SMM June 8 News: Metal Markets: As of the midday close, base metals on the domestic market mostly declined. SHFE copper fell 1.5%, SHFE aluminum and SHFE zinc both dropped 0.74%, SHFE lead edged down 0.21%, and SHFE tin slumped 5.97%. SHFE nickel rose 0.79%. In addition, the most-traded cast aluminum contract futures fell 0.39%, while the most-traded alumina contract rose 0.8%. The most-traded lithium carbonate contract edged up 0.38%. The most-traded silicon metal contract rose 1.27%. The most-traded polysilicon futures contract gained 0.1%. Ferrous metals mostly rose, with iron ore down 0.92%, rebar edging up, and HRC on par with 3,378 yuan/mt. Stainless steel increased by 0.44%. For coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract rose 1.21%, while the most-traded coke contract edged down 0.02%. Overseas Market Base Metals: As of 11:46, LME metals showed mixed performance. LME copper rose 0.34%, LME aluminum fell 0.11%, and LME lead lost 0.15%. LME zinc declined 0.18%, LME tin edged up, and LME nickel gained 0.38%. Precious Metals: As of 11:46, COMEX gold fell 0.78%, and COMEX silver dropped 2.23%. Domestic precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold contract declined 3.55%, and the most-traded SHFE silver contract slumped 8.46%. Additionally, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures contract fell 5.43%, and the most-traded palladium futures contract dropped 4.24%. As of the midday close, the most-traded containerized freight index (Europe) futures contract rose 4.78% to 3,837 points. As of 11:46 on June 8, some futures midday quotes: Spot and Fundamentals Copper: Today, Guangdong #1 copper cathode spot prices against the front-month contract: high-quality copper was quoted at 60 yuan/mt, up 10 yuan/mt from the previous trading day; standard-quality copper was quoted at a discount of 10 yuan/mt, up 10 yuan/mt from the previous trading day; SX-EW copper was quoted at a discount of 60 yuan/mt, up 10 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. The average price of Guangdong #1 copper cathode was 103,945 yuan/mt, down 1,390 yuan/mt from the previous trading day, while the average price for SX-EW copper was 103,860 yuan/mt, down 1,390 yuan/mt from the previous trading day... Macro Front Domestic: [Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development: Fully Leverage Market Mechanisms to Encourage Private Enterprise Participation in Urban Infrastructure Construction and Operation] Qin Haixiang, Vice Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, stated at a State Council policy routine briefing that localities should make good use of central fiscal funds, local government special bonds, and credit funds. They should fully leverage market mechanisms, actively attract social capital participation, and encourage private enterprises to take part in urban infrastructure construction and operation, so as to build a sustainable investment and financing system for urban construction and operation. [Ministry of Natural Resources: Adhere to the Supply Orientation of Prioritizing Existing Land, Operating Projects to Prioritize the Use of Existing Land] Xie Haixia, Director of the Territorial Spatial Planning Bureau of the Ministry of Natural Resources, stated at a regular policy briefing of the State Council that innovative land use support policies will be introduced. The ministry will adhere to the supply orientation of prioritizing existing land, with operating projects prioritizing the use of existing land, while newly added land will primarily ensure the needs of municipal infrastructure. In response to strong pressure to revitalize existing funds reported by operating entities, the Ministry of Natural Resources has launched a transitional period policy. [PBOC Open Market Operations Achieve a Net Injection of 207.5 Billion Yuan for the Day] The PBOC conducted 218.5 billion yuan in 7-day reverse repo operations today. With 11 billion yuan in 7-day reverse repos maturing today, the operation resulted in a net injection of 207.5 billion yuan for the day. On the US dollar front: As of 11:46, the US dollar index fell 0.03% to 100.04. US President Trump stated that it would be a mistake if Fed policymakers chose to raise interest rates after US jobs data significantly beat expectations. He also insisted he does not want to influence Kevin Warsh ahead of his first Fed meeting. In an interview with NBC, Trump said, "Nowadays, whenever economic data comes in well, the market falls because people think the Fed will raise interest rates. But there’s no reason to raise rates at all." Trump's remarks further increased the economic and political pressure facing Warsh. Trump said, "Raising the benchmark rate is the wrong thing to do. Actually, we should be cutting rates." Trump stated, "I’m working with Kevin now. I have great respect for him, but my view is that when a country is doing well economically, you shouldn’t immediately punish it by raising rates." He added, "We have a debt problem and many other things to deal with, and many plans to move forward. I want to further expand defense spending." (Jin10 Data APP) According to the CME "FedWatch" tool: The probability of the Fed keeping rates unchanged through June is 97%, while the probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate cut is 3%. The probability of the Fed keeping rates unchanged through July is 81.9%, the probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate hike is 15.5%, and the probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate cut is 2.5%. Goldman Sachs economists said they no longer expect the Fed to cut interest rates this year, as the labour market was stronger than expected. The bank postponed the expected timing of the Fed's final two rate cuts from December 2026 and March 2027 to June and December 2027. However, Goldman Sachs' chief US economist Merrick pointed out that as inflation "seems unlikely to become self-sustaining," the likelihood of US Fed interest rate hikes remains relatively low. US job growth in May surpassed all expectations, demonstrating the resilience of the labour market and intensifying market bets that the central bank will raise interest rates. Goldman Sachs continues to view the likelihood of rate hikes as low, but raised the probability of a small rate hike from 10% to 20%. The bank’s baseline forecast still expects two 25-basis-point interest rate cuts next year, but lowered the probability from 40% to 30%. Goldman Sachs also lowered its forecast for the US unemployment rate this year to 4.4% from the previous 4.6%. On the data front: today will see the release of Switzerland's May consumer confidence index, the Eurozone's June Sentix investor confidence index, and the US May New York Fed 1-year inflation expectations, among others. In addition, attention should be paid to: the State Council's regular policy briefing on the "15th Five-Year Plan for Urban Renewal." On the crude oil front: as of 11:46 AM, both benchmark crudes rose, with US crude up 3.25% and Brent crude up 3.44%. The ongoing Middle East conflict continues to stoke supply disruption concerns, supporting oil prices. According to the communiqué released after OPEC's Sunday meeting, seven countries within the OPEC+ framework (Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Algeria, and Oman) decided to raise their daily crude oil production ceiling by 188,000 barrels starting in July. The communiqué stated that the countries reaffirmed the importance of a cautious approach and will retain full flexibility to increase, pause, or reverse the process of voluntary production adjustments. (Jin10 Data APP) Saudi Arabia cut the official selling price of its main crude oil for Asia for the second consecutive month, though its crude premium in its largest market remains near multi-decade highs. Saudi Aramco lowered the official selling price of its Arab Light crude for next month’s shipments to Asia by $6 per barrel, bringing the premium over the Oman/Dubai average to $9.50 per barrel. The cut was larger than the $5 per barrel reduction expected by refiners and traders. As negotiations between the US and Iran over an extended ceasefire remain deadlocked, the global oil market continues to be disrupted by the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz. With tankers trapped inside the Persian Gulf and empty vessels unable to enter to load new cargoes, the Middle East has significantly reduced production, shut down fields, and slowed or halted refinery operations. Additionally, the pricing documents show that Saudi Arabia set the official selling price of Arab Light crude to Northwest Europe for July at a premium of $15.85 per barrel over ICE Brent settlement, and set the official selling price to the US at a premium of $12.60 per barrel over Argus Sour Crude. (Jin10 Data APP) Spot Market Overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

