[Silicon Coal Prices Rose Slightly, Trading Game Sentiment Increased in Silicon Metal Market]: Supply side, northern silicon enterprises' operating rates were basically stable, while southwestern silicon enterprises' operating rates gradually improved. As the southwest successively entered the rainy season with electricity prices adjusted downward, a small number of silicon enterprises resumed production or increased operations, but the pace of production release was relatively slow. Cost side, although southwestern rainy season costs were periodically adjusted downward, current regional costs remained higher than those of northern silicon enterprises in production. Therefore, rising silicon coal raw material prices provided strong cost support below silicon metal prices, while prices above were constrained by the supply-demand relationship. Silicon metal was in a trading game phase, with attention on changes in market sentiment.

SMM June 4 News: Metals market: As of the midday close, domestic market base metals fell across the board. SHFE copper, SHFE aluminum, SHFE lead, and SHFE zinc all dropped over 1%. SHFE tin fell 0.86%. SHFE nickel fell 2.55%. In addition, the most-traded casting aluminum futures fell 0.69%, and the most-traded alumina futures fell 2.02%. The most-traded lithium carbonate futures extended the decline from the previous three trading days, falling another 3.17%. The most-traded silicon metal futures fell 0.52%. The most-traded polysilicon futures fell 1.95%. Ferrous metals mostly fell. Iron ore dropped 1.47%, rebar fell 0.38%, hot-rolled coil fell 0.32%, and stainless steel fell 2.19%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract rose 4.7%, and the most-traded coke contract rose 2.25%. Overseas market base metals: as of 11:45, LME metals generally fell. LME copper fell 0.09%, LME aluminum fell 0.12%, and LME lead fell 0.37%. LME zinc, LME tin, and LME nickel all fell within 0.3%. Precious metals: as of 11:45, COMEX gold rose 0.58%, and COMEX silver fell 0.05%. Domestic market precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold futures fell 0.2%, and the most-traded SHFE silver futures fell 1.93%. In addition, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures fell 1.81%, and the most-traded palladium futures fell 3.54%. As of the midday close, the most-traded Europe containerized freight index contract rose 0.44% to 3,758 points. As of 11:45 on June 4, midday futures quotes for selected contracts: Spot and fundamentals Aluminum: On June 4, SMM A00 aluminum (Foshan) was quoted at 24,130, down 190, at a discount of 190 to the current-month contract, narrowing by 60 (unit: yuan/mt). Futures stopped rising and turned lower today, while South China spot prices bucked the trend and stabilized with an upward bias... Macro front Domestic: [MIIT: From January to April, China's above-scale electronic information manufacturing value-added output was up 14% YoY] From January to April, the value-added output of above-scale electronic information manufacturing was up 14% YoY, 8.4 and 1.4 percentage points higher than the growth rates of overall industry and high-tech manufacturing over the same period, respectively. In April, the value-added output of above-scale electronic information manufacturing was up 15.6% YoY. Among major products, mobile phone production reached 452 million units, up 0.3% YoY, of which smartphone production was 390 million units, up 6.5% YoY; micro-computer equipment production was 95.426 million units, down 10% YoY; integrated circuit production was 176.97 billion units, up 24.7% YoY. (MIIT Weibo) [State Grid Corporation of China's Peak Power Load to Exceed 1.3 Billion kW This Summer, Up ~6% YoY] According to State Grid Corporation of China, this summer's maximum power load in its operating area was projected to exceed 1.3 billion kW, up approximately 6% YoY. To fully ensure safe power grid operation and reliable power supply, State Grid Corporation of China accelerated supply assurance capacity building, continued to improve market-based power trading, and promoted efficient utilization of clean energy. Currently, 168 key projects for peak summer power supply were under accelerated construction. (CCTV) The PBOC announced that, based on the demand of primary dealers in open market operations, the volume of the 7-day reverse repo operation on June 4 was zero. 101.3 billion yuan in reverse repos matured today. US dollar: As of 11:45, the US dollar index fell 0.04% to 99.5. According to the 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 bps 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 bps rate hike and a 1.4% probability of a cumulative 25 bps interest rate cut. US Fed's Logan stated that US Fed officials may need to raise interest rates later this year to bring inflation down to the 2% target. She noted that the US labour market was "broadly in balance," investment in artificial intelligence was booming, and financial conditions remained "accommodative." However, she added that the current inflation trajectory did not appear