According to foreign media reports, the explosion at the Novelis aluminum rolling plant in Greensboro, Georgia, US, was a major industrial accident triggered by a baghouse dust collector malfunction. The plant is a leading enterprise in global aluminum recycling, mainly producing aluminum semis for beverage cans, with clients including Coca-Cola. - Time and Location: At around 5:00 p.m. local time on March 1, 2026 (Sunday), at the Novelis aluminum recycling plant on Willow Run Road in Greensboro, Georgia, US. - Incident Overview: A fire was sparked by a dust explosion in the baghouse, spreading to piles of aluminum scrap and conveyor belts, causing partial structural damage to the building; all 16 employees at the site evacuated safely, with no casualties.
Mar 6, 2026 18:49On February 26, local time in the US, the third round of indirect negotiations between the US and Iran took place in Geneva, Switzerland, mediated by Oman. The talks went through two stages with a break of several hours in between, and a new round of negotiations is expected to take place next week. On February 27, Beijing time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised Chinese citizens in Iran to evacuate as soon as possible. The external security risks facing Iran have significantly increased, with multiple countries issuing advisories for their citizens to leave. Given the current security situation in Iran, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in Iran reminded Chinese citizens not to travel to Iran and advised those already there to strengthen safety precautions and evacuate as soon as possible. The Chinese Embassies and Consulates in Iran and its neighboring countries will provide necessary assistance for the evacuation of Chinese citizens via commercial flights or land routes. On February 27, platinum and palladium showed a significant rise, with platinum's weekly gain reaching 19.29%, making it a standout in the precious metals futures sector. Market uncertainties brought about by US tariffs and geopolitical risks continue to support the performance of precious metals. Fundamentals side, tight supply provided fundamental support for platinum. Coupled with many market participants' bullish outlook, some suppliers held prices firm, providing sentiment support for the rise in platinum and palladium. As of around 3:58 PM on February 27, the main platinum contract rose 5.34% to 623.75 yuan/gram, with a weekly gain of 19.29%; the main palladium contract rose 2.77% to 464.85 yuan/gram, with a weekly gain of 10.86%. The A-share market responded in kind, with the precious metals sector closing up 3.55% on February 27. On February 27, spot platinum was quoted at 606~610 yuan/gram, with an average price of 608 yuan/gram, up 3.67% from the previous trading day. The post-holiday rise in platinum, besides being supported by macro factors and safe-haven demand, also benefited from tight supply, positive market expectations, and some suppliers holding prices firm. Due to some suppliers' optimistic outlook, they were unwilling to sell at low prices, making it difficult to find low-priced goods in the market. However, the supply-demand relationship has not changed significantly since before the holiday. The post-holiday rise was more driven by optimistic sentiment, with downstream players adopting a wait-and-see attitude. It is expected that platinum prices will continue to fluctuate in the short term. Future developments will need to focus on changes in the demand side. Throughout February 2026, platinum and palladium prices experienced a roller-coaster ride amid macroeconomic shocks and geopolitical risks. For the whole month, macro sentiment dominated the pace of fluctuations, with supply-side events reinforcing support, and the structural feature of "strong platinum, weak palladium" continued. At present, geopolitical and macro situations strongly support precious metals: the tense Middle East situation directly boosted safe-haven demand; the downward revision of US GDP coupled with stubborn inflation highlighted gold's value preservation function; the legal battle over tariff policies weakened the US dollar's credibility, and expectations for US Fed interest rate cuts, along with global central banks' gold buying spree, collectively provided a solid bottom for precious metal prices. Fundamentals side, the expansion elasticity of platinum and palladium supply is relatively weak. Since platinum's demand structure is less dependent on traditional fuel vehicle consumption compared to palladium, the supply-demand pattern for platinum is tighter, and it is expected to have strong upward momentum, while palladium is likely to follow platinum in a weaker trend. Risk Warning: US Economic Resilience Exceeds Expectations, US Tariff Adjustments on Platinum and Palladium Exceed Expectations, Geopolitical Risks in Major Production Areas, etc.
Feb 28, 2026 14:39Macro News 1. On June 17 local time, during his attendance at the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, President Xi Jinping met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The two heads of state exchanged views on the current situation in the Middle East. Xi Jinping stated that Israel's military actions against Iran have suddenly intensified tensions in the Middle East, and China is deeply concerned about this. China opposes any actions that infringe upon the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of other countries. Military conflict is not the way to resolve issues, and the escalation of regional tensions does not serve the common interests of the international community. All parties should work to de-escalate the conflict as soon as possible and prevent further escalation of tensions. China is willing to work with all parties to play a constructive role in restoring peace and stability in the Middle East. 2. Li Bin, Deputy Director of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange and spokesperson, stated that in May, the overall supply and demand of foreign exchange at home and abroad were balanced, and the foreign exchange market operated smoothly. In May, the net inflow of cross-border funds from non-bank sectors, including enterprises and individuals, amounted to $33 billion. Among them, the net inflow of funds from trade in goods remained at a relatively high level, and foreign investors' holdings of domestic stocks increased further compared to the previous month. The net outflow of funds from services trade, dividend distributions by foreign-invested enterprises, and outward direct investment remained generally stable. 4. Yesterday, a reporter asked whether there were plans to evacuate Chinese citizens in Iran and Israel amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that some Chinese citizens have already been safely evacuated to neighboring countries. The Foreign Ministry and relevant embassies and consulates are working with relevant departments to fully ensure the safety and protection of Chinese citizens in Iran and Israel and to organize the evacuation of Chinese citizens promptly. 6. At yesterday's regular press conference of the Foreign Ministry, a reporter asked about the Financial Times report that the EU had canceled the high-level China-EU economic dialogue, believing that discussions with China were meaningless without progress on trade issues. Guo Jiakun responded by saying to inquire with the competent Chinese authorities. Guo Jiakun stated that strengthening strategic communication and deepening dialogue and cooperation between China and the EU are beneficial to the world. Industry News 1. Zhang Guoqing, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, conducted a survey on industrial innovation and the promotion of the healthy development of the platform economy in Guangdong from the 15th to the 17th. He emphasized the need to thoroughly implement the important instructions and directives of General Secretary Xi Jinping, implement the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, promote the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation, continuously shape new momentum and advantages for development, adhere to the principle of equal emphasis on development and regulation, focus on improving the governance system of the platform economy, and create a fair and orderly environment for the development of the platform economy. 2. The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) of the State Council held the second thematic promotion meeting for the 2025 Action Plan for Deepening and Enhancing the Reform of State-owned Enterprises in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, on the 17th. The meeting called for efforts to improve the quality of technological innovation supply, take on responsibilities in building a modern industrial system, make tangible progress in collaborative innovation and the application of research outcomes, and achieve breakthroughs in improving the innovation evaluation and incentive mechanisms. It also urged active promotion of AI-led transformations in the scientific research paradigms of state-owned enterprises, as well as the creation and opening up of strategic, high-value application scenarios. The meeting emphasized that completing the deepening and enhancement action plan with high quality should be the top priority for this year's state-owned enterprise reforms, with a focus on achieving tangible results. 3. The International Energy Agency's new medium-term outlook indicates that global oil supply growth will far exceed demand growth in the coming years. 4. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced that starting today, domestic gasoline and diesel prices will be increased by 260 yuan/mt and 255 yuan/mt, respectively. In terms of price per liter, 92-octane gasoline will increase by 0.2 yuan, while 95-octane gasoline and 0-diesel will both increase by 0.22 yuan. After this price increase, filling up a 50L fuel tank of a family car with 92-octane gasoline will cost an additional 10 yuan. 5. According to a survey report titled "The New Silver Hair Economy Will Become Another 'Strategic Opportunity' for Upgrading Consumption Quality" released by the Shanghai Consumer Council, the new silver hair economy will become an important engine for upgrading consumption quality. The consumption demands of the new silver hair group are highly concentrated in areas such as "health and wellness," "travel and socializing," and "hobbies and interests." 