SMM June 4 News: Metals market: Overnight, base metals fell broadly across both domestic and overseas markets. LME nickel closed flat at $18,820/mt, LME copper rose 0.07%, while all other metals declined. SHFE aluminum and SHFE nickel both fell over 1%, with SHFE aluminum down 1.14% and SHFE nickel down 1.94%. Other metals fell less than 1%. Alumina main contract edged down 0.07%, and casting aluminum main contract fell 1.07%. Overnight, ferrous metals showed mixed performance. Stainless steel led declines with a 1.89% drop. Iron ore and rebar both edged down, while hot-rolled coil rose 0.12%. For coking coal and coke, coking coal rose 3.32% and coke rose 2.05%. Precious metals: Overnight, COMEX gold fell 1.27% and COMEX silver fell 3.41%. In China, SHFE gold fell 0.74% and SHFE silver fell 2.24%. As of 6:45 on June 4, overnight closing prices: Macro Front China: [PBOC Reverse Repo Scale Continuously Reduced to Zero; Policy Tone of "Maintaining Ample Market Liquidity" Remains Unchanged] In early June, the PBOC gradually reduced reverse repo operations. Today it was further reduced to zero. Notably, on August 7, 2024, the PBOC's 7-day reverse repo operation volume was also zero, under a similar backdrop, mainly due to financial institutions' lack of funding demand in this area. Data showed that while DR001 and DR007 declined at the beginning of the month, the 1-year commercial bank (AAA-rated) interbank certificate of deposit yield fell to 1.4275% on June 1, hitting a new low, and remained at this low level on June 2, which may have been a trigger for the PBOC's consecutive reduction of open market reverse repo scale to zero at the beginning of the month. Wang Qing, chief macro analyst at Oriental Jincheng, stated that this was likely mainly due to the absence of sustained significant increases in government bond issuance in the short term, mild credit extension, and declining financing demand from commercial banks toward the PBOC. Based on this trend, outright reverse repos of both tenors in June may continue to shrink. Wang Qing expected that the PBOC would continue to flexibly conduct open market operations based on changes in key market rates such as DR001, DR007, and interbank certificate of deposit yields, guiding market rates to operate steadily around the policy rate through coordinated volume and price adjustments. (Xinhua Finance) (Jin10 Data APP) US dollar: Overnight, the US dollar index rose 0.31% to 99.53, posting a three-day winning streak. The US Fed stated in its Beige Book economic report that the US labour market remained stable in recent weeks, but inflation continued to rise across most of the country due to the impact of the Middle East war on energy prices. Among the 12 regional Fed districts, 10 reported overall economic activity growing at a slight to mild pace. "Districts noted that energy costs related to the Middle East conflict were the primary factor driving up inflationary pressures, with spillover effects spreading to shipping, packaging, groceries, and fertilizers. Several districts noted consumer uncertainty and concerns about rising fuel prices impacting household spending." Rising costs had not yet dealt a significant blow to demand, but enterprises expressed concerns about deteriorating sentiment. "The business outlook for the next six months showed little change in expected growth, as persistently high uncertainty and signs of weak consumer spending weighed on market sentiment." In several districts, manufacturing hiring was the strongest, "supported by national defense-related activities and rising data center demand." Most districts continued to describe the labour market as a state of "low hiring, low firing." The report stated: "Hiring remained selective, primarily focused on critical positions or filling vacancies left by natural attrition." Note: The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is about to hold its next monetary policy meeting on June 16-17, which will be the first rate decision since Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh was sworn in in May. (Wallstreetcn) Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan (2026 FOMC voter) said officials may need to raise interest rates later this year to bring inflation back to the US Fed's 2% target. The US labour market "remains broadly balanced," financial conditions are "on the loose side," but inflation does not appear to be pulling back toward the US Fed's 2% target. "If inflation stays above target for too long, it could become entrenched," and she noted inflation appeared to be heading toward a mid-range level around 2.5% rather than fully returning to 2%. (Wallstreetcn) According to CME "FedWatch": The probability of the US Fed maintaining rates unchanged through June was 98.4%, with a 1.6% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point interest rate cut. The probability of the US Fed maintaining rates unchanged through July was 90.2%, with an 8.4% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point rate hike, and a 1.4% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point interest rate cut. (Jin10 Data APP) Macro: Today will see the release of US May Challenger job cuts, US initial jobless claims for the week ending May 30, US May Global Supply Chain Pressure Index, Eurozone April retail sales MoM, Switzerland May CPI MoM, and Switzerland May seasonally adjusted unemployment rate. In addition, at 2:00 the US Fed released the Beige Book on economic conditions, and 2026 FOMC voter and Dallas Fed President Logan delivered a speech. At 15:00, the Ministry of Commerce will hold its first regular press conference in June, and China's refined oil products will open a new round of price adjustment window. ECB President Lagarde will deliver a speech, 2027 FOMC voter and Richmond Fed President Barkin will participate in a fireside chat, and Bank of England Governor Bailey will speak at the Investment Association conference. Crude oil: Overnight, oil prices rose across both markets, with WTI up 2.6% and Brent up 1.45%, both posting a three-day winning streak, as Middle East tensions escalated again and the market continued to monitor the progress of negotiations between the US and Iran. The US Energy Information Administration report showed that US crude oil inventory fell for the sixth consecutive week, while exports increased and refinery capacity neared saturation. For the week ending May 29, commercial crude oil inventory excluding strategic reserves decreased by 7.974 million barrels to 434 million barrels, approximately 3% below the five-year average for the same period. Strategic petroleum reserves decreased by 8 million barrels due to continued emergency release, falling to 357.1 million barrels. Gasoline inventory ended a 15-week downtrend, increasing by 3.4 million barrels to 215 million barrels, 5% below the five-year average for the same period. Daily gasoline demand decreased by 662,000 barrels to 8.6 million barrels. (Jin10 Data APP) Analysts warned that US oil inventory had fallen to a one-year low, and once a sustained disruption occurs at the Strait of Hormuz, the market buffer would be extremely limited. Rabobank energy strategist Florence Schmit stated: Until agreements are reached on Iran's highly enriched uranium issue, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Lebanon situation, the likelihood of a credible peace deal materializing remains low, and uncertainty is the dominant theme in the current market. (Wallstreetcn)

SMM June 3 News: Metals market: Overnight, base metals generally rose across both domestic and overseas markets, with only LME nickel and SHFE nickel declining together. LME nickel fell 0.05%, and SHFE nickel fell 0.28%. SHFE tin and LME tin rose over 2%, with SHFE tin up 2.22% and LME tin up 2.6%. LME lead, LME zinc, SHFE copper, and SHFE zinc all rose over 1%, with LME lead up 1.24% and LME zinc up 1.37%. SHFE zinc rose 1.57%, SHFE copper rose 1.05%, and the remaining metals gained less than 1%. The alumina front-month contract fell 1.23%, while the foundry aluminum front-month contract rose 0.9%. Overnight, ferrous metals generally rose, with iron ore being the only decliner, down 0.13%. The remaining metals gained less than 1%. For coking coal and coke, coking coal rose 0.44% and coke rose 0.88%. Precious metals: Overnight COMEX gold rose 0.29%, and COMEX silver rose 0.25%. In China, SHFE gold rose 0.17% and SHFE silver rose 0.24%. As of 6:44 AM on June 3, overnight closing prices: Macro Front China: [The State Council issued the "15th Five-Year Plan for Accelerating Agricultural and Rural Modernization": Encouraging the establishment of rural revitalization funds through market-oriented approaches and supporting eligible enterprises in bond financing for rural revitalization] The State Council issued the "15th Five-Year Plan for Accelerating Agricultural and Rural Modernization." It mentioned improving the agricultural and rural investment mechanism, establishing a diversified investment structure with fiscal priority guarantees, financial sector focus, and active social participation, ensuring continuously strengthened investment in rural revitalization. Agriculture and rural areas will be prioritized in general public budget guarantees, making good use of central government budgetary investment, local government bonds, and other funding channels, strengthening full-chain supervision of rural revitalization funds, strictly investigating fraud, misappropriation, and other issues, and improving the effectiveness of fiscal policies supporting agriculture and fund efficiency. The rural financial service system will be improved, medium and long-term lending to agriculture and rural areas will be increased, rural digital inclusive finance will be developed, and rural credit system construction will be promoted. The risk protection role of agricultural insurance will be leveraged, development of local specialty agricultural product insurance will be supported, and claims settlement efficiency will be improved. Private investment will be guided to participate in rural revitalization in a lawful, standardized, and orderly manner, capital market services for agriculture-related entities will be enriched, the establishment of rural revitalization funds through market-oriented approaches will be encouraged, and eligible enterprises will be supported in bond financing for rural revitalization. [Unitree Robotics' STAR Market IPO approved] On June 1, the SSE Listing Review Committee held its 31st listing review meeting of 2026. The review results showed that Unitree Robotics Co., Ltd.'s IPO met the issuance conditions, listing conditions, and information disclosure requirements. (Jin10 Data APP) US dollar: As of overnight close, the US dollar rose 0.03% to 99.22. Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed that US job openings in April jumped to their highest level in nearly two years, with professional and business services accounting for nearly all of the gains, and layoffs declined. This further indicated that the labour market remained resilient even as businesses had to cope with rising energy costs triggered by the Iran war. The data suggested that labour demand was stabilizing this year after employment growth nearly stalled in 2025, which could further weaken the case for interest rate cuts, especially as US Fed officials were increasingly discussing the possibility of rate hikes. (Wallstreetcn) According to sources, Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh hired conservative policy analysts Paul Winfree and Daniel Heil as temporary advisors. The two will assist Warsh with policy analysis and special projects, serving in a temporary capacity. (Wallstreetcn APP) Fed Chairman Warsh stated in a memo sent and reviewed by Reuters: "Our top priority will be getting policy right to serve our mandate and the national interest. We will ensure we create an environment that supports our staff in doing their best work and building their careers. We will not rely on past practices when we find better alternatives. In the coming quarters, I hope we can engage together in open, clear-eyed discussions about the Fed's strategy, policy, and operations." (Wallstreetcn APP) According to CME "FedWatch": The probability of the US Fed maintaining rates unchanged through June was 98.6%, with a 1.4% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point cut. The probability of maintaining rates unchanged through July was 92.4%, with a 6.3% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point hike and a 1.3% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point cut. (Jin10 Data APP) Macro: Today will see the release of China's May RatingDog Services PMI, US May ADP employment figures, US May S&P Global Services PMI final reading, US May ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI, US April factory orders month-over-month, France's May Services PMI final reading, Eurozone May Services PMI final reading, Eurozone April PPI month-over-month, Germany's May Services PMI final reading, UK May Services PMI final reading, and Australia's Q1 GDP year-over-year, among other data. In addition, Bank of Japan Governor Ueda Kazuo will deliver a speech, and US Fed Governor Barr will participate in a dialogue at the 2026 Community Development Bankers Association Peer Forum. Crude oil: Overnight, oil prices rose across both markets, with WTI up 1.33% and Brent up 1.01%. The market was still awaiting progress in US-Iran negotiations, and combined with continued declines in global crude oil inventory and expectations of peak summer demand season, multiple factors supported oil price strength. American Petroleum Institute (API) data showed that last week, US API crude oil inventory was -6.757 million barrels, compared to -2.819 million barrels the previous week. Last week, API Cushing crude oil inventory was -279,000 barrels, versus -2.875 million barrels previously. Last week, API gasoline inventory was +3.454 million barrels (previous: -3.199 million barrels), and distillate inventory was -214,000 barrels (previous: +11.03 million barrels). (Wallstreetcn APP) IEA oil head: Rising prices and a weak economic outlook led to declining transport fuel demand. If crude oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz do not resume, oil inventory drawdowns will continue into the summer. Inventory could reach critical levels before peak summer demand arrives. (Wallstreetcn APP) Tom Baker, Managing Director for Bahrain at global commodities trading giant Vitol, stated that the oil market was underestimating some of the risks from the Iran war. Baker said at the S&P Global Energy Middle East Petroleum and Gas Conference in London: "Crude supply may be able to recover, but from a refined petroleum products perspective, the system may struggle to catch up for the remainder of the year." (Wallstreetcn APP)

SMM June 2 News: Metals market: Overnight, metals generally rose across both domestic and overseas markets, with SHFE lead being the only decliner, down about 0.09%. LME tin and SHFE tin both rose over 2%, with LME tin up 2.63% and SHFE tin up 2.46%. LME copper, LME aluminum, LME zinc, LME nickel, SHFE copper, and SHFE nickel all rose over 1% (LME copper +1.97%, LME aluminum +1.59%, LME zinc +1.09%, LME nickel +1.42%, SHFE copper +1.12%, SHFE nickel +1.26%). The remaining metals gained less than 1%, with the alumina front-month contract down 0.69% and the foundry aluminum front-month contract up 0.41%. Overnight, ferrous metals collectively rose, with stainless steel leading the gains at +1.52%, and iron ore up 0.51%. Hot-rolled coil and rebar saw minor fluctuations. In coking coal and coke, coking coal rose 2.19% and coke rose 0.84%. Precious metals: Overnight, COMEX gold fell 1.7% and COMEX silver dropped 0.96%. In China, SHFE gold fell 1.28% and SHFE silver declined 0.73%. As of 6:43 AM on June 2, overnight closing prices: Macro front China: [NDRC, National Energy Administration and other departments issued the Notice on Printing and Distributing the Guidelines for Accounting of Non-Fossil Energy Power Consumption (Trial)] On June 1, the NDRC, National Energy Administration and other departments issued the Notice on Printing and Distributing the Guidelines for Accounting of Non-Fossil Energy Power Consumption (Trial). It mentioned that the development and reform commissions, energy bureaus, ecological environment departments, statistics bureaus, and data management departments of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, as well as State Grid Corporation of China, China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd., Inner Mongolia Power (Group) Co., Ltd., relevant power generation enterprises, Beijing and Guangzhou Power Exchange Centers, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute, and China Electricity Council: To implement the major decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, and to promote the improvement of the carbon emission statistical accounting system, we have formulated the Guidelines for Accounting of Non-Fossil Energy Power Consumption (Trial), which are hereby issued to you. Please carry out relevant work accordingly. These guidelines shall be implemented on a trial basis from the date of issuance and shall be used for accounting of non-fossil energy power consumption for 2026 and subsequent years. If there are any issues or suggestions during the trial period, please provide timely feedback to the NDRC and the National Energy Administration. Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng chaired a standing meeting of the municipal government on June 1. The meeting approved in principle the Shanghai Plan for Accelerating New-Type Industrialisation and Building a Modern Industrial System under the 15th Five-Year Plan, and noted the need to develop and strengthen a number of emerging pillar industries and make forward-looking arrangements for future industries. The meeting emphasized the need to adhere to innovation-driven development and forge competitive advantages in industry, accelerate breakthroughs in new technologies, R&D and application of new products, and cultivation and opening of new scenarios, support the efficient transformation and industrialisation of scientific and technological achievements, and turn more "flowers of technology" into "fruits of industry." The CPC Chengdu Municipal Committee and the Chengdu Municipal People's Government issued the Opinions on Accelerating the Building of a National Advanced Manufacturing Base. The opinions proposed forward-looking deployment of future industries, accelerating the layout of new tracks including nuclear fusion energy, brain-computer interfaces, quantum technology, intelligent sensing, embodied AI, sixth-generation mobile communications, biomanufacturing, cell and gene therapy, flying cars, and frontier new materials. US dollar: As of the overnight close, the US dollar index rose 0.26% to 99.19. Data from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) showed that, driven by growth in new orders and production, the US May ISM Manufacturing Index rose to 54, hitting a four-year high. US manufacturing has sent expansion signals for five consecutive months, indicating that manufacturing is regaining vitality amid a surge in artificial intelligence (AI) investment, more favourable tax policy, and reduced trade policy uncertainty. Persistent cost pressure may mean US consumers will face higher prices, as the US Fed's preferred inflation gauge rose 3.8% YoY in April. (Wallstreetcn) According to CME "FedWatch": The probability of the US Fed keeping rates unchanged through June was 98.4%, with a 1.6% probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point interest rate cut. The probability of the US Fed keeping rates unchanged through July was 90.2%, with an 8.4% probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate hike and a 1.4% probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point interest rate cut. (Jin10 Data APP) Ozan Tarman, Vice Chairman of Global Macro at Deutsche Bank, said the US Fed's next move will not be a rate hike. Tarman said the newly appointed Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh will try to "convince his colleagues to stay put." "Everyone is excitedly talking about how he might completely change his stance and even convince Trump that a significant rate hike is possible this year — that seems a bit excessive to me." "The best approach is to wait and see, and let the political dynamics in the US, the Strait of Hormuz, and even the UK play out on their own," Tarman said. Tarman noted that a European Central Bank rate hike in June appears to be a foregone conclusion, but whether Lagarde will raise rates in September will depend on the progress of Middle East peace negotiations. (Bloomberg) Torsten Slok, Chief Economist at Apollo Global Management Inc., said that AI infrastructure construction will push up inflation in the early stages, which will prevent new Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh from cutting interest rates as quickly as he had previously hinted. "We may have to wait a while longer, because in the early stages, the AI boom will certainly push up inflation," he said. From the perspective of semiconductor prices, energy prices, and labour costs, the risk of price pressure is "very clear." (Bloomberg TV) Macro: Today, the US April JOLTs job openings, Switzerland April trade balance, UK April central bank mortgage approvals, Eurozone May CPI annual rate preliminary reading, and Eurozone May CPI monthly rate preliminary reading will be released. In addition, 2026 FOMC voter and Minneapolis Fed President Kashkari will deliver a speech, 2026 FOMC voter and Cleveland Fed President Hammack will speak on monetary policy, and Bank of England Governor Bailey will attend a House of Lords hearing. Crude oil: As of the overnight close, oil prices on both markets rose, with WTI up 5.85% and Brent up 4.53%, driven by the breakdown of US-Iran negotiations and blockade risks. Earlier, Iranian media reported that Iran would suspend communication with the US through intermediaries and planned to completely block the Strait of Hormuz, sending crude oil prices sharply higher. This morning, US President Trump said he expected to reach an agreement with Iran "within the next week," extending the current ceasefire arrangement and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said the negotiations were progressing well and expressed optimism about reaching a deal. (CCTV) (Wallstreetcn APP) According to US sources, the Trump administration continued to release large volumes from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ease the energy supply crisis triggered by the US-Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Data released by the US Department of Energy (DOE) showed that the Strategic Petroleum Reserve decreased by 8 million barrels of crude oil last week, following declines of 9.1 million barrels and a record 9.9 million barrels in the two preceding weeks. As of now, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve inventory has fallen to 357.1 million barrels, the lowest level since January 2024. (Wallstreetcn) Three sources said OPEC+ producers will most likely agree at their meeting on Sunday to further increase crude oil production quotas in July. However, the Iran war has so far caused some countries to fall short of their previous production increase targets. A further increase in production quotas would indicate that the organisation is gradually resuming normal operations, despite disruptions caused by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the unexpected withdrawal of the UAE in May. According to sources, OPEC+ is expected to increase production by approximately 188,000 barrels per day in July, the same as the increase agreed for June, which had been reduced from 206,000 barrels per day after taking into account the UAE's withdrawal. (Jin10 Data APP)

SMM June 1 Update: Metals market: Last Friday's overnight session saw base metals collectively decline in both domestic and overseas markets. LME copper and LME tin both led the decline with a 0.98% drop. SHFE zinc fell 0.86%, while declines in other metals were relatively small. The alumina front-month contract closed flat at 2,888 yuan/mt, and the foundry aluminum front-month contract fell 0.26%. Last Friday's overnight ferrous metals session showed mixed performance. Stainless steel fell 0.74%, and iron ore dropped 0.26%. Hot-rolled coil and rebar both rose around 0.2%. In coking coal and coke, coking coal rose 0.7% and coke rose 0.89%. Last Friday's overnight precious metals session: COMEX gold rose 0.83%, up 1.03% on the week but down 1.29% on the month, marking a third consecutive monthly decline. COMEX silver fell 0.43% overnight last Friday, down 0.81% on the week but up 2.1% on the month. In China, SHFE gold rose 1.61%, down 0.23% on the week and down 1.61% on the month, also recording a third consecutive monthly decline alongside the overseas market. SHFE silver rose 0.64% overnight last Friday, down 1.23% on the week but up 3.08% on the month. As of 8:25 AM on May 30, last Friday's overnight closing prices: Macro Front China: From January to April, total operating revenue of national state-owned and state-holding enterprises fell 0.5% YoY, while total profits rose 1.9% YoY. Specifically, total operating revenue was 26.27 trillion yuan, and total profits were 1.37 trillion yuan. Taxes payable rose 3.9% YoY to 2.12 trillion yuan. At the end of April, the asset-liability ratio of state-owned enterprises was 65.5%, up 0.4 percentage points YoY. (Xinhua News Agency) On May 29, it was reported that in Q1, China's integrated circuit exports reached $72.47 billion, up 77.5% YoY, of which memory product exports reached $45.99 billion, up 174.2% YoY. The surge in memory product exports also transmitted to supply chain service segments. The head of a logistics company said that since the beginning of this year, the company's orders related to memory exports had doubled, with large orders exceeding 100 million yuan per transaction increasing significantly. Industry insiders noted that the explosive growth in memory product exports was driven by both cyclical factors of tight global supply and demand, as well as structural industrial changes including industry chain upgrades and market share gains in China's domestic memory sector. The Deputy Secretary General of the Shenzhen Electronics Chamber of Commerce said that compared with March last year, memory prices had risen nearly tenfold, with some even seeing more than tenfold increases. The rise was mainly due to the significant price increases, which drove up the total (export) value. Domestic brand prices had a significant price spread compared with ex-China brands, making them very competitive. (CCTV Finance) [MIIT and Six Other Departments: Encouraging Equipment Manufacturing in Aerospace, Shipbuilding, Automotive, Robotics and Other Sectors] On May 29, the General Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the General Office of the Central Publicity Department, the General Office of MIIT, the General Office of the Ministry of Education, the General Office of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, the General Office of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, and the General Office of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions jointly issued a notice on promoting industrial culture, protecting industrial heritage, and developing industrial tourism. The notice mentioned enriching the supply of industrial tourism products. It encouraged the active development of industrial heritage tourism, promoting the revitalization and utilization of industrial sites through creative design, new business format integration, and facade renovation, and developing new scenarios, formats, and models for industrial tourism. It vigorously promoted "factory tours," encouraging enterprises in equipment manufacturing sectors such as aerospace, shipbuilding, automotive, and robotics, consumer goods industries such as textiles and apparel, arts and crafts, and food processing, as well as e-commerce logistics, to innovatively launch programs including production process observation, simulated operations, hands-on experiences, and product customization, while ensuring production safety and confidentiality requirements, to create themed sightseeing factories. It called for the orderly expansion of smart industrial tourism, supporting the use of BeiDou, artificial intelligence, ultra-high-definition video, virtual reality, autonomous driving, and other digital technologies and equipment to create immersive and intelligent industrial tourism experiences. It supported industrial tourism venues in developing themed commerce, immersive experiences, specialty markets, and other formats to create "industrial tourism+" consumption scenarios. It encouraged localities to launch a batch of high-quality industrial tourism routes and brands with regional and industry characteristics. It encouraged industrial enterprises to strengthen product promotion, expand product sales, and build stronger enterprise brands through industrial tourism. The Shanghai International Energy Exchange announced adjustments to the daily price limit for crude oil and low-sulfur fuel oil futures contracts to 17%, the hedging position trading margin ratio to 18%, and the general position trading margin ratio to 19%; it also adjusted trading limits for related crude oil and low-sulfur fuel oil futures contracts. US dollar: As of last Friday's overnight close, the US dollar index fell 0.07% to 98.93, down 0.39% on the week but up 0.85% on the month. Optimistic expectations about the extension of the ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran weakened safe-haven demand. The US April PCE