to be pulling back toward the US Fed's 2% target. "These conditions suggest that current monetary policy is not restraining the economy," "I am increasingly concerned that achieving a full restoration of price stability, while appropriately balancing both sides of the US Fed's dual mandate, may require raising interest rates later this year." The US Fed Beige Book noted that overall, prices rose at a moderate to strong pace, with most districts reporting inflation rates higher than in the previous report. Districts cited energy costs related to the Middle East conflict as a primary driver of inflationary pressures, with impacts extending to shipping, packaging, groceries, and fertilizers. Non-labour costs continued to rise faster than selling prices, raising broader concerns about margin compression. The ability to pass on higher costs varied across industries, particularly among consumer-facing companies. Some regions noted that enterprises across multiple areas had adopted strategies to cope with inflation, including supply chain optimization, product adjustments, reducing supply, and temporarily absorbing higher costs to maintain client demand. (Jin10 Data APP) Data: Data to be released today included US May Challenger enterprise layoffs, 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 held the first regular press conference of June, and China's refined oil products entered a new round of price adjustment window. ECB President Lagarde delivered a speech, 2027 FOMC voter and Richmond Fed President Barkin participated in a fireside chat, and Bank of England Governor Bailey spoke at the Investment Association conference. Crude oil: As of 11:45, oil prices in both markets declined, with WTI down 0.94% and Brent down 1.03%. According to CCTV News, on local time June 3, US President Trump stated that negotiations with Iran were progressing very well and a new round of talks could be held this weekend. Once an agreement is signed, the Strait of Hormuz will immediately reopen. (Jin10 Data APP) Expectations of an end to Middle East conflicts put oil prices under pressure. Investinglive analyst Eamonn Sheridan stated that reports indicated Israel and Lebanon had reached a ceasefire framework agreement under US guidance, with both sides set to resume full talks during the week of June 22, contingent on Hezbollah's complete withdrawal from southern Lebanon. The geopolitical risk premium in the oil market will digest this headline and largely treat it as a priced-in factor. (Jin10 Data APP) The US-Iran conflict is pushing the global oil market toward a tipping point. US crude oil and petroleum product inventory has fallen to its lowest level in over two decades, while US crude oil exports hit a record high in May, rapidly depleting domestic reserves. Analysts warned that if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, oil prices could surge significantly within weeks. According to data released by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Wednesday, for the week ending May 29, total US crude oil and petroleum product inventory decreased by 10.6 million barrels from the previous week to 1.57 billion barrels, the lowest level since 2004 . Commercial crude oil inventory (excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) fell by 8 million barrels in a single week to 433.7 million barrels, marking the sixth consecutive weekly decline, far exceeding analysts' prior expectations of 3.3 million barrels. (Wall Street Journal) Spot Market Overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

SMM June 3 News: Metals market: As of the midday close, base metals on the domestic market rose nearly across the board. SHFE copper gained 1.03%, SHFE aluminum rose 0.45%, SHFE lead rose 0.45%, SHFE zinc gained 1.61%, SHFE tin rose 1.83%, and SHFE nickel fell 0.64%. In addition, the most-traded casting aluminum futures rose 0.39%, and the most-traded alumina futures fell 1.51%. The most-traded lithium carbonate futures continued the downtrend from the previous two trading days, falling 2.58%. The most-traded silicon metal futures rose 0.63%. The most-traded polysilicon futures fell 1.96%. Ferrous metals showed mixed performance. Iron ore was flat at 784.5 yuan/mt, rebar edged down 0.09%, hot-rolled coil fell 0.21%, and stainless steel rose 0.2%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract fell 0.26%, and the most-traded coke contract rose 0.18%. Overseas base metals, as of 11:41, LME metals showed mixed performance. LME copper fell 0.34%, LME aluminum rose 0.17%, LME lead and LME nickel both fell within 0.4%. LME zinc and LME tin edged up. Precious metals, as of 11:41, COMEX gold fell 0.16% and COMEX silver fell 0.29%. Domestic precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold contract rose 0.07%, and the most-traded SHFE silver contract rose 0.18%. In addition, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures fell 0.82%, and the most-traded palladium futures rose 1.02%. As of the midday close, the most-traded Europe containerized freight index contract fell 