. Time for a sober stocktake. The silver market has been through one of the sharpest moves in its recent history in 2026. On 29 January the price reached an unprecedented USD 121.62 per ounce. Since then the metal has given back a good half of that and now hovers around USD 58. To many investors, that looks like a rally that failed. In parallel, a series of reports has appeared over recent weeks attesting to a widening supply deficit – but with markedly different numbers attached. Some cite 67 million ounces, others 46.3 million. Anyone wanting to know what an investment case can actually be built on first has to establish which figure applies. What the World Silver Survey Actually Shows The authoritative source is the World Silver Survey , produced by the Silver Institute together with the London research house Metals Focus. The 2026 edition was published on 15 April – and it puts this year's deficit at 46.3 million ounces. That represents an increase of around 15 per cent on the 40.3 million ounce shortfall recorded in 2025, and it marks the sixth consecutive deficit year. The number is indeed growing – but it is growing from a lower base than recent headlines suggest. The frequently quoted 67 million ounces comes from an earlier Silver Institute projection published ahead of the full survey. More recent data on mine production, recycling and end-use have since superseded that estimate. Anyone arguing on the basis of 67 million ounces today is simply working with an outdated figure. This is not pedantry. The gap between the two numbers amounts to roughly a third of the deficit itself. Building the silver case on the higher figure substantially overstates the scarcity. The Genuinely Relevant Number Lies Elsewhere The annual deficit is not, in any case, the most meaningful metric. Set against global annual demand of around 1.11 billion ounces, 46.3 million ounces amounts to roughly four per cent – hardly a dramatic gap in isolation. The cumulative figure is more instructive. Since the market flipped from surplus to deficit in 2021, it has drawn a total of around 762 million ounces from above-ground stocks to cover the gap between supply and demand. That is close to a full year of global mine production. This is where the supply story really sits. It is not the individual annual shortfall that strains the market, but the fact that available inventories have been steadily eroding for six years. The consequences have already shown themselves repeatedly in the form of thin liquidity, elevated lease rates and unusually violent price swings. The Composition of Demand Is Shifting Markedly What is notable is that the 2026 deficit widens even though total demand is falling. Metals Focus expects a decline of around two per cent to 1,112.6 million ounces, alongside supply falling by roughly two per cent to 1,066.4 million ounces. Within demand, a clear reallocation is under way: Industrial demand: down three per cent to 639.6 million ounces, a second consecutive annual decline. At around 57 per cent of the total, the segment nonetheless remains by far the largest demand pillar and stays historically elevated. Jewellery fabrication: falling to 159.4 million ounces, a five-year low. The drop is particularly pronounced in India at around 18 per cent, where high prices are driving lighter pieces and subdued rural demand. Coins and bars: up 18 per cent, the strongest level since 2022. The pattern is unambiguous. Manufacturers are designing silver out of their processes wherever high prices make that viable, while private investors take up physical metal. The market is therefore increasingly driven by investment flows rather than by fabrication demand. The Gold-Silver Ratio as a Valuation Anchor A further perspective comes from the relationship between the two precious metals. With gold at around USD 4,050 and silver at roughly USD 58, the gold-silver ratio currently stands at just under 70. For comparison: in December the ratio briefly fell below 55:1, its lowest reading since 2013. Silver has therefore given up considerably more than gold during the correction – unsurprising given the metal's stronger industrial linkage. In downturns that dual role acts as a drag; in upswings it acts as leverage. Historically, a ratio around 70 is neither extreme nor especially cheap – it sits in the middle of the range of the past two decades. As a buy signal it is therefore of little use. As an indication that silver has not kept pace with gold's recent moves, it is rather more telling. What Investors Should Take From This The supply side remains the strongest element of the silver case, and it is structurally anchored. Around 70 per cent of silver arises as a by-product of lead, zinc, copper and gold mining. Higher silver prices therefore do not automatically translate into higher output, because the production decision rests on the economics of the primary metals. Metals Focus expects mine production to remain broadly flat in 2026. At the same time, the risks should not be waved away. Metals Focus itself points out that persistent geopolitical tension and instability in the Middle East could weigh on industrial demand. Monetary headwinds compound this: the US Federal Reserve is currently debating rate increases rather than cuts, which is fundamentally unhelpful for non-yielding assets such as precious metals. And in a market carried increasingly by investment flows, sharp sell-offs remain possible at any point should financial investors withdraw in size. The sober conclusion, then, is this. The structural deficit is real, it is widening, and six years of inventory drawdown have left the market vulnerable. But it is not an argument for any particular price path over the coming months – and certainly not one that benefits from being reinforced with inflated deficit figures. Anyone investing in silver should treat the volatility as a permanent feature rather than an aberration. Source： https://goldinvest.de/en/the-silver-deficit-is-widening-but-it-is-smaller-than-many-believe