6. The commencement ceremony for the EPCI project of the Shanghai Lingang Submarine Data Center Demonstration Project, participated in by the Second Company of CCCC Third Harbor Engineering Co., Ltd., was held in Nantong. As the world's first zero-carbon new infrastructure benchmark for offshore wind power-integrated submarine data centers, this project will help Shanghai reach the international forefront in the field of green and low-carbon computing infrastructure. 7. During an inspection of a shipment of children's toys and plastic cups, customs officers from Beilun Customs, under the jurisdiction of Ningbo Customs, discovered that a plush toy was suspected of infringing on the copyright of the "Labubu Spring Elf Series." After contacting the rights holder for confirmation, it was determined that the entire shipment was infringing. Upon inventory, it was found that there were 20,240 infringing children's toys. 8. Relevant officials from the Guangdong Provincial SASAC stated at the second thematic promotion meeting for the 2025 Action Plan for Deepening and Enhancing the Reform of State-owned Enterprises that Guangdong Province has increased its investment in strategic emerging industries and high-tech enterprises, establishing the Guangdong Advanced Manufacturing Industry Investment Fund and the Strategic Industry Promotion and Development Fund, with a total subscribed capital of approximately 70 billion yuan and 52 investment projects. Company News 1. New World Development stated on an interactive platform that its shopping malls have POP MART vending machines. 2. PetroChina Capital announced its plan to invest 655 million yuan to increase the capital of Kunlun Capital for investment in controllable nuclear fusion projects. 3. SmartSens Technology announced that the shareholding ratio of the National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund Phase II has decreased to 6.99%. 4. BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd. announced its plan to acquire a 30% stake in CHOT. 5. RemeGen announced that Telitacicept has been granted orphan drug designation by the European Union. 6. Dematic announced its strategic cooperation intention with Zhiyuan Xinchuang to explore innovative applications of embodied intelligent robots in logistics scenarios. 7. GCoreLab announced the successful internal testing of its new anti-quantum cryptographic card, which has been sampled to multiple customers. 8. Yuanlong Yatu stated on the interactive platform that its revenue from IP-related businesses with POP MART in 2024 was approximately 2.21 million yuan. 9. Eastcompeace Technology announced that in recent years, the company has actively deployed R&D and applications in fields such as blockchain, but faces risks of new technology R&D and commercial applications not meeting expectations. 10. Asian Paints announced that Runhe Tongcai intends to passively reduce its shareholding in the company by 3% due to the triggering of a mandatory liquidation procedure. Global Markets 1. US stocks opened lower and closed lower, with all three major indices ending in the red. The Nasdaq fell 0.91%, the S&P 500 fell 0.84%, and the Dow fell 0.7%. Major tech stocks generally declined, with Tesla falling nearly 4% and Apple falling over 1%. Most popular Chinese ADRs closed lower, with the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index falling 1.77%. Major European stock indices also closed lower, with the German DAX30 index falling 0.86%. 2. International crude oil futures settlement prices rose sharply by over 4%. WTI crude oil futures for July rose 4.28%, and Brent crude oil futures for August rose 4.4%. 3. COMEX gold futures fell 0.37%, while COMEX silver futures rose 1.97%. Investment Opportunities Reference 1. China's annual cross-border e-commerce export scale exceeds 2 trillion yuan, with leading sellers expected to continue increasing market share According to media reports, at the 2025 China Langfang International Economic and Trade Fair, which opened on June 16, the Statistical Analysis Department of the General Administration of Customs introduced China's cross-border e-commerce import and export situation in 2024, stating that China's cross-border e-commerce export scale exceeded 2 trillion yuan in 2024, reaching 2.15 trillion yuan, a 16.9% increase from 2023, setting a new historical high for cross-border e-commerce scale. A survey of enterprises by the customs showed that over 70% of enterprises expected cross-border e-commerce import and export to remain stable or grow in 2025. Cinda Securities believes that the increasing penetration of online channels in overseas consumer markets will continue to be an important opportunity for Chinese brands to go global. Leading sellers in cross-border e-commerce are focusing on brand strategies and leveraging their core supply chain advantages, and are expected to continue increasing their market share. 2. Ten new low-altitude logistics routes have been added in the region, and 2025 is expected to be the first year for the commercial application of the low-altitude economy to take root. According to media reports, the Hanshang Low-Altitude Port, which connects the core areas of the three towns of Wuhan (Wuchang, Hankou, and Hanyang) through flight service routes, has officially commenced operations. It is understood that the Hanshang Low-Altitude Port is constructed and operated by Hanshang Low-Altitude Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Hanshang Group. Currently, it has formed a specialized low-altitude logistics operation system comprising one digital real-time dispatching platform, two intelligent command centers, ten low-altitude routes, and 22 intelligent parking aprons. It primarily serves the distribution and emergency support of commodities such as seafood, fresh-cut flowers, and pharmaceuticals. Galaxy Securities believes that 2025 is expected to be the first year for the commercial application of the low-altitude economy to take root, with infrastructure such as air traffic control systems and takeoff and landing sites accelerating in construction. Kaiyuan Securities further analyzed that the low-altitude economy has ushered in vertical implementation from the macro level (national-level industrial planning) to the meso level (local subsidies in various regions) and then to the micro level (infrastructure mainframe tenders and application scenario creation). It is recommended to pay attention to the subsequent market trends of the low-altitude economy sector. 3. The region's first project of this kind has officially landed! Policy dividends are emerging, injecting strong momentum into foreign trade growth. According to media reports, recently, the Macun Port Customs under Haikou Customs successfully handled the customs clearance procedures for a cross-border bonded lease of a "Lancang" electric multiple unit (EMU) trainset declared by a leasing company within the Haikou Integrated Free Trade Zone, marking the official landing of Hainan Free Trade Port's first cross-border railway EMU leasing project. Currently, the EMU trainset has been delivered to Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd., effectively enhancing the passenger transport supply capacity of the Lao section of the China-Laos Railway and driving regional economic development. "Unlike previous direct sales and exports, the bonded lease approach significantly reduces the investment and operating costs for foreign enterprises. It also helps promote international cooperation and optimal resource allocation, providing more foreign enterprises with access to China's manufacturing resources and market opportunities," said a relevant person in charge of the leasing company. This business represents an important milestone in the company's cross-border leasing business layout. A relevant person in charge of Haikou Customs stated that the customs will strengthen communication and exchanges with various parties, including the Haikou Integrated Free Trade Zone and leasing companies, to further leverage the policy advantages of the Hainan Free Trade Port. By facilitating financing and customs clearance, it will promote industrial development and accelerate the "going global" of large-scale rail transit equipment made in China. According to statistics from Haikou Customs, as of late May this year, the import value of goods under Hainan Free Trade Port's three "zero-tariff" lists reached 22.69 billion yuan, with tax exemptions and reductions totaling 4.32 billion yuan. The early policy dividends of the Hainan Free Trade Port are emerging, injecting strong momentum into foreign trade growth. 4. Hard to Get a Ticket! Number of Scottish Premiership Sponsors Surges to 20 It was reported that as of June 16, the number of Scottish Premiership sponsors had reached 20, more than three times the number at the start of the season. Amid sustained high popularity, the sponsorship fees for the "Scottish Premiership" had soared to 3 million yuan, and it was hard to get a ticket. Meanwhile, according to booking data from Meituan Travel, the booking volume for cultural and tourism activities in Jiangsu Province during the summer vacation had increased by 41% YoY. Over the past weekend, the tourism order volume in Jiangsu Province had surged to the top nationwide, with the order volume for dining in restaurants in Jiangsu contributed by out-of-town consumers increasing by over 49% YoY. The tourism order volume in Nanjing, the provincial capital, led the country, while Suzhou and Yangzhou had both ranked among the top 10, showing a booming trend of "full bloom". The "Scottish Premiership Effect" was amplified by policy support and the platform economy, driving comprehensive growth in the cultural, tourism, sports, and commercial sectors in Jiangsu. The ongoing Jiangsu Provincial City Football League has recently attracted a large number of fans to attend the games. According to Future Report data, the global football market size reached $55.97 billion in 2024 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 3.9%, reaching $70.29 billion by 2030. Fang Guangzhao from Kaiyuan Securities believes that driven by both policy support and market demand growth, the Chinese football industry is expected to usher in a period of rapid development, and it is recommended to actively pay attention to investment opportunities related to the football industry chain. The development of the football industry is expected to drive demand for derivatives such as trading cards and sports lotteries. As a core component of the upstream events in the football industry chain, football clubs are expected to see their value continue to rise. In addition, with the rapid development of the football industry, the demand for high-grade football equipment and materials may increase significantly.