price index rose 3.8% YoY, the highest level since May 2023, in line with expectations, compared with the previous reading of 3.5%. The US April core PCE price index rose 3.3% YoY, hitting a new high since November 2023, also in line with expectations, compared with the previous reading of 3.2%. Additionally, separate data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis showed that the US economy grew at an annualized rate of 1.6% in Q1, below the preliminary data. The initial estimate released last month showed growth of 2%. The data indicated that US consumers became more cautious amid cost-of-living pressures and uneven labor market performance. The Middle East conflict pushed up fuel and other raw material prices, with the impact transmitting through the broader economy and sending consumer confidence to record lows. Meanwhile, this inflation data is likely to further reinforce warnings from some US Fed officials that the US Fed would need to consider raising interest rates if price pressures fail to ease. Kevin Warsh, who was just sworn in as Fed Chairman on May 22, may need to convince other officials that inflation expectations can be controlled without rate hikes. (Wallstreetcn) Minneapolis Fed President Kashkari stated that it was too early to conclude that interest rates need to rise, but he believed the US Fed should keep all policy options on the table. He said it was too early to conclude that an immediate rate hike was needed. He noted the need to continue monitoring economic data and developments in the Middle East conflict before considering whether policy adjustments were necessary. Kashkari pointed out that under both the most optimistic and most pessimistic scenarios, inflation could remain significantly elevated for an extended period. He was closely monitoring this risk, as well as the possibility that inflation expectations could become unanchored. (Wallstreetcn) US Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman stated that it was too early to judge the impact of the Iran conflict on inflation, and policymakers needed to look through temporary price shocks. She supported officials retaining language in their statement after last month's policy meeting that hinted at the possibility of further interest rate cuts. She said that as she thought about the future path of monetary policy, she wanted a clearer understanding of the economic impact of the Middle East conflict and the persistence of those effects. As long as credibility in the commitment to achieving the inflation target was maintained, it was appropriate to look through temporarily elevated inflation primarily driven by rising energy prices. She expected the "one-off" impact of tariffs implemented by US President Trump to fade. (Wallstreetcn) Macro front: This week, China is set to release data including China's May RatingDog Manufacturing PMI and China's May RatingDog Services PMI. The US is set to release data including the US May S&P Global Manufacturing PMI final, US May ISM Manufacturing PMI, US April construction spending MoM, US April JOLTs job openings, US May ADP employment, US May S&P Global Services PMI final, US May ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI, US April factory orders MoM, US May Challenger job cuts, US initial jobless claims for the week ending May 30, US May unemployment rate, US May seasonally adjusted non-farm payrolls, US May average hourly earnings YoY, and US May average hourly earnings MoM. The UK is set to release data including UK May Nationwide house price index MoM, UK May Manufacturing PMI final, UK April central bank mortgage approvals, UK May Services PMI final, and UK May Halifax seasonally adjusted house price index MoM. The Eurozone is set to release data including Eurozone May Manufacturing PMI final, Eurozone April unemployment rate, Eurozone May CPI YoY preliminary, Eurozone May CPI MoM preliminary, Eurozone May Services PMI final, Eurozone April PPI MoM, Eurozone April retail sales MoM, Eurozone Q1 GDP YoY revised, and Eurozone Q1 seasonally adjusted employment QoQ final. Switzerland is set to release data including Swiss April real retail sales YoY, Swiss April trade balance, Swiss May CPI MoM, and Swiss May seasonally adjusted unemployment rate. France is set to release data including France May Manufacturing PMI final, France May Services PMI final, France April industrial output MoM, and France April trade balance. Germany is set to release data including Germany May Manufacturing PMI final and Germany May Services PMI final. In addition, Australia Q1 GDP YoY and Canada May employment figures will also be released. Crude oil: As of last Friday's overnight close, oil prices in both markets fell, with WTI down 1.28% and Brent down 0.87%. On a weekly basis, oil prices suffered heavy losses, with WTI down 9.15% and Brent down 8.3%, both recording a second consecutive weekly decline and the largest weekly drop since April. WTI fell 16.47% on the month and Brent fell 16.77% on the month, with WTI posting its largest monthly decline since November 2021 and Brent its largest monthly decline since March 2020. According to Xinhua News Agency, US President Trump said on the 29th that the US and Iran had reached agreement on secondary issues beyond Iran's nuclear program and Strait of Hormuz passage, sending crude oil prices lower. The oil market in May underwent a clear three-phase evolution: Early month (May 1-6): Oil prices pulled back slightly from near four-year highs, but Brent briefly surged to around $114 after OPEC+ announced a modest production increase and shipping attacks, before plunging to the $101-106 range following signals of US-Iran de-escalation. Mid-month (May 7-20): Oil prices oscillated as ceasefire breakdowns alternated with mediation progress, with the continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz maintaining an elevated risk premium. Month-end (May 21-29): Driven by reports of a US-Iran agreement in principle to reopen the strait, Brent briefly fell to the $93-100 low range, WTI touched $88-92, and Brent closed around $92. (Wallstreetcn) Nevertheless, analysts emphasized that until the conflict truly ends and the strait resumes normal passage, global crude oil inventories will continue to be depleted by approximately 10 to 14 million barrels per day, and physical market fundamentals remain tight. The decline in oil prices driven by ceasefire expectations reflected more the pricing of future supply recovery rather than a fundamental change in the current supply-demand pattern. (Wallstreetcn) Recent reports revealed that calculations by Goldman Sachs showed global crude oil inventories could fall below the equivalent of 100 days of global demand as early as the end of May. Goldman Sachs estimated that as of the end of April, global crude oil inventories were equivalent to approximately 101 days of global demand, and were expected to decline to 98 days by the end of May. Of this, "visible inventories" observable through satellites and other means were estimated at only 73 days of demand. Reports indicated that currently only a few vessels can pass through the Strait of Hormuz each day, resulting in a daily global crude oil supply loss exceeding 10 million barrels. (Wallstreetcn)

Nickel prices overall moved sideways this week with a slight pullback. Early in the week, driven by rising expectations for US Fed interest rate hikes and repeated geopolitical tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, the most-traded SHFE nickel contract briefly fell below 141,000 yuan/mt. However, from mid-week onward, strong supply-side support logic helped nickel prices stabilize above 142,000 yuan/mt, after which they moved sideways, with a weekly decline of 0.26%. Spot market side, the average SMM #1 refined nickel price was 143,700 yuan/mt this week, down 150 yuan/mt WoW. Jinchuan nickel premiums dropped significantly this week, with the range falling to 600-1,000 yuan/mt. Domestic mainstream electrodeposited nickel premiums were affected by contract rollover, with the range falling to -700-100 yuan/mt. Spot market transactions were mediocre this week, with downstream buyers only making just-in-time procurement and consumption remaining mediocre. On the macro front, Kevin Warsh was officially sworn in as Fed Chairman, while facing two major challenges — surging US Treasury yields and rising US inflation expectations. Market expectations for interest rate cuts continued to be pushed back, and expectations for interest rate hikes further strengthened. The US April PCE price index rose 3.8% YoY, hitting a three-year high, with the core index accelerating to 3.3% YoY. The US dollar index fluctuated at highs, continuing to weigh on non-ferrous metal prices. Geopolitical tensions remained stagnant this week. Iranian officials stated that the Iran-US "memorandum of understanding" text had not been finalized and Iran had not agreed to any memorandum of understanding. Should tensions ease, expectations for a recovery in sulfur supply would exert short-term pressure on nickel prices; on the other hand, a continued stalemate would mean sulfur cost support remains intact, providing a floor for nickel prices. Inventory side, Shanghai Bonded Zone inventory was approximately 1,700 mt this week, flat WoW. China's social inventory was approximately 117,000 mt, an inventory buildup of approximately 4,200 mt WoW. Currently, nickel prices are in a prolonged tug-of-war between bulls and bears. High inventory continues to suppress nickel price elasticity, serving as the core resistance constraining price upside. The most-traded SHFE nickel contract is expected to trade in a core range of 138,000-148,000 yuan/mt next week.