SMM August 4 news: Metals market: As of the midday close, domestic base metals almost all rose. SHFE copper rose 0.91%, SHFE aluminum rose 1%. SHFE lead rose 0.23%. SHFE zinc fell 0.58%. SHFE tin rose 0.81%. SHFE nickel rose 1.55%. In addition, the most-traded cast aluminum futures rose 0.58%, the most-traded alumina futures rose 0.38%. The most-traded lithium carbonate futures rose 1.07%. The most-traded silicon metal futures rose 0.36%. The most-traded polysilicon futures rose 1.4%. Ferrous metals mostly rose. Iron ore was flat at 702.5 yuan/mt, rebar edged up, while hot-rolled coil edged down. Stainless steel rose 2.06%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract rose 1.91%, and the most-traded coke contract rose 0.85%. Overseas base metals market, as of 11:41, LME metals all rose. LME copper rose 0.77%, LME aluminum rose 0.56%, LME lead rose 0.80%, LME zinc rose 0.61%. LME tin rose 0.77%. LME nickel rose 0.81%. Precious metals: as of 11:41, COMEX gold rose 0.54%, COMEX silver rose 1.87%. Domestic precious metals: SHFE gold rose 0.35%, the most-traded SHFE silver futures rose 1.64%. Additionally, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures edged up, and the most-traded palladium futures fell 0.54%. As of the midday close, the most-traded European freight futures contract rose 3.19% to 1,843 points. As of 11:41, August 4, some futures midday market quotes: Spot and fundamentals Zinc: In Tianjin market, #0 zinc ingot were mainly traded at 24,760-24,950 yuan/mt, Zijin was traded at 24,880-25,010 yuan/mt, and #1 zinc ingot were mainly traded at around 24,760-24,870 yuan/mt. Zijin was quoted at a premium of around 0-30 yuan/mt against the 2609 contract, Huxin was quoted at 26,220 yuan/mt, #0 zinc ingot was quoted at a discount of around 30-120 yuan/mt against the 2609 contract, and Tianjin market was quoted at a discount of around 110 yuan/mt against Shanghai market. Macro front Domestic: [State Administration for Market Regulation: 20 places including Beijing, Shanghai, etc., designated as national trade secret protection innovation pilot sites] The General Office of the State Administration for Market Regulation issued a notice on promoting typical experiences and practices of national trade secret protection innovation pilot sites. Among them, Beijing Haidian District, Beijing Tongzhou District, Tianjin Binhai High-tech Zone, Shanghai Pudong New Area, Shanghai Fengxian District, Jiangsu Nanjing, Jiangsu Wuxi, Jiangsu Suzhou, Zhejiang Hangzhou, Zhejiang Ningbo, Zhejiang Wenzhou, Anhui Hefei, Fujian Xiamen Haicang District, Hubei Wuhan, Hunan Changsha, Guangdong Guangzhou, Guangdong Shenzhen, Guangdong Foshan, Chongqing Jiangjin District, Sichuan Chengdu Wuhou District were identified as the first batch of national trade secret protection innovation pilot sites. ()Market Regulation Administration [PBOC Net Withdraws 559 Billion Yuan from Open Market Today] PBOC conducted 46.5 billion yuan 7-day reverse repo operations, with an operation rate of 1.40%, unchanged from the previous session. Today, 605.5 billion yuan reverse repos matured. [Shenzhen New Home Sales Up Over 30% YoY in July] According to data from Shenzhen's real estate information platform, the city's new commercial housing sales totaled 3,773 units in July, down 35.2% MoM but up 19.3% YoY; among these, residential sales were 2,664 units, down 6.8% MoM but up 32.5% YoY. Looking at a longer period, new home sales from January to July totaled 35,104 units, a slight 0.7% YoY increase; of these, residential sales totaled 21,935 units, down 10.6% YoY, with the decline narrowing compared with H1. (JIN10 APP) On the US dollar: As of 11:41, the US dollar index rose 0.05% to 100.01. The July US manufacturing PMI data showed strong demand, surging output, and accelerated hiring, marking the fastest expansion in over four years, which to some extent offset the interest rate cut expectations driven by declining oil prices, leaving overall market rate hike expectations relatively unchanged. According to CME FedWatch, the market priced in a 64.5% probability of at least a 25-basis-point rate hike by the Fed in September. (Wall Street CN) (JIN10 APP) Data from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) showed that the US ISM manufacturing PMI registered 55.6 in July, the highest level since May 2022. A reading above 50 indicates sector expansion, and the industry has remained above that threshold for seven consecutive months. The production index rose to 58.5, the highest since the end of 2021, while the employment gauge indicated that manufacturers added workers for the first time since September 2023. New orders — a signal of demand — also rebounded. Manufacturing momentum has been strong this year, with factories benefiting from solid consumer demand, robust business investment, and government spending on national defense. All but one manufacturing industry reported growth in July, including printing, apparel, and electrical equipment. The only sector reporting contraction was chemical products. Fed’s Williams said he remains optimistic that inflationary pressures will gradually ease, but if that does not happen, the Fed will not hesitate to raise interest rates to ensure price pressures return to target. In an interview with Reuters last Friday, Williams said that if energy prices and trade tariffs have peaked and the economy maintains solid momentum, "I think some of the main factors that have pushed up inflation over the past year and a half will no longer play such a large role, and the disinflationary forces we observed earlier should reemerge."He added: "I am watching very closely what happens to core inflation measures over the coming months, whether that is consistent with inflation trending down to 2% and continuing to move lower, so that we achieve that sustained 2% inflation goal over the longer run by 2028." He also stated: "My own forecast is that inflation will come down somewhat in H2 this year and pull back further next year." Williams reiterated that the current monetary policy stance is "well positioned" to bring inflation back to the target. However, he noted: "If we are not on a path to bring inflation down to 2%... then it would be entirely appropriate to take action to get us back on a path to 2% inflation." (Jin10 Data APP) In terms of data: Today, the US June trade balance, US June JOLTS job openings, US June factory orders MoM, and other figures will be released. Items to watch: SpaceX announces Q2 2026 results; FMS 2026 Flash Memory Summit takes place from August 4-6, with Samsung, SK, and other storage giants in attendance. In terms of crude oil: As of 11:41, both crude benchmarks were up, with WTI rising 0.73% and Brent gaining 1.16%. With the outlook for US-Iran negotiations uncertain and market concerns over supply disruptions persisting, oil prices rebounded after the previous session's plunge. Shipping tracking data shows that six empty Saudi-flagged supertankers changed course in the Gulf of Aden in recent days, heading toward southern Africa. One of them is destined for Gibraltar. On August 3, the six tankers were sailing in formation in the high seas off the coast of Somalia. (Jin10 Data APP) Spot market at a glance: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

Indonesian stainless slab moving through a trade-measure gap, not summer shutdowns, explains why European stainless scrap weakened while Asian stainless scrap rose between the mid-July low and 3rd August.