Jun 18, 2025 08:50SMM June 12 News: Metal Market: As of the daytime close, domestic metals showed mixed performance. SHFE aluminum led the gains with a 1.12% increase, while SHFE lead and SHFE zinc both rose by 0.3%. The remaining metals declined, with SHFE nickel leading the losses with a 1.24% drop, SHFE copper falling by 0.72%, and SHFE tin decreasing by 0.02%. The main alumina contract rose by 0.1%, and the main casting aluminum contract increased by 0.54%. In addition, the main lithium carbonate contract fell by 1.56%, the main polysilicon contract dropped by 1.39%, the main silicon metal contract decreased by 0.27%, and the main European container shipping contract fell by 1.74%. In the ferrous metals series, all metals except stainless steel declined, with stainless steel rising by 0.48%. HRC fell by 0.87%, and rebar decreased by 0.7%. In the coking coal and coke sector, coking coal fell by 2.79%, and coke dropped by 1.77%. In the overseas market, as of 15:02, only LME tin and LME nickel declined together, with LME tin falling by 0.06% and LME nickel decreasing by 0.24%. LME zinc led the gains with a 0.55% increase, while the remaining metals all rose by less than 0.5%. In the precious metals sector, as of 15:02, COMEX gold rose by 1.48%. China and the US reached a framework agreement in principle on trade negotiations, easing international economic and trade relations. However, the tense geopolitical situation in the Middle East boosted safe-haven demand. The US May CPI was lower than expected, increasing market bets on a September interest rate cut by the US Fed. The US dollar index fell, and gold prices fluctuated upward. COMEX silver rose by 0.41%. Domestically, SHFE gold rose by 1.04%, and SHFE silver fell by 0.88%, recording three consecutive days of decline. Market conditions as of 15:02 today 》Click to view SMM Market Dashboard Macro Front Domestic Aspect: [Li Chunlin, Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission: Fully Supporting Shenzhen in Advancing Comprehensive Reform Pilot] Li Chunlin, Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission, stated at a State Council Information Office press conference on June 12 that the Implementation Plan for the Comprehensive Reform Pilot in Shenzhen to Build a Pioneer Demonstration Area of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics (2020-2025) has been implemented for nearly five years. To further consolidate and expand the pilot results, and support Shenzhen in intensifying efforts to eliminate institutional and mechanism shortcomings in various aspects and accelerate the construction of a high-level socialist market economy system, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council recently issued the Opinions on Advancing Shenzhen's Comprehensive Reform Pilot, Deepening Reform and Innovation, and Expanding Opening-up. This is a major initiative to support Shenzhen in building a pioneer demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics, an upgraded version of the Plan, and an important interpretation of China's unwavering commitment to deepening reform and opening-up. Next, we will earnestly implement the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, work together with relevant departments and Guangdong Province to fully support Shenzhen in advancing the comprehensive reform pilot, and ensure the implementation of the Opinions. [Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: Supports Automakers' "60-Day Payment Term" Commitment to Promote Healthy Industry Development] Recently, 17 key automakers, including FAW, Dongfeng, GAC, and Seres, have successively issued statements committing to "payment terms not exceeding 60 days." Today (the 12th), a relevant official from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology stated that the automakers' commitment is of great significance in promoting the healthy and sustainable development of the automotive industry. The official also noted that the automakers' proactive commitment to "payment terms not exceeding 60 days" reflects their positive response to national calls, fulfillment of social responsibilities, and corporate commitments, which is crucial for building a collaborative and win-win development ecosystem between "complete vehicles and parts." The relevant official from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology also emphasized that currently, China's NEV industry is at a critical stage of high-quality development. It is hoped that enterprises will lead by example and strengthen industry self-discipline. It is also hoped that all sectors of society will care about and support the high-quality development of the NEV industry, jointly resist online chaos such as "internet trolls" and "black PR," and create a positive, civilized, and orderly development environment. (Cailian Press) ► The central parity rate of the RMB against the US dollar in the interbank foreign exchange market on June 12 was 7.1803 RMB per US dollar. US dollar: As of 15:02, the US dollar index fell by 0.29% to 98.34. On June 11, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released the May Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, showing that the US May CPI rose 2.4% YoY and 0.1% MoM, while the core CPI rose 2.8% YoY and 0.1% MoM, both lower than market expectations. Following the data release, traders increased their bets on the US Fed starting interest rate cuts in September, with the likelihood of a September cut rising to 75%, and it is basically expected that there will be two rate cuts this year. Macro: Today, data such as the US initial jobless claims for the week ending June 7, continuing jobless claims for the week ending May 31, US May PPI YoY, US May core PPI YoY, Japan's Q2 BSI Large Manufacturing Confidence Index, UK April GDP MoM, UK April industrial production MoM, UK April industrial production YoY, UK April goods trade balance - seasonally adjusted, and UK April seasonally adjusted trade balance will be released. In addition, at 12:00 on June 12, US President Trump raised tariffs on imported steel from 25% to 50%. He Lifeng visited the UK from June 8 to 13 and held the first meeting of the China-US Economic and Trade Consultation Mechanism. Crude oil: As of 15:02, oil prices in both markets fell simultaneously, with US crude oil down 0.65% and Brent crude oil down 0.72%, but still hovering near a more than two-month high, as the market worried that escalating geopolitical tensions would disrupt oil supplies. According to CCTV News, due to escalating regional tensions, the US State Department has authorized non-essential personnel and their families to leave Bahrain and Kuwait. Family members of US military personnel in Bahrain are also allowed to temporarily depart. Additionally, multiple US and Iraqi sources have stated that the US is preparing to evacuate its embassy in Iraq due to heightened regional security risks. The framework agreement reached between China and the US on implementing the consensus from the phone call between the two heads of state and the Geneva talks has also boosted oil prices, as it may stimulate energy demand in the world's two largest economies. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that US crude oil inventories fell by 3.6 million barrels last week to 432.4 million barrels. Analysts had previously expected a decline of 2 million barrels. Increased refining activity pushed up gasoline and distillate inventories. The EIA stated that US gasoline inventories rose by 1.5 million barrels to 229.8 million barrels, against market expectations of a 900,000-barrel increase. Distillate inventories, including diesel and heating oil, rose by 1.2 million barrels to 108.9 million barrels, compared to market expectations of an 800,000-barrel increase. (Comprehensive report from Wenhua) SMM Daily Review ► Silver prices experience slight correction; spot market tends to trade at a slight discount [SMM Daily Review] ► Overall trading activity remains sluggish; rare earth prices continue to decline [SMM Rare Earth Daily Review]