0.67%, closing at 3,758 points. As of 11:41 on June 3, midday futures quotes for selected contracts: Spot and fundamentals Copper: Today, #1 copper cathode spot prices against the front-month contract in North China were reported at an average discount of 400 yuan/mt to a discount of 300 yuan/mt, with the average discount of 350 yuan/mt down 20 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. The average transaction price was 106,360 yuan/mt, up 825 yuan/mt from the previous trading day... Macro front China: [PBOC reverse repo operations achieved a net withdrawal of 177.6 billion yuan on the day] The PBOC conducted zero reverse repo operations today. As 177.6 billion yuan in 7-day reverse repos matured today, a net withdrawal of 177.6 billion yuan was achieved on the day. [ Zibo, Shandong: Optimizing housing provident fund usage policies ] Zibo officially implemented new optimized provident fund policies, adopting multiple measures to boost housing consumption and safeguard residents' essential and upgrading housing needs. The new policies broadened the scope of provident fund withdrawals, allowing down payment and owner-occupied housing withdrawals to be linked with funds from the homebuyer's spouse, both parents, and children. Elevator installation withdrawals were also expanded to include old elevator replacement scenarios. Lending side, housing unit count can be reduced for families with multiple children, purchases of high-grade residential properties or completed homes, and one loan record can be waived for trade-in policies; the upper limit of second-hand housing age plus loan term was raised to 50 years, and the lending ban on properties over 300㎡ was lifted. The new policy added loan extension services, while opening up commercial-to-provident fund and commercial-to-combined loan conversions for flexible employment workers, further reducing residents' home purchase and repayment costs. US dollar: As of 11:41, the US dollar index rose 0.03% to 99.24. US April JOLTs job openings surged from 6.89 million in March to 7.62 million, reaching the highest level in nearly two years, while layoffs declined. These signs indicated that the labour market remained robust despite pressure on enterprises from rising energy costs caused by the Iran war. The professional and business services sector accounted for nearly all of the increase. Total hiring fell to 5.12 million, partially offsetting the sharp increase in March, while layoffs also declined to 1.69 million. These data suggested that US labour demand has stabilized this year compared to near-zero job growth in 2025. Although job openings remained well below levels reached during the post-pandemic reopening period, this stability may further undermine the case for interest rate cuts, with US Fed officials increasingly discussing the possibility of rate hikes. 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 interest rate cut. The probability of the US Fed maintaining rates unchanged through July was 92.4%, with a 6.3% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point rate hike, and a 1.3% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point interest rate cut. Fed Chairman Waller has hired two outside individuals as advisors to assist him in the early stages of his tenure; one of them co-authored a conservative policy blueprint that recommended sweeping structural reforms to the US Fed. According to people familiar with the matter, one of the advisors is Paul Winfree. He served as a White House domestic policy expert during Trump's first term. He is also a credited author of the US Fed chapter in "Project 2025," a conservative policy blueprint developed ahead of the 2024 election. The other advisor is Daniel Heil, a policy fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution who served as an economic policy advisor to the 2016 presidential campaign team. His recent writings have primarily focused on cutting federal healthcare spending costs and social security issues. Both individuals have long been active in conservative policy circles, and their professional backgrounds lie in areas outside the US Fed's core responsibilities. A person familiar with the matter said the two advisors would work on temporary contracts to assist Warsh with policy analysis and planning; Warsh has not yet made a final decision on whether they will take on longer-term, formal job titles within the US Fed. (Jin10 Data APP) Other currencies: Traders were reluctant to push the yen exchange rate above the key 160 level amid the risk of intervention by Japanese authorities to support the yen. The yen edged down to near 160 in early Wednesday trading, touching its weakest level since the authorities intervened in late April. The yen still declined despite Japan spending a record 11.73 trillion yen ($73.35 billion) to support the currency between April 28 and May 27. Finance Minister Katayama Satsuki reiterated on Wednesday that the authorities were prepared to respond to foreign exchange fluctuations at any time as needed. Gaitame.com Research Institute