On August 4, the stock price of JCHX fell. As of 10:38 am on August 4, JCHX dropped 0.54% to 71.17 yuan per share. In terms of news, the monthly investor relations activity summary (July 2026) announced by JCHX on August 3 shows: 1. Project Progress of the San Matias Copper-Gold-Silver Mine in Colombia The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Alacran Copper-Gold-Silver Mine has received formal approval from Colombia's National Environmental Licensing Authority (ANLA). As of now, the technical, environmental, and social impact assessment process involving local communities, authorities, and government technical agencies has been satisfactorily completed. In the subsequent development and construction of the Alacran Copper-Gold-Silver Mine, the company will fully implement the social and economic protection requirements of the environmental permit, always adhering to the core principles of human rights protection, risk prevention, and collective well-being. By establishing a long-term communication and sharing mechanism, it will ensure that project operations coexist harmoniously with local communities for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. According to the feasibility study (FS) for the Alacran Copper-Gold-Silver deposit completed in December 2023 (adopting the NI 43-101 standard), the Alacran Copper-Gold-Silver mine project is an open-pit mining and processing project, with an estimated investment of $420.4 million and a designed ore volume of 97.9 million tons within the pit limit. The construction period is 2 years, and the mine life is expected to be 14.2 years after completion. The project is expected to cumulatively recover 797 million pounds of copper, 550,000 ounces of gold, and 5.35 million ounces of silver. 2. Technological Transformation of the Lubambe Copper Mine Project Since completing the acquisition of the Lubambe Copper Mine in Zambia in H2 2024, the company has continuously strengthened its operation and management, while advancing geological exploration, mining production, beneficiation production, and the renovation of underground auxiliary systems. As the technological transformation plan is gradually implemented, the operational efficiency of the Lubambe Copper Mine will be continuously improved. 3. Remaining Recoverable Reserves and Seasonality of the Dikulushi Mine The company currently holds two mining rights (PE606 and PE13085) in the Katanga Province of southeastern DRC through its subsidiaries Jinjing Mining and Yuanjing Mining, with a mining right area of 68.77 square kilometers. The Dikulushi Copper Mine, which commenced production in December 2021, is part of the PE606 mining right. As of the end of December 2025, the Dikulushi Copper Mine has retained ore reserves of approximately 430,000 tons, with an average copper grade of 7.58%. Since the commencement of production at the Dikulushi Copper Mine, the company has continuously extended the mine's life cycle through simultaneous production and exploration, with significant results: the 2021 annual report disclosed a remaining mining life of 3.58 years, while the 2025 annual report disclosed a remaining mining life of 2.98 years. In the future, this approach of simultaneous production and exploration will continue. The production and sales of the Dikulushi Copper Mine take into account the local rainy season from November to April, and sales are not evenly distributed throughout the year. Generally, the rainy season affects the condition of peripheral roads around the mining area, thereby impacting product transportation, so sales are relatively lower during the rainy season. 4. Expansion and Construction of the Eastern Zone of the Lonshi Copper Mine According to the "Feasibility Study on the Eastern Zone Mining and Processing Project of the Lonshi Copper Mine in DRC" released by the company in January 2025, the eastern zone will adopt underground mining, with a designed annual mining scale of 2.5-3.5 million tons and a planned infrastructure period of 4.5 years. It will reach full production in the 4th year after commissioning, with a total service life of 12 years. To balance the service cycles of the eastern and western zones, the western zone will undergo year-by-year production cuts after the eastern zone commissions, with a combined maximum annual ore output of 4.5 million tons from underground mining in both zones. After the eastern zone reaches full production, the combined annual copper metal production of the eastern and western zones of the Lonshi Copper Mine will be approximately 100,000 tons. 5. Pricing Model of Mining Services Business The pricing model for mining services is cost-plus, based on the mine's resource endowment, technical difficulty of mining, etc., using industry-standard operational efficiency and operating costs as references for pricing. Generally, it is not linked to mineral resource product prices. 6. Listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange To further advance the company's global strategic layout, build an international capital operation platform, broaden diversified financing channels through international capital markets, further enhance the company's comprehensive competitiveness and continuously increase its international influence, and strengthen its core competitiveness, the company is planning to issue overseas-listed shares (H shares) and list on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. The company is actively discussing the relevant work for this H-share issuance and listing. The specific details have not yet been determined. Once the specific plan is finalized, the H-share issuance and listing still need to be submitted to the company's board of directors and shareholders' meeting for deliberation, and require filing, approval, and/or clearance from relevant government and regulatory bodies such as the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong. There is significant uncertainty as to whether the H-share issuance and listing can pass the deliberation, filing, and review procedures and ultimately be implemented. 7. Development Potential of Mining Services Business Adopting a target market strategy focused on "large markets, large owners, large projects," the company, on the one hand, consistently implements the philosophy of providing value-added services to mine owners with leading technology, gaining their recognition through high-quality mine construction services, and subsequently undertaking later mining operation and management business. On the other hand, by enhancing mine design and technology R&D, it has initially formed an integrated comprehensive business model encompassing mine construction, mining operation management, and mine design and technology R&D. This model can more effectively meet the needs of owners for mine construction and mining operations, better achieve a rapid and stable transition from infrastructure to production, shorten construction cycles, achieve rapid commissioning and full production, and save infrastructure investment for mine owners. At the same time, the development space for the company's mining services business will become broader. In the future, the growth of the mining services business will mainly come from two directions: first, newly undertaken external projects; second, incremental expansion of existing projects — large mines typically have multiple ore bodies, and their development is often carried out in stages. Specifically, when the first phase progresses to a certain stage, construction of the second phase will commence. During this process, owners will actively seek high-quality service providers. 