Jun 12, 2025 15:20According to Ivanhoe Mines: Robert Friedland, Executive Co-Chairman of Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN; OTCQX: IVPAF), Weibao Hao, Co-Chairman, and Marna Cloete, President and Chief Executive Officer, announced today the latest operational updates for the Kamoa-Kakula copper mine project, as well as the preliminary findings of the geotechnical investigation following the seismic event at the Kakula mine announced on May 20, 2025. Mining operations in the western section of the Kakula mine were safely and prudently restarted on June 7, 2025, with equipment and mining crews returning underground to resume production. The short-term mining plan for the western section of the Kakula mine has been updated to incorporate the recommendations summarized in the preliminary investigation report. It is expected that mining operations in the far eastern section of the Kakula mine will also resume as soon as possible, with a focus on development work to open up access to new mining areas east of the existing mining zones. The development work in the new mining areas of the far eastern section of the Kakula mine will be carried out in a spatially isolated manner from the pumping work areas and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2026. On June 2, 2025, the company announced that additional pumping equipment had been installed at the Kakula mine to maintain stable water levels. Since the initial announcement on May 18, 2025, the frequency of seismic events has also decreased. Pumping operations are expected to commence in the eastern section of the Kakula mine in August 2025 and be completed in the fourth quarter. The recommendations made by world-class geotechnical experts based on the preliminary investigation findings have been incorporated into the short-term mining plan for the Kakula mine to ensure the safe restart of mining operations. Meanwhile, the management and technical advisors of Kamoa-Kakula are developing and reviewing the medium- and long-term mining plans for the mine. The Phase 1 and Phase 2 beneficiation plants continue to operate at approximately 50% of their combined capacity, processing ore from surface stockpiles. With the resumption of mining operations in the western section of the Kakula mine, ore supply to the beneficiation plants will increase, and the Phase 1 and Phase 2 beneficiation plants will gradually ramp up production over the remainder of 2025, with ore supply supplemented by ore mined from the western section of Kakula. Mining activities at the Kamoa underground mine and the adjacent Phase 3 beneficiation plant continue to operate normally without any disruptions. It is expected that the smelter located on the mine site will commence operations in September 2025 and produce its first copper anodes in October, once copper concentrate production and inventory levels meet the required conditions. Robert Friedland, Executive Co-Chairman of Ivanhoe Mines, commented, "We are grateful and deeply appreciate the swift response of the on-site team in stabilizing the groundwater levels at the Kakula mine and resuming mining operations in the western section. Critical dewatering equipment required to ensure the safety of the entire mine was rapidly deployed, while preparations were actively underway to advance as quickly as possible into the Kakula Far East zone to open up new high-grade mining areas." "Although it is still too early to outline detailed plans for 2026 and 2027, the prospects for the Kamoa-Kakula copper mine and the adjacent Western Foreland exploration project remain bright. Kamoa-Kakula is, and will continue to be, a world-class mine, maintaining its leading position among the world's copper producers for decades to come." President and CEO, Mark Cutifani, commented: "We are working tirelessly to safely and methodically restore full operations at the Kakula mine, with safety as our top priority! We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the mining team, engineering team, and our many long-standing contractors for their outstanding contributions in restoring dewatering capacity and restarting mining operations, all without any lost-time incidents." "The resilience and operational strength demonstrated by our team underscore the extraordinary nature of this world-class copper district – and the bright future it will create for generations to come." Note: Existing underground development as of May 2025. The above figure, based on the 2023 Kamoa-Kakula Integrated Development Plan, shows the average grade estimates (calculated using a cut-off grade of total copper >3%) for vertical blocks in different zones, with a minimum thickness of 3 meters. The groundwater level at the Kakula mine has stabilized; underground mining operations have resumed in the western section of the Kakula mine. Following the seismic event, although the inflow of water into the Kakula mine's underground workings gradually increased, it has now stabilized at approximately 4,000 liters per second. Due to the impact of the seismic event on existing underground dewatering facilities, additional underground dewatering capacity totaling approximately 4,400 liters per second has been installed, helping to stabilize the groundwater level. The new pumping stations are connected to the existing central dewatering infrastructure and then discharge water to the surface through four locations near the bottom of the northern and southern twin declines, as shown in Figure 2. With the stabilization of the water level, mining operations have resumed on the western side of the Kakula mine. Mobile equipment and mining crews, which were evacuated from underground on May 18, 2025, have now returned to the underground workings and conducted their first blast on June 7, 2025. The short-term mining plan has been updated to incorporate recommendations from the preliminary geotechnical investigation report. Based on underground conditions, Kamoa-Kakula's mining crews plan to increase mining volumes on the western side of the Kakula mine to approximately 300,000 mt per month (or 3.6 million mt per year on an annualized basis) in H2 2025. In Q3, mining operations will ramp up the mining capacity in the Kakula West Zone to 3.6 million mt/year, with further adjustments to be made based on underground conditions. In H2 2025, the underground mining team will focus on implementing three major projects: ramping up the mining capacity in the Kakula West Zone, constructing a new mining area in the Far East Zone of the Kakula Mine, and ramping up the mining capacity in the Kamoa Mining Area. Additional operational personnel have been deployed to the Kamoa Mine, located approximately 10 kilometers north of the Kakula Mine, to assist the existing mining team in underground excavation works, as well as in the construction of newly designed box-cut and ramp development at the Kansoko Mine. The new ramp will help increase the mining capacity at Kansoko and further supplement the ore supply required by the Phase 1 and Phase 2 beneficiation plants. Construction of the new mining area in the Far East Zone of the Kakula Mine will be concentrated, with development works set to commence soon, spatially separated from the pumping work area. The Far East Zone of the Kakula Mine will adopt a new mining plan, focusing on development works further east of the existing mining area. The new mining area and the existing mining area will be separated by a safety pillar to prevent the rock mechanics instability in the existing mining area from propagating to the new mining area. The mining team is expected to soon commence construction of two new main access tunnels. The two main tunnels will be constructed simultaneously, advancing eastward from the existing underground infrastructure (see Figure 2). The construction of the new mining area will involve the extraction of ore and waste rock, and is expected to be completed by Q2 2026. The new access tunnels will be isolated from the mining faces currently being dewatered, and dewatering operations will also be conducted separately and independently. Upon completion of dewatering in the East Zone of the Kakula Mine, in-situ geotechnical observations will be conducted in the existing mining area, followed by a comprehensive evaluation by geotechnical experts. The evaluation results will determine the future scope of production resumptions in the existing mining area. Underground water inflow is mainly concentrated in the deepest part of the East Zone of the mine (see Figure 2). The Kamoa-Kakula engineering team has developed a phased plan for dewatering the Kakula Mine. Phase 1 : Install temporary pumping facilities underground