SMM News, May 25: Metals market: As of the midday close, base metals on the domestic market mostly rose. SHFE copper gained 1.06%. SHFE aluminum fell 0.47%. SHFE lead rose 0.06%, SHFE zinc rose 0.34%. SHFE tin gained 1.22%. SHFE nickel rose 0.23%. In addition, the most-traded casting aluminum futures fell 0.54%, the most-traded alumina futures rose 0.37%. The most-traded lithium carbonate futures rose 0.58%. The most-traded silicon metal futures rose 1.07%. The most-traded polysilicon futures rose 0.48%. Ferrous metals all rose. Iron ore gained 0.25%, rebar rose 1.23%, hot-rolled coil rose 1.03%, and stainless steel edged up. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract and the most-traded coke contract hit the daily limit up with gains of 7.97% and 7.99%, respectively. Overseas base metals: The London Metal Exchange (LME) was closed on May 25 for the UK bank holiday and will resume trading on May 26. Precious metals: as of 11:38, COMEX gold rose 0.86% and COMEX silver gained 2.44%. Domestic precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold futures rose 0.64% and the most-traded SHFE silver futures rose 2.27%. In addition, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures fell 0.2% and the most-traded palladium futures rose 0.01%. As of the midday close, the most-traded Europe containerized freight index contract fell 3.36% to 2,901 points. As of 11:38 on May 25, midday futures quotes for selected contracts: Spot and fundamentals Copper: Today, #1 copper cathode spot prices in North China against the front-month contract were reported at an average discount of 360 yuan/mt to a discount of 280 yuan/mt. The average price fell 10 yuan/mt from the previous trading day, and the average transaction price was 105,230 yuan/mt, up 1,035 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Macro front Domestic: [Huawei Announces Semiconductor Tao's Law] On May 25, Huawei officially announced a new law in the semiconductor field. "Tao's Law" proposes replacing "geometric scaling" with "temporal scaling," achieving new breakthroughs in transistor density and system performance through logic folding technology. This marks the first time China has proposed a new principle guiding industrial development in the global semiconductor field. By 2031, high-end chip transistor density based on this law is expected to reach the equivalent level of the 1.4nm process node. (People's Daily) [PBOC Reverse Repo Operations Result in Net Injection of 257 billion yuan Today] The PBOC conducted 258 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repo operations in the open market, with an operation rate of 1.40%, unchanged from the previous day. 1 billion yuan of reverse repos matured today. On the US dollar: As of 11:38, the US dollar index fell 0.3% to 99.03. Kevin Hassett, chief economic adviser to US President Trump, said he believes that the eventual decline in oil prices will create room for the Fed to cut interest rates. "We again expect that once a deal is reached, energy prices will plunge," Hassett said. "When that happens, the Fed will have plenty of room to take the right action and lower interest rates." He emphasized that he respects the Fed's independence and praised Kevin Warsh, who was sworn in as Fed Chairman last Friday. Although the surge in US fuel prices caused by Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz poses a growing political risk to Trump and his Republican Party in the November midterm elections, Hassett believes that the accelerating inflation is mainly driven by energy prices. "If you look at the last few data reports, energy prices are absolutely concerning, but core prices have barely moved at all," he said. "I think once we see energy prices pull back, due to declining energy prices, you may actually see negative inflation." (Jin10 Data) According to CME's "FedWatch": the probability that the Fed will keep interest rates unchanged in June was 97.3%, and the probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate hike was 2.7%. The probability that the Fed will keep interest rates unchanged in July was 84.8%, the probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate hike was 14.8%, and the probability of a cumulative 50-basis-point rate hike was 0.3%. (Jin10 Data) On data: Today, data including China's year-to-date installed power generation capacity in April and its year-on-year rate will be released. In addition, attention should be paid to: 500 billion yuan of 1-year medium-term lending facility (MLF) and 1 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repos will mature today. In addition, it is worth noting that due to the Memorial Day holiday, US stock markets will be closed for one day on May 25 (Monday); CME's precious metals and US crude oil futures contract trading will end early at 02:30 Beijing time on the 26th, and US stock and US Treasury futures contract trading will end early at 01:00 Beijing time on the 26th. Due to the Buddha's Birthday holiday, Hong Kong stock markets will be closed for one day on May 25 (Monday), with both southbound and northbound trading suspended; South Korean stock markets will also be closed for one day on the same day. In addition, due to the Spring Bank Holiday, the UK stock market will be closed on Monday, May 25; trading of ICE Brent crude oil futures contracts will end early at 01:30 Beijing time on May 26. Investors are advised to take note. (Jin10 Data) Overseas exchange closure arrangements are as follows (all in Beijing time): Crude oil: As of 11:38, oil prices in both markets fell, with WTI down 5.92% and Brent down 5.32%. Rising expectations of a US-Iran deal boosted global risk sentiment, putting oil prices under pressure. The direct catalyst for the oil price decline was signs of improvement in actual transit conditions through the Strait of Hormuz. According to Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency citing a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, 33 vessels — including oil tankers, container ships, and other commercial vessels — passed through the Strait of Hormuz within 24 hours on Sunday after receiving authorization from the IRGC Navy. (Wallstreetcn) The Washington Post reported on May 24 that the US and Iran had reached agreement on a framework for a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which, once signed, would fully restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days. Citing an anonymous senior US government official, the report said the US and Iran had developed an MOU "framework" that includes a 60-day ceasefire extension to allow both sides to reach a "final agreement" on permanently ending hostilities with Iran, during which the Strait of Hormuz would be demined and reopened. The official said the MOU includes a "commitment" that Iran will not possess nuclear weapons. Over the next two months, the US and Iran will discuss the "mechanism" for implementing this commitment. However, neither side signed any agreement on May 24. (Xinhua) Trump said on social media on Saturday that a US-Iran deal was largely done, including the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and told US representatives not to rush into a deal. But on Sunday he said the deal was "not fully done yet." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously said there could be "some good news" on the Hormuz issue in the coming hours. Iran remained cautious. Iran's Tasnim News Agency warned that the draft agreement could still collapse due to US obstacles on several key terms — including Iran's demand for unfreezing assets. (Wallstreetcn) Spot market overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

SMM May 23: Metals market: Last Friday's overnight domestic market saw base metals mostly rise. SHFE copper rose 0.58%. SHFE aluminum fell 0.14%, SHFE lead rose 0.3%. SHFE zinc fell 0.16%. SHFE tin rose 1.09%. SHFE nickel rose 0.49%. In addition, the most-traded alumina futures contract fell 0.77%, and the most-traded foundry aluminum futures contract fell 0.06%. Last Friday's overnight ferrous metals mostly fell. Iron ore was flat at 792.5 yuan/mt, stainless steel rose 0.34%, rebar edged down 0.09%, and hot-rolled coil fell 0.15%. Coking coal and coke: coking coal continued to fall for the third consecutive trading day, down 1.45%, and coke fell 0.95%. Last Friday's overnight overseas metals market saw LME base metals rise across the board. LME copper rose 0.18%. LME aluminum rose 0.45%, LME lead rose 0.4%. LME zinc edged up 0.06%. LME tin rose 1.16%. LME nickel rose 0.67%. Last Friday's overnight precious metals : COMEX gold fell 0.7%, posting a second consecutive weekly decline with a 1.13% weekly drop; COMEX silver fell 1.06%, falling for two consecutive weeks with a 2.1% weekly drop. Last Friday's overnight SHFE gold most-traded contract fell 0.1%, posting a second consecutive weekly decline with a 2.13% weekly drop; SHFE silver most-traded contract rose 0.51%, but SHFE silver fell for two consecutive weeks with a 7.81% weekly drop. As of 8:31 