8. Construction Progress of the Northern Mining Zone of the Phosphate Ore Mine The Liangchahe Phosphate Ore Northern Mining Zone has a production scale of 500,000 t/a and is currently under construction, aiming to be completed and put into production by the end of 2028. 9. View on the Trend of Copper Prices Looking at the current and upcoming period, the copper market faces a pronounced "tight balance" pattern. Supply side, production release is strictly limited by the dual constraints of declining average copper ore grades globally and insufficient long-term capital expenditure, and disruption risks at the mine end are intensifying. Demand side, the global energy transition (new energy sector) and infrastructure construction in emerging markets provide sustained and resilient demand support. Against this backdrop, copper prices are expected to drift higher over the medium and long term. 10. Future Development Strategy of the Company On the basis of maintaining stable development of its existing mine development business, the company relies on its accumulated advantages in technology, management, and industry to actively expand into the resource development sector, gradually exploring a development path of "mining services + resources." Driven by the dual engines of "mining services" and "resource development," it promotes the comprehensive transformation from a single mining services enterprise to a group-oriented mining company. 11. Competitive Advantages of the Company in the Industry With its deep expertise accumulated in mine construction and mining operation management, the company extends along the mining industry chain into areas such as mine resource development, design and R&D, and equipment manufacturing, steadily enhancing its integrated service and control capabilities for mining services. It can feed back experiences gained during construction and problems identified through the shortest channels and at the lowest cost to the development consulting and design phases, and incorporate the company's latest scientific research achievements into its design business to optimize design plans, enabling scientific and technological innovations to rapidly transform into productive forces applied in the resource development sector. This can better shorten the construction cycle of resource development, reduce unit production costs, and increase the safety margin in market competition for mineral products. Through the advantages of integrated operations, it improves resource project development efficiency, extends project life, and maximizes the economic value of resource projects. 12. Are There Plans for Further Mine Acquisitions? From a long-term strategic perspective, the company focuses on resource projects that match its scale and have value investment potential. Currently, the company already owns five mine resource projects, and therefore prefers to achieve reserve growth through exploration work on existing projects, viewing this as a more economical way to acquire resources. At the same time, leveraging its advantages in mine construction and operation, the company will also explore expanding its business through equity participation plus operation. In terms of performance, JCHX's Q1 2026 report disclosed on April 28 showed that the company achieved total operating revenue of 3.414 billion yuan, up 21.45% YoY, and net profit attributable to shareholders of 601 million yuan, up 42.55% YoY. For the increase in Q1 operating revenue and net profit, JCHX's announcement stated that it was mainly due to increased sales of mineral resource products (copper cathode, copper concentrates, iron ore) and rising copper product prices during the period. JCHX's 2025 annual report disclosed that the company's 2025 revenue was 13.894 billion yuan, up 39.74% YoY, and net profit attributable to shareholders was 2.339 billion yuan, up 47.66% YoY. JCHX stated in its 2025 annual report that the 39.74% increase in operating revenue and the 47.66% increase in net profit attributable to shareholders year-on-year were mainly due to the ramp-up and efficiency improvement of its captive mine projects in the mine resource development business during the reporting period. A research report from China Post Securities commenting on JCHX's performance shows that the resource segment experienced volume growth, while the mining services business was a slight drag. By business segment, in 2025, the mine resource business achieved revenue/gross profit of 6.986/3.121 billion yuan, up 117.67%/130.20% YoY, and the mining services business achieved combined revenue/gross profit of 6.613/1.515 billion yuan, up 1.06%/-13.47% YoY. The mine business saw both volume and price increases, while the decline in mining services was mainly due to the Lubambe Copper Mine being converted into an internal unit after acquisition, reducing recognized revenue and gross profit, and some projects being affected by declining operational volume/production ramp-up. Volume: In 2025, copper metal sales were 92,700 tons, up 88.16% YoY, and phosphate ore sales were 357,400 tons, down 1.00% YoY. The increase in copper metal production and sales was mainly due to the Lonshi Copper Mine reaching full production and releasing output, with Dikulushi and Lonshi Copper Mines exceeding production plans, and the Lubambe Copper Mine being consolidated for the full year. In Q1 2026, copper metal production and sales were 22,400/18,100 tons respectively, mainly affected by grade decline and the rainy season. Price: In 2025, copper prices rose 7.62% YoY, and in Q1 2026, they rose 36.72% YoY. Production in 2026 is expected to grow steadily, with huge expansion potential in the long term. In 2026, the company's captive resource projects plan to produce 100,300 tons of copper metal (equivalent) and sell 99,700 tons of copper metal (equivalent), and produce and sell 300,000 tons of phosphate ore; the Istanex Mountain magnetite project plans to produce and sell 1.25 million tons of iron ore concentrates. In the long term, the northern mining zone of the Liangchahe Phosphate Ore Mine is expected to be put into use by the end of 2028, with annual capacity expanding from 300,000 tons to 800,000 tons; the eastern zone of the Lonshi Copper Mine, after commissioning, can expand annual production from 40,000 tons to 100,000 tons; the Lubambe Copper Mine is under technological transformation, and after completion, it is expected to produce 35,000 tons of copper per year; the company's equity stake in the San Matias Copper-Gold-Silver Mine has reached 97.5%, and it is in the EIA approval stage. Risk warning: price fluctuation risk; project progress falling short of expectations risk; downstream demand falling short of expectations risk; model assumptions not aligning with reality; policy exceeding expectations risk, etc.