to maintain the existing water level stable. Phase 1 was completed on June 2, 2025. Phase 2 : Install large-power pumps and a permanent pumping system that can be operated from the surface to conduct comprehensive dewatering operations throughout the Kakula Mine. Kamoa Copper has ordered five large-power pumping units, each with a dewatering capacity of 650 liters per second. The long-term plan also includes the procurement of additional pumping units, which will be deployed in pairs in the existing shafts to the bottom of the Kakula Mine (see Figure 2). Dewatering is expected to commence in August 2025. As water levels gradually decline, the engineering team will begin repairing the underground pumping, ventilation, and other systems, and complete the geotechnical engineering assessment. It is expected that the dewatering work in the eastern section of the Kakula Mine will be completed in Q4. Preliminary findings from the recent geotechnical investigation into the mine seismicity Following the first mine seismic event on May 18, 2025, the company promptly engaged two renowned and independent geotechnical consulting firms, Beck Engineering from Australia and Open House Management Solutions (hereinafter referred to as "Open House") from South Africa, to conduct an investigation at the Kamoa-Kakula Mine. With the support of Ivanhoe Mines, the two consulting firms worked closely with the Kamoa-Kakula engineering team. The preliminary investigation results indicate that the mine seismicity originated from areas in the eastern section of the Kakula Mine with high ore extraction rates. It is currently believed that the secondary stope, originally planned for Step-2 mining, experienced subsidence-induced yielding deformation, leading to stress redistribution and transmission to the pillars in the area. This, in turn, caused the pillars to yield and deform due to excessive bearing stress. Although backfilling of the mined-out areas could not prevent stress redistribution to the regional pillars, it may have mitigated the effects in some cases. Meanwhile, it cannot be ruled out that adverse geological factors within the area exacerbated the yielding deformation of the pillars. Pillars are unmined ore or rock left in place to support the roof of underground voids; mined-out areas refer to spaces underground where mining has been completed. Backfilling is the operation of filling mined-out areas with a mixture of tailings and cement, which, after consolidation, can achieve the target strength. The geotechnical evaluation has not yet been completed and will be further detailed in the eastern section of the Kakula Mine after the dewatering operations are finished. The preliminary investigation results recommend changes to the short-term mining plan to increase the width of the pillars, thereby providing stronger structural support. The results also suggest adjusting the mining sequence to improve stress distribution and overall stability. Additionally, an enhanced rock mechanics monitoring system will be installed throughout the mine. The management of Kamoa-Kakula, along with Beck Engineering, Open House, and other technical consultants, are making revisions to the short-term, medium-term, and long-term mining plans based on the geotechnical investigation findings. Prior to the mine seismicity, the company was in the process of updating the comprehensive mine life-of-mine development plan, which has now been suspended until Ivanhoe Mines' engineering team and its panel of technical experts complete their review and agree to the relevant changes. After the update work resumes, Ivanhoe Mines will provide updates on the progress of the revised comprehensive development plan. The Phase I and II beneficiation plants are operating at reduced capacities, and production ramp-up will be advanced following the resumption of mining operations in the western section of the Kakula Mine; the Phase III beneficiation plant continues to perform exceptionally well. On June 7, 2025, mining operations in the western section of Kakula were safely and prudently resumed. It is planned to increase the underground mining capacity to 3.6 million mt per year in Q3. Combined with ore from surface stockpiles and supplementary ore from the northern Kamoa Mine, this will be sufficient to support over 80% of the combined designed capacity (9.2 million mt per year) of the Phase I and II beneficiation plants. It is expected that in the second half of the year (H2), the copper grade of raw ore in the Kakula West section will range between 3.0% and 4.0%. Since the suspension of underground operations on May 18, 2025, the Phase I and Phase II beneficiation plants have been operating at approximately 50% of their combined capacity, processing ore from surface stockpiles. The Phase III beneficiation plant adjacent to the Kamoa mine (see Figure 3) has maintained excellent operational performance since the beginning of this year. The plant's current average ore processing capacity is equivalent to an annualized capacity of 6 million mt, which is 30% higher than the designed capacity of 5 million mt per year. As of 2025, the average copper grade of ore processed by the Phase III beneficiation plant has been 2.84%. The mining output from the Kamoa and Kansoko mines has increased over the past two months, exceeding an annualized production of 6.8 million mt. The short-term mining plans for the Kamoa and Kansoko mines have been updated to incorporate recommendations from preliminary geotechnical investigations. The long-term mining plans will be reviewed in conjunction with the overall review of the Kakula mine. 2025 Production Guidance Revision The updated 2025 production guidance for Kamoa-Kakula is based on assumptions and estimates as of June 10, 2025, and involves estimates of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may differ significantly from actual results. The revision of the 2025 production guidance has taken into account the potential impacts of recent seismic events and the resulting disruptions to mining operations at the Kakula mine. Although mining operations have resumed in the Kakula West section, it is currently impossible to accurately predict potential further seismic events, the resulting disruptions, the integrity of underground infrastructure, the ability to ramp up production in underground operations, the ability to complete dewatering work, and the timing of the commissioning of new mining areas in the Far East section. The updated 2025 production guidance is based on the aforementioned factors, and the company's management believes these considerations and assumptions are reasonable given all currently available information. Figure 4 provides detailed information on the revision of the production guidance. All figures are stated on a 100% project equity basis. The reported metal content in concentrate does not account for losses or deductions under smelting agreements. Upon further review, the 2026 copper production target of approximately 600,000 mt has been withdrawn. Ivanhoe Mines will provide further updates on the 2026 production target as more information becomes available. Ivanhoe Mines will provide an update on the 2025 C1 cash cost guidance in its Q2 2025 financial report. The one-step copper smelter at the mine site will commence operations in Q3 Senior management at Kamoa-Kakula has confirmed that the one-step copper smelter at the mine site will begin operations in early September 2025, with the first copper anodes expected to be produced in October. Smelters can operate at a minimum of 50% capacity, which is equivalent to an annualized copper production of approximately 250,000 mt. As of May 31, 2025, there were 33,000 mt of copper in copper concentrates onsite at the mine that had not been sold. It is expected that the first batch of concentrates will be fed into the process approximately four to six weeks after production starts, and it is estimated that there will be a total of approximately 35,000 mt of copper in concentrates in inventory pending sale at that time. In addition, the senior management of Kamoa-Kakula expects that the Inga II hydropower station's Unit 5 turbine (with a designed power of 178 MW) will be commissioned in October 2025, further increasing the hydropower capacity available to the Kamoa-Kakula copper mine through the domestic power grid.