analyst Nakamura Tsutomu said: "As USD/JPY approaches the 160 level, intervention concerns are escalating rapidly, triggering a psychological battle in the market, but a test of 160 could happen at any time. With almost no signs of a breakthrough in US-Iran permanent ceasefire negotiations, pressure on the yen is increasing. The large interest rate differential between the US and Japan is also putting the yen under pressure after the Bank of Japan kept rates unchanged in April. Bank of Japan Governor Ueda Kazuo is scheduled to speak on Wednesday afternoon, his last scheduled speech before the central bank's rate-setting meeting on June 16." Overnight index swaps indicated the probability of a rate hike this month was approximately 84%. (Jin10 Data APP) Australia's economic growth slowed more than expected last quarter as households cut spending in the face of rising fuel costs and higher interest rates. Government data released on Wednesday showed GDP grew 0.3% in the first three months of the year, below expectations and roughly one-third of the Q4 2025 growth rate. The 2.5% annual growth rate also fell short of expectations. The head of national accounts at the Australian Bureau of Statistics said: "Economic growth slowed in the March quarter, with mild household and public sector spending. Rising interest rates and significantly higher fuel costs in March likely created an environment of more cautious consumer behavior." Swap traders consolidated the view that the probability of a rate hike at the August meeting was only slightly above 50%, and maintained the view that the Reserve Bank of Australia may raise rates once more before year-end. (Jin10 Data APP) Data: Data to be released today include US May ADP employment, US May S&P Global Services PMI final, US May ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI, US April factory orders month-over-month, France May Services PMI final, Eurozone May Services PMI final, Eurozone April PPI month-over-month, Germany May Services PMI final, UK May Services PMI final, and Australia Q1 GDP annual rate. In addition, attention should be paid to: 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: As of 11:41, oil prices in both markets rose, with WTI up 0.92% and Brent up 0.82%. According to CCTV News: On June 2 local time, the US Central Command stated that US forces took action against an oil tanker heading to an Iranian port in the Arabian Gulf and disabled it. The war between Iran and the US has no end in sight, diplomatic negotiations have stalled, and military conflicts in the Gulf region continue to escalate. A series of developments indicate that this conflict, which erupted in late February this year, continues to drain all parties through repeated frictions. Oil prices rose after the news broke. (Wallstreetcn) US API crude oil inventory for the week ending May 29 was -6.757 million barrels, vs. expectations of -3.605 million barrels and a prior value of -2.819 million barrels. US API gasoline inventory for the week ending May 29 was 3.454 million barrels, vs. expectations of -98,000 barrels and a prior value of -3.199 million barrels. (Jin10 Data APP) Spot market overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

[SMM Stainless Steel Daily Review] SS Futures Strength Lifted Spot Prices; Producers Held Prices Firm, Supporting Short-term Price Resilience SMM, June 2: SS futures rose sharply. Driven by the overall strength in non-ferrous metal futures, SS also rose. As of the close, the most-traded SS contract settled at 15,065 yuan/mt. Spot market side, driven by the sharp rise in SS futures, stainless steel spot prices were raised in tandem. Fueled by the sentiment to rush to buy amid continuous price rise and hold back amid price downturn, trading activity picked up. Although the market was currently in the off-season with slightly insufficient confidence, stainless steel producers still had the willingness to hold prices firm, and social inventory had not yet shown significant accumulation. Despite slightly sluggish downstream demand, short-term prices were expected to remain firm. The most-traded SS futures contract strengthened and probed higher. At 10:15 AM, SS2607 was quoted at 14,149 yuan/mt, up 110 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Spot premiums for 304/2B in the Wuxi area were in the range of 275-725 yuan/mt. In the spot market, the average price of cold-rolled 201/2B coil in Wuxi remained flat; for cold-rolled untrimmed 304/2B coil, the average price in Wuxi rose 100 yuan/mt and in Foshan rose 25 yuan/mt; cold-rolled 316L/2B coil prices in Wuxi rose 150 yuan/mt; hot-rolled 316L/NO.1 coil in Wuxi rose 50 yuan/mt; cold-rolled 430/2B coil in both Wuxi and Foshan remained stable. This week, the stainless steel market saw futures edge up slightly while spot prices stabilized sideways. The futures-spot linkage was weak, and the market officially entered the traditional consumption off-season, with intensifying tug-of-war between longs and shorts on fundamentals. Traders had weak confidence in the market outlook...