SMM August 4 News: In the metals market: Overnight, base metals on the domestic market generally rose. SHFE copper gained 0.43%. SHFE aluminum added 0.61%. SHFE lead fell 1.17%, SHFE zinc dropped 0.82%, and SHFE tin rose 0.44%. SHFE nickel climbed 1.13%. Additionally, the most-traded alumina futures contract fell 0.08%, and the most-traded cast aluminum contract edged up 0.24%. Overnight, ferrous metals mostly declined. Stainless steel surged 3.09%, iron ore fell 0.71%, and rebar slipped 0.4%. Hot-rolled coil fell 0.56%. In coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract rose 0.55%, while the most-traded coke contract fell 0.46%. Overnight on the overseas metals market, LME base metals showed mixed performance. LME copper gained 0.33%. LME aluminum rose 1%. LME lead fell 0.72%. LME zinc dipped 0.16%. LME tin inched up 0.03%. LME nickel slipped 0.26%. Overnight in the precious metals segment : COMEX gold rose 0.09%, while COMEX silver gained 1.05%. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE gold contract fell 0.11%, while the most-traded SHFE silver contract added 0.34%. As of 7:17 a.m. on August 4, overnight closing prices: Macro Front Domestic side: [Li Qiang Signs State Council Decree to Promulgate Revised Regulations on the Protection of Layout-Designs of Integrated Circuits] Premier Li Qiang recently signed a State Council decree to promulgate the revised Regulations on the Protection of Layout-Designs of Integrated Circuits, effective October 15, 2026. The Regulations aim to protect exclusive rights to integrated circuit layout-designs, encourage technological innovation in integrated circuits, and promote scientific and technological development. The Regulations consist of six chapters and 54 articles, with the main revisions as follows. First, clarify the overall requirements. The protection of integrated circuit layout-designs shall implement the strategic deployment of the Party and the state on intellectual property rights, expand the scope of protection, and emphasize good faith. Second, improve the application and examination procedures. Regulate fraudulent applications, refine material requirements, improve rejection and revocation procedures, and add procedures for restoration of rights. Third, strengthen protection of exclusive rights. Clarify standards for defining the scope of rights and increase compensation for infringement. Fourth, promote the utilization of layout-designs. Strengthen public services, specify reward and remuneration measures, improve requirements for transfer, licensing, and pledge, and regulate the exercise of co-owners' rights. (Xinhua News Agency) [NDRC and National Energy Administration Issue the 15th Five-Year Plan for New-Type Power System Construction] The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration issued the 15th Five-Year Plan for New-Type Power System Construction. It proposes that by 2030, the new-type power system will be initially established: a green and low-carbon power supply pattern will have basically taken shape, with non-fossil energy accounting for 50% of power generation; power supply capability will be continuously enhanced, complementarity and mutual support among power systems will be greatly improved, and security and resilience will be significantly strengthened, keeping power supply adequacy at a reasonable level to effectively meet the electricity needs of socioeconomic development and people's aspirations for a better life; a safe, reliable, green, low-carbon, strong, resilient, intelligent, and flexible new-type power grid will be initially built, giving full play to its role as a resource allocation platform and service functions, achieving high-level consumption of over 2.8 billion kW of new energy, and establishing a charging infrastructure network capable of supporting more than 110 million EVs. The institutional mechanisms for the new-type power system will be further improved, and a unified national power market system will be basically established. The plan proposes promoting wide-load high-efficiency retrofits for existing coal-fired power units, controlling the increase in coal consumption under low-load operating conditions to within 25%. It also calls for promoting full-load denitrification retrofits for coal-fired units based on local conditions. Implement a batch of cross-generation upgrade projects for 600,000-kW-level units. In areas with suitable conditions, build a number of zero-carbon and low-carbon fuel co-firing and carbon capture, utilization, and storage projects. Formulate policies for the integrated development of coal power and new energy, support the priority implementation of a batch of coal power-new energy integration projects in areas where conditions permit, carry out retrofits to enhance coal power's regulating capability, and promote the coupling and integration of coal power and new energy systems to achieve integrated regulation and delivery and reduce coal-fired power generation. [SHFE Issues Notice on Launching Spread Orders] To meet market needs and improve market operation efficiency, the Shanghai Futures Exchange will launch spread orders starting from August 24, 2026 (i.e., the night continuous trading session on August 21, 2026). Initially, spread orders will be applicable to copper, gold, rebar, and natural rubber futures. Subsequent plans to extend to other products and introduce cross-product spread combinations will be notified separately by the exchange. Spread orders are supported only for futures products, with a minimum order size of 1 lot and a maximum of 500 lots. [Shanghai International Energy Exchange Issues Notice on Launching Spread Orders] To meet market needs and improve market operation efficiency, the Shanghai International Energy Exchange will launch spread orders starting from August 24, 2026 (i.e., the night continuous trading session on August 21, 2026). Initially, spread orders will be applicable to crude oil futures. Subsequent plans to extend to other products and introduce cross-product spread combinations will be notified separately by INE. Spread orders are supported only for futures products, with a minimum order size of 1 lot and a maximum of 