am on May 23, last Friday's overnight closing prices: Macro front China: [PBOC: 600 billion yuan MLF operation to be conducted on May 25] PBOC: To maintain ample liquidity in the banking system, on May 25, 2026, the People's Bank of China will conduct a 600 billion yuan MLF operation with a fixed quantity, interest rate tender, and multiple-price winning method, with a maturity of 1 year. [CSRC: Crackdown on illegal cross-border securities business; investors' property safety unaffected by the rectification] Xinhua News Agency reported that recently, with the approval of the State Council, the CSRC and seven other departments jointly issued the "Implementation Plan for Comprehensive Rectification of Illegal Cross-border Securities, Futures, and Fund Business Activities." Regarding this rectification, all parties are highly concerned about how the legitimate rights and interests of existing investors will be protected. In this regard, the plan emphasized that investors' property safety will not be affected by the rectification. A CSRC official said the plan specified numerous measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of existing investors. For example, a 2-year concentrated rectification period will be set to phase out relevant domestic services of overseas institutions. Overseas institutions are required to properly communicate with investors affected by rectification measures in China and arrange account disposal to ensure client property safety. [Hong Kong SFC: Enhanced measures to address forged documents and money laundering risks and raise account opening standards] The Hong Kong SFC issued a circular on May 22, setting out the monitoring measures that should be implemented when opening accounts and maintaining customer relationships. The circular was issued following the SFC's review of account opening practices at 12 securities brokerages. The review identified multiple significant deficiencies, including inadequate due diligence on account opening documents, acceptance of suspicious or forged documents during the account opening process, and weaknesses in managing cross-border agency relationships with ex-China intermediaries. (Wallstreetcn) US dollar: Last Friday, the overnight US dollar index rose 0.12% to 99.32. On a weekly basis, the US dollar index posted its second consecutive weekly gain, up 0.04% for the week. The 17th Fed Chairman Warsh was sworn in at the White House on Friday. Warsh stated: "The Fed's mission is to promote price stability and full employment." He said, "When these goals are pursued with wisdom and clarity, independence and resolve, inflation can be lower, economic growth can be stronger, real take-home wages can be higher, America can be more prosperous, and just as importantly, America's standing in the world can be more secure." He added: "To fulfill this mission, I will lead a reform-oriented Fed that learns from past successes and mistakes, breaking free from static frameworks and models while adhering to clear standards of integrity and performance." (Jin10 Data) Fed Governor Waller's hawkish remarks put US Treasury prices under pressure, with money markets fully pricing in a 25-basis-point interest rate hike in 2026. The most significant policy signal on Friday came from Fed Governor Waller. On Friday local time, Fed Governor Waller stated that as the energy shock from the Iran war pushes up prices, he supports making it clear that the Fed's next rate move is as likely to be a hike as an interest rate cut. Waller said his current stance is to remain patient and keep rates unchanged until the impact of the war becomes clearer, but he warned on Friday that he does not rule out the possibility of future rate hikes if inflation does not begin to slow down soon. Waller's remarks were released almost simultaneously with the swearing-in of new Fed Chairman Warsh. The interest rate environment Warsh currently faces is notably more hawkish than the Fed's internal dot plot expectations. (Wall Street CN) "Fed whisperer" Nick Timiraos noted that there were several key moments during Kevin Warsh's swearing-in ceremony at the White House: ① Trump asked Warsh to be "completely independent." Trump said, "(I hope he) doesn't look at me, doesn't look at anybody." ② Just two minutes later, Trump offered some "suggestions" indicating the economic direction he hoped to see: "Strong economic growth doesn't need to be cooled down," "Economic growth does not mean inflation," and "I want the economy to boom to unprecedented levels, because there is indeed some debt to deal with." ③ Trump hinted that the US Fed's decision-making body would "converge." He said other Fed policymakers "will make their own decisions, but they will listen to Kevin throughout," even those "whose positions are slightly different." ④ Warsh referenced Greenspan, not Bernanke. Warsh recalled the historical scene of Greenspan being sworn in at the White House in 1987, and pledged to "begin work with abundant energy and a sense of mission, just as Chairman Greenspan did." He made no mention of former Chairman Bernanke, with whom he had worked for five years during his previous tenure as a governor. (Jin10 Data) In addition, affected by the Iran war, the US consumer confidence index in May fell to a historic low, and long-term inflation expectations also deteriorated significantly. Data showed that the University of Michigan's final reading of the May consumer confidence index dropped to 44.8, with consumers expecting prices to rise at an annualized rate of 3.9% over the next five to ten years, up from 3.5% in April and hitting a seven-month high. They also expected prices to rise 4.8% over the next year. Gasoline prices continued to hover near their highest levels since 2022, exacerbating Americans' concerns about rising living costs and the failure to reach a deal to end the war. The impact of inflation on household budgets, particularly for low-income consumers, poses risks to the future consumption outlook. Joanne Hsu, the survey director, stated: "Cost of living concerns remain the top issue on people's minds, with 57% of respondents spontaneously citing that high prices are eroding their personal finances, up from 50% last month." She stated: "The key point is that consumers appear worried that inflation will not only spread beyond fuel prices to other areas, but that this upward trend could persist well into the future." (Jin10 Data) Regarding other currencies: ECB President Lagarde stated that despite the deepening impact of the Iran conflict, long-term inflation expectations remained broadly in line with the 2% target. Although the energy crisis is pushing up inflation and dragging down the economy, long-term inflation expectations have remained well-anchored overall. The impact of this conflict on medium-term inflation and economic activity will depend on the intensity and duration of the energy price shock, as well as the scale of its indirect transmission effects. (Wall Street Journal) Bank of Japan Governor Ueda Kazuo said that Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae told him during their meeting on Friday that she hoped the BOJ would adopt appropriate policies, taking into account the government's price measures. Ueda Kazuo told reporters after the meeting with Takaichi Sanae at the Prime Minister's residence in Tokyo that it was a routine meeting between the two and that no specific details of monetary policy were discussed. (Wall Street Journal) On the macro front: Data to be released this week include the UK May CBI retail sales balance, US March FHFA house price index MoM, US March S&P/CS 20-city non-seasonally adjusted house price index YoY, US May Conference Board consumer confidence index, US May Dallas Fed business activity index, Australia April non-seasonally adjusted CPI YoY, New Zealand RBNZ interest rate decision through May 27, Switzerland May ZEW investor confidence index, US weekly ADP employment change for the week ending May 9, US May Richmond Fed manufacturing index, Eurozone May industrial confidence index, Eurozone May economic sentiment index, Canada Q1 current account, US initial jobless claims for the week ending May 23, US April core PCE price index YoY, US April personal spending MoM, US Q1 real GDP annualized QoQ revised, US April core PCE price index MoM, US April durable goods orders MoM, US April new home sales annualized, Japan April unemployment rate, France May CPI MoM preliminary, France Q1 GDP YoY final, Germany May seasonally adjusted unemployment change, Germany May seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, Germany May CPI MoM preliminary, Canada March GDP MoM, US May Chicago PMI, and China May official manufacturing PMI. In addition, other events to watch this week include: 500 billion yuan in 1-year medium-term lending facility (MLF) and 1 billion yuan in 7-day reverse repo maturing today; BOJ Governor Ueda Kazuo delivering a speech at a monetary policy conference hosted by the BOJ; the RBNZ releasing its interest rate decision and monetary