Jun 12, 2025 13:16On Wednesday (June 11), US stocks moved downwards after a higher opening, with all three major indices declining. Both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq ended their three-day winning streaks. By the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped slightly by 1.1 points to close at 42,865.77. The S&P 500 fell 0.27% to close at 6,022.24, and the Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 0.5% to close at 19,615.88. Data released before the US market opened showed that the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) for May rose 2.4% YoY, while the core CPI increased 2.8% YoY, both falling short of market expectations of 2.5% and 2.9%, respectively. Following the data release, US President Trump posted on his social media platform, calling the CPI figures "very good numbers" and reiterating his earlier statement that "the US Fed should cut interest rates by a full percentage point." Alexandra Wilson-Elizondo, an executive at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, stated that the lower-than-expected inflation in May suggests that tariffs have not yet had a significant direct impact, as companies have been using existing inventory or adjusting prices slowly due to uncertain demand. She added that if US inflation remains manageable or the labor market shows weakness, the US Fed may consider an interest rate cut. However, during the trading session, tensions in the Middle East reversed market risk appetite. Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran, stated that Iran is prepared with upgraded missiles for any combat. He also reiterated that Iran is ready for any threat scenario. Earlier in the day, Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani warned that if conflict is forced, US losses would far exceed those of Iran. He pointed out that in any conflict, the US would have to withdraw from the region as all its bases would be within Iran's missile range. During the session, media reports indicated that the US was preparing to evacuate some staff from its embassy in Iraq and allow US military families to leave the Middle East due to heightened security risks in the region. This news led to a surge of over 4% in the settlement price of international crude oil futures. Performance of Popular Stocks Most large-cap tech stocks declined, with Microsoft (ranked by market cap) rising 0.36% to reclaim its position as the world's most valuable company, while Nvidia fell 0.78%. Apple dropped 1.92%, with its total market cap falling below $3 trillion. Amazon fell 2.03%, Google Class C fell 0.68%, Meta fell 1.18%, and Tesla rose 0.1%. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell 0.19%, with only 7 out of 30 component stocks rising. Broadcom saw the largest gain, rising 3.38%, while Intel fell 6.34%, marking its biggest single-day decline in two months. US nuclear power company Oklo rose by 29.48%, hitting a new all-time closing high. Space technology company Voyager Technologies surged by 82.19% on its first day of trading in the US IPO. Among US-listed Chinese companies, the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index rose by 0.08%. Popular US-listed Chinese stocks had mixed changes. Bilibili rose by 8.28%, Tencent Music Entertainment rose by 1.31%, Li Auto rose by 1.12%, Pinduoduo rose by 0.75%, and Baidu rose by 0.07%. Pony.ai fell by 3.21%, NIO fell by 1.84%, Alibaba fell by 1.27%, New Oriental Education & Technology Group fell by 1.11%, TAL Education Group fell by 1.02%, XPeng Motors fell by 0.24%, and JD.com fell by 0.18%. Company News [Meta Launches New Model V-JEPA 2] Meta has launched a new model, V-JEPA 2, claiming it "achieves state-of-the-art visual understanding and prediction in the physical world, thereby enhancing the physical reasoning capabilities of AI agents." Meanwhile, the company has also released three new benchmarks to evaluate the ability of existing models to infer the physical world from videos. [Meta Introduces AI Video Editing Feature on AI APP] Meta Platforms has introduced an AI video editing feature on its AI APP. Recently, the company has been testing a new private messaging feature on its social media platform Threads. Meta Platforms stated that users can now easily adjust elements such as clothing, location, and lighting using preset AI video editing prompts, and then share or publish the edited videos. [Disney and Universal Sue AI Company for Copyright Infringement] On June 11 local time, Disney and Universal Studios filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against AI company Midjourney, alleging that Midjourney pirated the copyright libraries of these two Hollywood studios to generate and distribute "countless unauthorized copies" of their famous characters. [Heineken Plans to Invest $2.7 Billion in Mexico by 2028] On June 11, Heineken Mexico announced that it will invest $2.7 billion in Mexico by 2028, including the construction of a previously announced plant in Yucatan. The company stated that it will not close any plants in other regions of Mexico and will continue to expand its business. [Trump Responds to Musk's Apology: "I Think He Did a Great Job"] On June 11 local time, Trump responded to Musk's apology, saying, "I think he did a great job." In the early morning of the 11th Eastern Time, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, stated on his social media platform "X" that he regretted some posts he made about US President Trump last week, saying that "the content went too far." [Oracle's adjusted EPS for the fourth fiscal quarter was $1.7, exceeding market expectations] Oracle's adjusted EPS for the fourth fiscal quarter was $1.70, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.64. Adjusted revenue for the fourth fiscal quarter was $15.9 billion, compared to the estimated $15.59 billion. Operating profit for the fourth fiscal quarter was $7.04 billion, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.85 billion. Cloud infrastructure revenue (IaaS) for the fourth fiscal quarter was $3 billion, compared to the estimated $3.07 billion.
Jun 12, 2025 08:25[Hudbay Temporarily Shuts Down Snow Lake Operations Due to Wildfire Evacuation in Manitoba, Guidance Maintained] On June 4, Hudbay Minerals Inc. announced a temporary suspension of operations at its Snow Lake mining complex in northern Manitoba, following an evacuation alert issued on June 3 due to advancing wildfires in the region. The company has also paused exploration activities in both the Snow Lake and Flin Flon areas until the wildfire situation stabilizes. Hudbay initiated emergency protocols to ensure an orderly and safe evacuation of site personnel, retaining only essential staff authorized to support emergency efforts. The company emphasized that infrastructure in Snow Lake and Flin Flon remains secure, with a low risk of fire-related damage. Despite the temporary production halt, Hudbay reaffirmed its 2025 annual production guidance, citing strong year-to-date performance at Snow Lake. The company has guided for zinc concentrate output of 21,000 to 27,000 tonnes of contained zinc from the Manitoba operations in 2025. Hudbay continues to work closely with provincial and municipal authorities to support employees and local communities. Measures include CAD $1 million in direct financial support for evacuated staff, the launch of a company-wide Community Relief Donations Fund with matched employee contributions, and logistical support for emergency response teams. The company aims to resume full operations as soon as it is safe to do so.
Jun 5, 2025 00:02SMM, June 3: ※Financial Market Performance During the Holiday Metal Market: Domestic Metal Market: The domestic metal market was closed during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday. A review of the market performance of domestic base metals on May 30 shows that most domestic metals fell: Domestic base metals generally declined, with SHFE nickel rising 1.14%, SHFE tin falling 2.87%, and SHFE copper, SHFE aluminum, SHFE lead, and SHFE zinc all falling less than 1%. The main alumina contract rose 0.27%. Most ferrous metals series declined on May 30: Iron ore fell 0.43%, rebar fell 0.34%, stainless steel rose 0.12%, and HRC fell 0.81%. In terms of coking coal and coke, coking coal fell 5.28%, and coke fell 2.13%. Overseas Metal Market: The London Metal Exchange (LME) mostly fell on May 30 and rose across the board on June 2. During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, LME metals rose across the board, with LME zinc leading the gains with a 2.41% increase, LME copper rising 1.24%, LME aluminum rising 1%, LME tin and LME nickel both rising over 1%, and LME lead rising 0.87%. Precious Metals: During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, COMEX precious metals all rose sharply. COMEX gold rose 2.82%, touching its highest level in over three weeks, as a weaker US dollar and economic uncertainty drove demand for safe-haven assets. COMEX silver rose 5.61%. Hong Kong Stocks: During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, Hong Kong stocks weakened on June 2 as tariff issues once again drew market attention. As of the close on June 2, the Hang Seng Index fell 0.57%, the Hang Seng Tech Index fell 0.7%, and the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 0.86%. US Stocks: During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the three major US stock indices closed mixed last Friday, with the Dow rising 0.12% and gaining 3.94% in May; the Nasdaq falling 0.32% but rising 9.56% in May; and the S&P 500 falling 0.01% but rising 6.15% in May. As of the close on June 2, the three major US stock indices all rose slightly, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.08% to 42,305.48 points, the S&P 500 rising 0.41% to 5,935.94 points, and the Nasdaq rising 0.67% to 19,242.61 points. Metal and Crude Oil Contract Quotes as of 8:20 on June 3 》SMM Metal Spot Prices on May 30 Macro Aspects Domestic Aspects: [National Bureau of Statistics (NBS): PMI for May was 49.5%, up 0.5 percentage points MoM, indicating improved manufacturing sentiment] On May 31, the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing and the Service Industry Survey Center of the NBS announced China's PMI for May. Among them, the manufacturing PMI rebounded MoM, indicating an improvement in the manufacturing sector's prosperity level and a stabilization in economic operations. In May, China's manufacturing PMI stood at 49.5%, up 0.5 percentage points MoM. Looking at the sub-indices, the production index was 50.7%, up 0.9 percentage points MoM, rising above the critical point, suggesting an acceleration in manufacturing production activities. On the demand side, the new orders index in May was 49.8%, up 0.6 percentage points MoM. 