500 lots. (Shanghai International Energy Exchange) [CISA: In the Next Stage, Strictly Implement the Steel Export License Management System] In H1 2026, steel exports saw an overall decline in volume and stable prices, while steel billet exports surged significantly. Overseas, 12 original anti-dumping investigations were initiated against Chinese steel, and trade friction pressure remained unabated. In H2, external constraints tightened: the EU's new steel safeguard measures reduced quotas and introduced the "melted and poured" origin rule, and coupled with global geopolitical disruptions, the export environment became more complex. In the next stage, strictly implement the steel export license management system, adhere to the orientation of "promoting high-end products, stabilizing peripheral markets, and strict supervision," strengthen industry self-discipline, optimize the export structure, deepen cultivation of peripheral and emerging markets, actively respond to trade frictions, proactively adapt to international rules, and drive the transformation of exports toward high-end and green development to achieve steady and orderly progress. (CISA) US Dollar: Overnight, the US dollar index rose 0.19% to 99.97. In July, the US manufacturing sector grew at its fastest pace in more than four years, driven by sustained strong demand, surging production, and increased hiring. The ISM Manufacturing PMI came in at 55.6 in July, the highest since May 2022. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, and the sector has now been above that level for seven consecutive months. The Production Index climbed to 58.5, the highest since the end of 2021, while the employment gauge signaled that manufacturers added workers for the first time since September 2023. New order growth — a signal of demand — also rebounded. Manufacturing has been robust this year, with factories benefiting from solid consumer demand, firm business investment, and government spending on national defense. All but one manufacturing industry reported growth in July, including printing, apparel, and electrical equipment. The only industry reporting contraction was chemical products. According to CME FedWatch, the probability that the Fed will keep rates unchanged in September is 32.8%, while the probability of a cumulative 25bp rate hike is 67.2%. For the October meeting, the probability of holding rates steady is 23.3%, while the probability of a cumulative 25bp hike is 57.3% and a cumulative 50bp hike is 19.3%. Fed's Williams said he remains optimistic that inflation pressures will gradually ease, but if that does not happen, the Fed will not hesitate to raise rates to ensure price pressures return to target. In an interview with Reuters last Friday, Williams said that if energy prices and trade tariffs have peaked and the economy remains on a solid footing, "I think some of the main factors that had been pushing up inflation over the last year and a half or so will fade, and some of the disinflationary forces that we had observed earlier should reassert themselves." He added, "I'm watching very carefully the next few months' readings on core inflation to see if they are consistent with inflation moving toward 2% and continuing to trend lower, to give us confidence that we can achieve our 2% inflation goal durably by 2028." He also said, "My own forecast is that inflation will come down in the second half of this year and come down further next year." Williams reiterated that the current policy stance is "well positioned" to bring inflation back to target. But he noted, "If we are not on a path to bring inflation down to 2% ... then taking action to get us back to that 2% path would be entirely appropriate." (Jin10 Data APP) Other Currencies: Data from the Bank of Japan's accounts suggest that Japan likely spent about $34 billion on Friday to intervene in the foreign exchange market to support the yen, building on the coordinated action with the US on Thursday. Based on a comparison of BOJ account data released Monday with money broker forecasts, the estimated intervention was about 5.33 trillion yen (approximately $34 billion). Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama confirmed earlier Monday that Japan had stepped into the market on Friday. The continued yen-buying by Japanese authorities underscores their determination to counter bearish bets against the yen. The US Treasury joined the effort last week to shore up the yen, marking the closest coordination on exchange rate policy in 15 years. Analysis of the BOJ accounts does not reflect the scale of US intervention in the market, but US involvement may have reduced the amount of funds Japan needed to achieve the same exchange rate effect. (Jin10 Data APP) Macro: Today, data such as the US Trade Balance for June, US JOLTS Job Openings for June, and US Factory Orders MoM for June will be released. Attention should be paid to: SpaceX's Q2 2026 earnings release; the FMS 2026 Flash Memory Summit to be held August 4-6, with storage giants such as Samsung and SK hynix in attendance. Crude Oil: Overnight, both crude oil futures plunged, with WTI tumbling 5.44% and Brent falling 4.81%. Last Sunday, Trump said publicly that the US and Iran would start talks on Monday, adding that "after the Hormuz agreement comes the nuclear deal." Iran earlier Monday denied the claim of talks with the US. During afternoon US stock trading, Trump again said negotiations with Iran were still ongoing. He said the US is currently in dialogue with Iran at its request, a process supported by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and other countries, and stressed that this will be Iran's "last chance to sign a good deal." Signals are currently mixed, and the market has turned to a wait-and-see mode. Substantive risks in the Strait of Hormuz have yet to dissipate. The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported an explosion near a tanker off the coast of Oman on Sunday. This waterway, which in peacetime carries about one-fifth of global crude oil and LNG shipments, already saw an LNG carrier attacked late last week. On the futures curve, Brent is in a pronounced backwardation structure, reflecting still-tight physical market supply. (Wall Street Insights)