policy statement; RBNZ Governor Breeman holding a monetary policy press conference; the ECB publishing the minutes of its April monetary policy meeting; permanent FOMC voter and New York Fed President Williams delivering a keynote speech at a conference co-organized by the Central Bank of Iceland; 2028 FOMC voter and St. Louis Fed President Musalem delivering a speech; Bank of England Governor Bailey delivering a speech; 2028 FOMC voter and Kansas City Fed President Schmid delivering a speech; and US Fed Governor Bowman delivering a speech. In addition, it is worth noting that due to the Memorial Day holiday, the US stock market will be closed for one day on May 25 (Monday). Trading of precious metals and WTI crude oil futures contracts under CME will end early at 02:30 Beijing time on May 26, and trading of US equity and Treasury futures contracts will end early at 01:00 Beijing time on May 26. Due to the Buddha's Birthday holiday, the Hong Kong stock market will be closed for one day on May 25 (Monday), with Southbound and Northbound trading suspended. The South Korean stock market will also be closed for one day on the same date. In addition, due to the Spring Bank Holiday, the UK stock market will be closed for one day on May 25 (Monday). Trading of Brent crude oil futures contracts under ICE will end early at 01:30 Beijing time on May 26. Investors are advised to take note. (Jin10 Data) The overseas market exchange closure schedule is as follows (all in Beijing time): Crude oil: Both oil futures rose during the overnight session last Friday, with WTI up 0.67% and Brent up 1.62%. On a weekly basis, WTI futures declined 3.98% for the week, and Brent futures declined 4.59% for the week. Since the ceasefire agreement was reached in April this year, US-Iran negotiations have remained deadlocked, with no comprehensive agreement to end the conflict in sight. Although a draft reportedly "close to being finalized" has been emerging, four core obstacles still stand in the way of lasting peace. According to Bloomberg, the Strait of Hormuz, nuclear issues, the Lebanon conflict, and sanctions currently constitute the four core points of divergence in the negotiations. For investors, this war has plunged global energy markets into severe turbulence, and any progress or breakdown in negotiations will have an impact on commodity prices. (Wallstreetcn) Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei stated on May 22 that it was premature to say a US-Iran agreement was close to being reached, as significant differences remained between the two sides. According to Iranian media reports on May 22, Baghaei, commenting on the visit of senior Pakistani officials to Tehran, said it indicated that the current situation had entered a "turning point or decisive stage." He mentioned that Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Munir had visited Tehran and that related communications were still ongoing. When asked whether this meant a change in the negotiation process, Baghaei said it could not be said that a US-Iran agreement was close to being reached, as there were serious and wide-ranging differences between the US and Iran, and "diplomacy is a time-consuming process." Baghaei added that one should not expect to see results within weeks or months through several rounds of back-and-forth consultations. He emphasized that diplomatic negotiations are inherently a long-term process, and both sides are utilizing various opportunities to convey their respective positions. (Xinhua) Baker Hughes data showed that US drilling companies increased the number of oil and natural gas rigs for the fifth consecutive week. The total US oil rig count for the week ending May 22 was 425, compared to the previous reading of 415. In addition, Kazakhstan's national oil and gas company reported that Q1 oil production fell 12% YoY to 5.6 million mt. (Jin10 Data) According to Bloomberg, affected by the Iran war, the national average gasoline price in the US has surpassed $4.5 per gallon, with California exceeding $6. Despite high prices, consumers have not significantly reduced fuel purchases. For most Americans, driving to work and picking up children are daily necessities. Gasoline spending is nearly impossible to cut, and consumers can only reduce discretionary spending to balance their budgets. Philadelphia resident Avarisse Crawford said she has cut entertainment expenses, replacing steak dinners and bar outings with free park activities. The ongoing Middle East tensions continue to push oil prices higher. The effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has hindered global crude oil transportation, and US gasoline inventory has fallen to its lowest level for the same period since 2014. Morgan Stanley expects it to hit a seasonal historic low by the end of August. Facing persistently climbing oil prices, the Trump administration has successively released strategic petroleum reserves, waived the Jones Act, and discussed implementing a federal gasoline tax holiday, but the effects remain unclear. As the Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer travel season, upward demand pressure is expected to further strain already tight inventories. (Wallstreetcn) Recommended Reading:

May 20, 2026 At first glance, the price of silver appears to be stuck in a rut, with a sustained breakout above stubborn resistance levels still a long way off. But this calm is deceptive: according to experts, an environment is brewing beneath the surface of the financial system that could provide precious metals with massive tailwinds in the coming quarters. While stock markets near record highs give many investors a false sense of security, systemic risks are growing. This opens up an exciting prospect for commodity investors: The signs of a major shift in capital—away from overvalued growth stocks and toward tangible assets—are becoming increasingly evident. Between inflationary pressure and tight supply A key driver of this scenario is persistent inflation. Geopolitical tensions and oil prices above $100 per barrel are fueling inflation and limiting central banks’ room to maneuver. Even with a weakening economy, an aggressive interest rate cut policy is nearly impossible under these conditions. For the silver market, this is a double catalyst: On the one hand, high energy costs are driving up mining operators’ expenses, which makes production more expensive and constricts supply. On the other hand, in an inflationary, uncertain environment, the appeal of real assets—which cannot be multiplied at will—is growing. The interest rate trap for tech stocks as a catalyst However, analysts see the real powder keg in the bond markets. Long-term U.S. Treasury bonds with yields above 5 percent are increasingly becoming a threat to highly valued tech stocks. Their enormous market capitalizations are heavily based on profits that lie far in the future. If interest rates remain persistently high, this valuation logic will deteriorate drastically. This is precisely where experts see the trigger for the so-called “great rotation”: as soon as capital is withdrawn from highly valued tech stocks, it must find new investment targets. Commodities, precious metals, and domestic producers would be the primary beneficiaries of this shift. Future Fed Chair Kevin Warsh faces a balancing act: He must stabilize the banking system while simultaneously withdrawing liquidity from the market to reduce the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet—a scenario that traditionally boosts physical silver and gold. Systemic risks bring physical assets into focus In addition to monetary policy, a growing loss of confidence in traditional financial assets supports the thesis of the precious metals bulls. High interest rates are putting massive pressure on highly indebted companies and the private credit sector. When stocks and bonds lose stability and the banking system appears more fragile, investors seek independence. In a highly leveraged environment, gold and silver offer precisely the advantage of not being dependent on the creditworthiness of third parties. International currency concerns also underpin this trend. India’s recent attempts to curb precious metal imports are a clear symptom of global anxiety about currency stability and the desire to preserve capital. Conclusion : The silver price is still in a consolidation phase. But if inflationary pressures, credit risks, and geopolitical tensions continue to intensify, the current market is not the end of the line, but rather the foundation for a revaluation, according to market experts. The looming rotation away from tech stocks toward real assets could be exactly the spark that catapults the silver price into a dynamic upward trend. Source： https://goldinvest.de/en/silber-vor-der-grossen-rotation-warum-der-scheinbare-stillstand-truegt

[SMM Tin Morning Brief: The Most-Traded SHFE Tin Contract Consolidated at Highs During Night Session, Downstream End-User Enterprises Maintained a Cautious Attitude Toward Purchases]