》Click to view details [This year's sales of consumer goods through trade-in policies have exceeded 1 trillion yuan] According to CCTV News reporters who learned from the Ministry of Commerce, as of now, this year's sales of consumer goods through trade-in policies have exceeded 1 trillion yuan. Since the beginning of this year, the trade-in policies for consumer goods have effectively driven a sustained rebound and improvement in consumption. Ministry of Commerce data shows that as of May 31, the five major categories of consumer goods under the trade-in policies have collectively driven sales of 1.1 trillion yuan, with approximately 175 million subsidies directly issued to consumers. Among them, there were 4.12 million applications for trade-in subsidies for automobiles; 49.863 million consumers purchased 77.618 million units of 12 major categories of home appliances; 53.529 million consumers purchased 56.629 million units of digital products such as mobile phones; 6.5 million e-bikes were traded in; and 57.626 million orders were placed for home renovation and kitchen and bathroom "upgrades". (CCTV News) [Various regions take multiple measures to strictly prevent the illegal outflow of strategic minerals] Multiple regions across the country have taken various measures and strengthened controls to strictly prevent the illegal outflow of strategic minerals. Among them, the "Overall Deployment for Strengthening the Full-Chain Management and Control of Strategic Mineral Exports" by the National Office for Coordination of Export Control Work was issued and implemented after approval in accordance with procedures. Guizhou will strictly adhere to the division of responsibilities outlined in the "Overall Deployment" to carry out relevant work. The relevant competent authorities in Hunan Province have stated that they will earnestly fulfill their local regulatory responsibilities, systematically investigate and establish ledgers for strategic mineral export enterprises in Hunan, guide enterprises in strengthening the construction of compliance systems, enhance enterprises' awareness and capabilities of compliance, and ensure the effective implementation of control measures. Guangxi, on the other hand, will continue to effectively supervise and manage the exploration and mining of national strategic minerals, increase efforts to investigate and punish illegal mining activities such as mining without licenses, mining beyond boundaries, and mining under the guise of exploration, and resolutely prevent the illegal outflow of strategically important minerals through illegal mining. Among them, Wuzhou City in Guangxi and Yunfu City in Guangdong have established a cross-regional cooperation mechanism to combat and rectify illegal activities related to mineral resources. In addition, relevant departments in Jiangxi and Yunnan have also stated that they will unwaveringly implement all tasks in accordance with their respective responsibilities. [MIIT: Intensify Efforts to Rectify "Cut-throat Competition" in the Automotive Industry] In response to the "Initiative on Maintaining Fair Competition Order and Promoting Healthy Industry Development" issued by the China Automobile Manufacturers Association (CAAM) on May 31, relevant officials from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) stated that they would intensify efforts to rectify "cut-throat competition" in the automotive industry and resolutely maintain a fair and orderly market environment. [Opposing "Cut-throat Competition" CAAM Issues Important Initiative] CAAM issued the "Initiative on Maintaining Fair Competition Order and Promoting Healthy Industry Development." In recent years, China's new energy vehicle (NEV) industry has developed rapidly, with the proportion of new NEV sales exceeding 40%. Currently, the overall operation of the industry is showing a steady and improving trend, with market vitality continuing to be released. However, we have also observed that for some time, the industry's profitability has declined. "Cut-throat competition," primarily manifested as disorderly "price wars," is a significant factor contributing to the decline in industry benefits. Continuous investment is needed in product after-sales service guarantees and enterprise innovation and development, while "price wars" seriously affect the normal operations of enterprises, impact the security of the industry chain and supply chain, and drive the industry into a vicious cycle. US Dollar Aspect: During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the US dollar index fell by 0.75%, closing at 98.69 as of June 2. New US tariff threats have sparked market concerns about economic uncertainty, putting pressure on the US dollar. According to CCTV News, on May 30 local time, US President Trump stated at a rally in Pennsylvania that he would raise tariffs on imported steel from 25% to 50%. Subsequently, Trump posted on social media platforms that the decision would take effect from June 4. The latest data released by the US shows: The US core PCE price index in April rose 2.5% YoY, the lowest since March 2021, in line with market expectations of 2.5% and down from the previous value of 2.6%. The US core PCE price index in April rose 0.1% MoM, in line with the estimated increase of 0.1% and up from the previous value of 0%. The final S&P Global US Manufacturing PMI for May was 52, below the expected 52.3 and unchanged from the previous value of 52.3. The market is also closely monitoring the speeches of Fed Chairman Powell and other policymakers this week, seeking clues about the path of US interest rates. Other Currency Aspects: The European Central Bank's (ECB) 25 basis point interest rate cut has been fully priced in by the market and widely anticipated. The final manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for the Eurozone was in line with expectations at 49.4, slightly below expectations in Germany at 48.3, and slightly above expectations in France at 49.8. This week, the focus of eurozone data will be on the preliminary Consumer Price Index (CPI) released on Tuesday, with overall and core inflation rates expected to fall to 2.0% and 2.4%, respectively. Thursday's European Central Bank (ECB) meeting is crucial as policymakers will release new forecasts and provide some insights into interest rate expectations. The market has fully priced in a 25-basis-point interest rate cut and expects at least another 25-basis-point cut by December. The risk lies in that a neutral or hawkish interest rate cut may signal the end of the current easing cycle. (Huitong Finance) Macro Aspects: This week will also see the release of data including Malaysia's manufacturing PMI for May, Australia's current account for Q1, China's Caixin manufacturing PMI for May, Switzerland's annual CPI rate for May, the eurozone's preliminary unadjusted annual harmonized CPI for May, the eurozone's unemployment rate for April, the revised monthly rate of US durable goods orders for April, the monthly rate of US factory orders for April, US JOLTs job openings for April, Australia's AIG manufacturing performance index for May, Australia's seasonally adjusted quarterly GDP growth rate for Q1, Australia's annual GDP growth rate for Q1, Russia's SPGI services PMI for May, the final UK SPGI services PMI for May, the change in US ADP employment for May, Canada's total reserve assets for May, Brazil's seasonally adjusted SPGI services PMI for May, the Bank of Canada's overnight lending rate on June 5, the US ISM non-manufacturing PMI for May, a Q&A session involving 2025 FOMC voter and Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee, 2027 FOMC voter and Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic, and Fed Governor Lisa Cook attending the "Fed Listens" event, the Bank of Canada's interest rate decision, the global annual ANZ commodity price index for May, Australia's goods and services trade balance for April, Australia's monthly export growth rate for April, Australia's monthly import growth rate for April, China's Caixin services PMI for May, Switzerland's unadjusted unemployment rate for May, the global leading indicator for turning points in the industrial production cycle for May (irregular), the number of job cuts announced by US Challenger companies for May, the ECB's main refinancing rate for June, the ECB's deposit facility rate for June, the ECB's marginal lending facility rate for June, the US trade balance for April, the number of initial jobless claims in the US for the week ending May 31, the number of continuing jobless claims in the US for the week ending May 31, Canada's trade balance for April, Canada's seasonally adjusted IVEY PMI for May, the global supply chain pressure index for May, Germany's seasonally adjusted monthly industrial output growth rate for April, France's trade balance for April, the final seasonally adjusted quarterly GDP growth rate for the eurozone in Q1, the monthly retail sales growth rate for the eurozone in April, the monthly leading indicator growth rate for Canada in May, the seasonally adjusted change in US non-farm payrolls for May, the annual growth rate of US average hourly earnings for May, the change in US non-farm payrolls in the private sector for May, the US labor force participation rate for May, the seasonally adjusted change in US manufacturing employment for May, the US unemployment rate for May, the change in Canadian employment for May, the Canadian unemployment rate for May, and China's foreign exchange reserves for May. Notably: South Korea held its presidential election on June 3, with the stock market closed for the day. The Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange designated 8:55-9:00 on June 3 as the call auction period for all futures and options contracts, with night session trading to resume that evening. Goolsbee, the 2025 FOMC voter and Chicago Fed Chairman, participated in a Q&A session. Fed Chairman Powell delivered opening remarks at an event. South Korea tentatively scheduled its presidential election for June 3. The Reserve Bank of Australia released the minutes of its June monetary policy meeting. Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda delivered a speech. South Korea held its general election. The Fed released the Beige Book on economic conditions. The European Central Bank (ECB) announced its interest rate decision. ECB President Christine Lagarde held a monetary policy press conference. Fed Governor Adriana Kugler delivered a speech at the Economic Club of New York. Harker, the 2026 FOMC voter and Philadelphia Fed Chairman, delivered a speech on the economic outlook. ECB President Christine Lagarde delivered a speech. In terms of crude oil: During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, both WTI and Brent crude oil futures rose. WTI crude oil increased by 3.7%, while Brent crude oil rose by 4.01%. Despite the OPEC+ group's adherence to its plan to increase production, wildfires raging in oil-producing provinces in Canada threatened supplies, and new US tariff threats put pressure on the US dollar, both of which supported oil prices. As of Monday, wildfires in Alberta, a major oil-producing province in Canada, had affected approximately 7% of the country's total crude oil production. At least two thermal oil sands operators south of the industrial hub of Fort McMurray evacuated workers and halted production over the weekend. OPEC member countries agreed on Saturday to increase oil production by 411,000 barrels per day (bpd) in July, marking the third consecutive month of the same increase. The alliance aims to regain market share and penalize overproducing countries. Goldman Sachs analysts expect OPEC to implement a final 410,000 bpd increase in August. In a report, the bank stated, "Relatively tight spot oil market fundamentals, strong global manufacturing data, and seasonal support for oil demand during the summer suggest that the expected slowdown in demand is unlikely to be severe enough to prevent production increases when the August production level is decided on July 6." (Wenhua Comprehensive)
Jun 3, 2025 08:48According to a May 26 announcement from Ivanhoe Mines: Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – Following the initial announcement on May 20, 2025, regarding the suspension of underground mining operations at the Kakula Mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Robert Friedland, Executive Co-Chairman of Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN; OTCQX: IVPAF), Weibao Hao, Co-Chairman, and Marna Cloete, President and Chief Executive Officer, issued a statement on May 26 regarding the latest operational updates at the Kamoa-Kakula Mine. Senior management of Ivanhoe Mines, along with a team of world-class geotechnical experts, continues to conduct a comprehensive mine investigation to understand the causes and impacts of the seismic activity. In the past few days, intermittent seismic activity has persisted in the Kakula underground mine. In light of the recent seismic events, underground operations were suspended again on Saturday, May 25, 2025. All employees have been safely evacuated to the surface, and mobile equipment has been removed from underground work areas. The company has always prioritized the safety of its employees and contractors, and to date, there have been no lost-time injuries. Preliminary indications suggest that seismic activity at Kakula may continue for several weeks, which will affect underground access operations and extend the suspension of underground mining at Kakula. Due to the impact on underground pumping and power infrastructure, there has been a significant increase in water inflow at the Kakula underground mine. With the support of Ivanhoe Mines and Zijin Mining, Kamoa Copper is developing a detailed dewatering plan, including the procurement of new pumping equipment to enhance pumping capacity from the surface. Ivanhoe thanks its Chinese partners, Zijin Mining and CITIC Metal, for their significant assistance in procuring pumping equipment. Marna Cloete, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ivanhoe Mines, commented, "I would like to express my deep gratitude to our dedicated employees who have continued to work under challenging conditions during the recent seismic events, demonstrating remarkable resilience and dedication. The safety of our employees is our top priority, and achieving zero injuries in such a severe environment is a testament to the professionalism and focus of every employee at Kamoa Copper." "During the suspension of underground mining operations at the Kakula Mine, we are focusing our efforts on maintaining pumping and water management facilities, including expediting the procurement of relevant equipment for surface dewatering. We are working around the clock with world-leading geotechnical experts to investigate the causes of the issues we are facing and develop solutions." "We are making every effort to retain significant flexibility to sustain operations at the Kakula beneficiation plant through surface ore stockpiling or to redeploy Kakula employees and equipment to the unaffected and ongoing operations at the Kamoa Mine." Robert Friedland, founder and Co-Executive Chairman of Ivanhoe Mines, added, "We will draw wisdom and experience from the events of the past week. Ivanhoe Mines and our partner, Zijin Mining, are jointly operating this complex, high-grade, and previously unheard-of sediment-hosted copper deposit. This incident will provide us with valuable insights into geotechnical engineering and the maintenance of critical pumping facilities, enabling us to avoid similar impacts in the future and safely resume mining operations at Kakula... These lessons will comprehensively guide our work at Kamoa and Western Foreland." "I remind readers that SpaceX, which currently undertakes approximately 90% of humanity's space launch missions, did not achieve its current success overnight. Every setback has brought new knowledge to their team, leading to greater achievements. Therefore, we are approaching the operation of Kamoa-Kakula with the same mindset. Together, we plan to resume operations and production, making them safer and more robust than ever before." As some underground areas have been confirmed safe, personnel can return to work. The primary tasks are to inspect, repair, and restart the pump stations and associated pipelines, as well as the substation and related cables. Repair work continues in the shallow western section of the Kakula mine, where the drainage flow rate is 1,000 liters per second. The engineering team at Kamoa Copper is focusing on restoring the drainage capacity, aiming to exceed 3,000 liters per second, which will be sufficient to maintain stable groundwater levels in the area. Meanwhile, the management team is planning to install permanent, large-power pumping systems that can be operated from the surface in all mining areas. The surface infrastructure at Kakula, including the Phase 1 and Phase 2 beneficiation plants and the one-step copper smelter, remains completely unaffected. The Phase 1 and Phase 2 beneficiation plants are currently processing ore from surface stockpiles. Mining activities at the Kamoa underground mine and the adjacent Phase 3 beneficiation plant continue to operate normally and remain unaffected. The 2025 production and cost guidance for Kamoa-Kakula, as well as the capacity ramp-up plan for the one-step copper smelter, have been temporarily withdrawn pending re-evaluation. Ivanhoe Mines will provide further updates as more information becomes available. Ivanhoe Mines and Zijin Mining continue to maintain a strong and resilient partnership at the joint venture level, jointly committed to restoring safe production at Kakula as soon as possible.
May 27, 2025 16:38[Underground Operations at Kakula Mine Suspended Again; Ivanhoe and Zijin Advance Remediation Efforts] According to latest announcement from Ivanhoe Mines, underground mining activities at Kakula Mine were suspended again on Saturday, May 25, 2025, following intermittent seismic activity in recent days. All employees have been safely evacuated, and mobile equipment has been withdrawn from the mine. Seismic events may persist for several weeks, limiting access to the underground workings and prolonging the temporary shutdown. Ivanhoe President and CEO Marna Cloete stated, “While underground mining at Kakula is temporarily halted, our focus is on maintaining water management infrastructure and accelerating the procurement of surface dewatering equipment. We have sufficient flexibility to continue supplying the Kakula concentrators from surface stockpiles and may temporarily redeploy personnel and equipment to the Kamoa Mine.” Surface infrastructure at Kakula—including Phase 1 and Phase 2 concentrators and the direct-to-blister smelter—remains unaffected. Both concentrators are currently processing ore from stockpiles. Operations at the Kamoa underground mine and the adjacent Phase 3 concentrator continue without interruption. The 2025 production and cost guidance for the Kamoa-Kakula project, along with the ramp-up schedule for the smelter, have been withdrawn pending further assessment. Ivanhoe and Zijin remain committed to restoring operations as soon as it's safe to do so.
May 27, 2025 16:37