"Tin" Guiding the Future: Industrial Transformation and Value Reshaping in the New Cycle Conference Background Currently, the global tin industry stands at a historic turning point. Traditional cyclical logic has been completely disrupted, and its strategic value has been fully highlighted. In 2026, the tin market presents an unprecedentedly complex pattern and profound changes: I. Deep Restructuring of the Supply-Demand Pattern and Unprecedented Elevation of Strategic Attributes The global static reserve-to-production ratio of tin resources is only 14 years, making its scarcity increasingly prominent. The supply side faces "triple pressures": recurring production resumptions in Myanmar, persistently tightening policies in Indonesia, and high geopolitical risks in the DRC, making resource constraints a new normal. Meanwhile, the demand structure has undergone a fundamental shift, with tin becoming a strategic resource connecting traditional manufacturing and the digital future. II. The Price System Breaks Historical Records, and the Industrial Ecosystem Faces Reshaping In early 2026, the SHFE tin price exceeded 470,000 yuan/mt, hitting a record high. This price breakthrough not only reflects a supply-demand imbalance but also signifies a revaluation of the tin industry. Traditional trading models, risk management systems, and supply chain collaboration methods are all in urgent need of innovative breakthroughs. III. Technology-Driven and Green Transformation Foster a New Symbiotic Ecosystem Digital and intelligent technologies are deeply empowering the tin industry chain. The global green transformation requires the tin industry to upgrade towards low-carbon and circular economy models, with recycled tin recovery and green smelting processes becoming inevitable paths. All links in the industry chain must shift from competition to collaboration, building an open, resilient, and innovative symbiotic system. Against this backdrop, the August 19-21, 2026, Changsha, Hunan 2026 SMM (16th) Tin Industry Chain Conference will bring together global industry elites for in-depth discussions. Ganzhou Kaiyuan Technology Co., Ltd. will attend this grand event, joining industry peers to discuss industry development trends and jointly propel the tin industry to new heights. Click the to register for the conference immediately, witness and participate in this extraordinarily significant and far-reaching industry event, and create a brilliant new chapter together! Founded in June 2005, Ganzhou Kaiyuan Technology Co., Ltd. is a modern environmental protection technology enterprise with significant core competitiveness and industry influence in China's non-ferrous metal comprehensive recycling and circular economy sector. The company is deeply engaged in the track of renewable non-ferrous metal resource utilization, focusing on achieving efficient, comprehensive recovery of tin based on tin-containing raw materials, while simultaneously recovering up to 15 valuable non-ferrous metal products, including lead, antimony, bismuth, zinc, copper, gold, and silver. It is one of the benchmark enterprises in China with the most complete range of recycled metal categories. With advanced technology and a professional team, the company is dedicated to transforming waste resources into valuable assets, contributing to sustainable resource utilization and environmental protection. The company currently has over 1,000 employees and strong comprehensive strength. It has been recognized as a key enterprise at provincial, municipal, and district levels and as a leading manufacturing enterprise in Jiangxi Province, with its industry position and comprehensive strength firmly ranking in the first tier of the regional industry. It was honored as a 10-billion-yuan industrial enterprise for 2021-2022 and has been listed among the Top 100 Private Enterprises in Jiangxi Province for many consecutive years. In 2022 and 2025, it also successfully entered the Top 500 Private Manufacturing Enterprises in China (ranked 430th and 499th), fully demonstrating the company’s strong operational capability and core competitiveness in the industry. Emphasizing both quality and environmental protection is the company’s core development principle. The enterprise strictly adheres to the highest industry standards in production and operation, and has successfully passed the dual authoritative certifications of ISO quality management system and ISO environmental management system. It has established a standardized, regulated, and refined production control and environmental management system, ensuring stable and excellent product quality while strictly upholding the bottom line of ecological and environmental protection, demonstrating its responsibility and commitment. To implement the green development concept of the central government and the provincial party committee and government, and actively responding to the call of the district party committee and government for “relocating from urban areas to suburbs and carrying out off-site technological transformation,” the company relocated to Longhua Industrial Park, Nankang District, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province in 2016. The new plant covers a total area of 540 mu (about 36 hectares), with a total project investment of 2.06 billion yuan. After upgrading and equipment renewal, it officially began production in May 2018, fully achieving intelligent production, standardized environmental protection, and scaled industrial upgrading, laying a solid hardware foundation for the company’s high-quality development. The company’s main products are refined tin ingots, with by-products including sodium tungstate, copper cathode, lead, bismuth, and other metals, as well as rare and precious metals such as gold, silver, palladium, platinum, rhodium, indium, germanium, and tellurium. For a long time, the company has adhered to the core strategy of parallel development of technological innovation and ecological advancement, continuously deepening core technologies for comprehensive utilization of tin-containing raw materials, increasing investment in tin smelting process R&D and environmental protection equipment, and continuously improving the industrial chain layout and extending the industry value chain, thereby promoting industrial quality improvement, efficiency enhancement, and green upgrading. Its business performance has grown steadily and robustly. From 2021 to 2025, the company’s main business revenue exceeded 10 billion yuan for five consecutive years, solidifying its status as a 10-billion-yuan industrial enterprise. Currently, the company’s annual capacity for refined tin exceeds 50,000 mt, with over 20,000 mt for other metals, accounting for one-fifth of national production and ranking among the top 2 nationwide. It is one of China’s important enterprises with the most varieties of comprehensively recovered precious metals. Contact Information Tel: 86-797-6581062 Address: Longhua Industrial Park, Nankang District, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province Long press the QR code to register now 2026 SMM (16th) Tin Industry Chain Conference

​​​​​​​Falling nickel benchmarks, a fragmented overseas supply base and a Malaysian enforcement crackdown lift India's stainless scrap imports 11.4% while pushing the average import price down 6.6% in the 12 months to February 2026

Amid global supply-demand restructuring, dual-carbon constraints, and diversified downstream demand, China's silicon metal industry has entered a critical transformation period for improving quality and efficiency. As 2026 serves as a pivotal year linking past and future industry planning, the sector urgently needs an authoritative platform to analyze market trends and match resources. Deeply engaged in the silicon industry chain, SMM (Shanghai Metals Market) is proud to present , scheduled to take place from August 27 to 28. The summit will build a high-end exchange platform around the core pain points of the entire industry chain, collaborating with industry experts and leading enterprises to overcome cut-throat competition and promote the steady and long-term development of the industry. , as a supporting enterprise, sincerely invites you to gather in Xi'an on August 27-28 for this industry event. Click now and join hands with industry peers to witness the high-quality development of the silicon industry! Anhui Tianshun Environmental Protection Equipment Co., Ltd. was established in May 2007 and is located in the South Zone of Hanshan Economic Development Zone, Anhui province. It is a national high-tech enterprise specializing in the design, production, operation, and related supporting services of environmental protection equipment. The company holds qualifications including the Engineering Design Qualification Certificate (Environmental Engineering Air Pollution Prevention and Control Class B) and the Class I Certificate for Professional Contracting of Environmental Protection Projects. It is a member of the China Environmental Protection Industry Association, a champion enterprise of Anhui's "Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Novel" program, an executive council member of the Anhui Environmental Protection Industry Association, a key enterprise in Anhui's environmental protection industry, a provincial-level enterprise technology center, a provincial-level industrial design center, a provincial-level postdoctoral research station, and a "Beautiful Anhui" brand demonstration enterprise. In 2021, it was selected for the MIIT list of enterprises complying with the "Standardization Conditions for the Environmental Protection Equipment Manufacturing Industry." In 2023, it was listed in the "Catalogue of Major Environmental Protection Technologies and Equipment Encouraged for Development by the State," jointly released by MIIT and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. It has participated in the formulation of two industry standards—the "Technical Specifications for Flue Gas Ventilation and Dust Removal in Steelmaking Electric Furnaces" and "High-Temperature Bag Filters"—as well as several group standards. Flue Gas Dust Removal Main Products LCDM long-bag low-pressure pulse bag filters, tertiary dust removal for steel mill converters, negative-pressure large bag filters for ferrosilicon furnaces (silicon metal furnaces), and desulfurization and denitrification units for various industries. The company has advanced technical solutions and practical experience in large-scale EAF steelmaking flue gas treatment systems, ferroalloy submerged arc furnace flue gas treatment, blast furnace gas purification, and ultra-low emission of silicon metal flue gas. The company's unremitting pursuit is to become a leading domestic enterprise in atmospheric dust control. For over a decade, the company has united and forged ahead, establishing cooperative relationships with many well-known enterprises such as Baowu Group, GCL Group, JISCO, Baotou Steel Group, Xiongwei Guangda, and Longteng Special Steel, enjoying a high reputation in the industry. Selected Solutions Looking ahead, Tianshun Environmental Protection will continue to uphold the development philosophy of "Tianshun Environmental Protection, Building Harmony Together." Guided by the market, we will ride the wind and waves and forge ahead, further focusing on the development of the entire industry chain of flue gas environmental protection and dust removal. We will actively explore new business areas, promote the company's business transformation, and continuously improve the layout of our two major segments: bag dust collectors and desulfurization and denitrification. We aim to realize the strategic deployment of "steadily enhancing the market position of bag dust collectors and expanding the field of ultra-low emissions in desulfurization and denitrification." With the support of high-quality project construction, through innovation and development, we will drive the company's faster, higher, and better growth. Contact Information Contact: Zhong Hua, 13625632666 Zhang Bing, 13965678812 Liang Ming, 18855588333 Tel: 0555-4718877, 4725678, 4718766 Fax: 0555-4718766 Website: Email: ahtshb@ahtshb.com Address: Hanshan Economic Development Zone (South District), Anhui Conference Manager Zhou Boyu 13062794772