SMM June 2 News: Metals market: As of the midday close, base metals on the domestic market mostly rose. SHFE copper gained 1.21%, SHFE aluminum rose 1.01%, and SHFE lead edged down. SHFE zinc rose 0.53%. SHFE tin gained 3.63%. SHFE nickel rose 0.61%. In addition, the most-traded casting aluminum futures rose 1.15%, the most-traded alumina futures fell 1.49%. The most-traded lithium carbonate futures dropped 3.96%. The most-traded silicon metal futures fell 0.06%. The most-traded polysilicon futures rose 1.54%. Ferrous metals mostly rose. Iron ore gained 0.51%, rebar edged up, hot-rolled coil edged down, and stainless steel rose 1.42%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract rose 1.41%, and the most-traded coke contract gained 0.66%. Overseas base metals, as of 11:41, LME metals showed mixed performance. LME copper, LME lead, and LME nickel edged down, all with declines within 0.1%. LME aluminum rose 0.96%, LME zinc gained 0.24%. LME tin rose 1.3%. Precious metals, as of 11:41, COMEX gold rose 0.48%, and COMEX silver gained 0.5%. Domestic precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold futures fell 1.17%, and the most-traded SHFE silver futures dropped 0.3%. In addition, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures rose 0.71%, and the most-traded palladium futures fell 0.71%. As of the midday close, the most-traded Europe containerized freight index contract fell 2.04%, closing at 3,776.5 points. As of 11:41 on June 2, midday futures quotes for selected contracts: Spot prices and fundamentals Copper: Today in Guangdong, #1 copper cathode spot prices against the front-month contract: high-quality copper was quoted at a premium of 60 yuan/mt, down 10 yuan/mt from the previous trading day; standard-quality copper was quoted at a premium of 0 yuan/mt, unchanged 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 #1 copper cathode in Guangdong was 105,960 yuan/mt, up 1,115 yuan/mt from the previous trading day; the average price of SX-EW copper was 105,870 yuan/mt, up 1,130 yuan/mt from the previous trading day... Macro front China: [PBOC net drained 248.8 billion yuan via open market operations today] The PBOC conducted 200 million yuan of 7-day reverse repos, with the operation rate at 1.40%, unchanged from the previous day. A total of 249 billion yuan of reverse repos matured today. US dollar: As of 11:41, the US dollar index fell 0.02%, at 99.18. US Treasury prices fell as signs of a stalemate in peace negotiations between the US and Iran raised concerns that high energy costs would exacerbate inflation and prompt the US Fed to raise interest rates. Monday's sell-off pushed yields higher across the $31 trillion US Treasury market, with the 10-year Treasury yield rising about 6 basis points to nearly 4.5%, while crude oil prices surged more than 7%. The two-year Treasury yield, which is most sensitive to US Fed policy expectations, also rose about 6 basis points to 4.07%. Earlier, Iran had suspended dialogue with the US through intermediaries in protest of Israeli actions. Traders raised expectations that the US Fed's next move would be a rate hike. The swap market showed that traders had fully priced in one rate hike by March 2027 and saw a 50% chance of a hike as early as October. In addition, according to the CME "FedWatch" tool: 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) On the data front: The US April JOLTs job openings, Switzerland's April trade balance, UK April central bank mortgage approvals, and the Eurozone May CPI year-on-year preliminary reading and Eurozone May CPI month-on-month preliminary reading were due to be released today. In addition, 2026 FOMC voting member and Minneapolis Fed President Kashkari was scheduled to deliver a speech, 2026 FOMC voting member and Cleveland Fed President Hammack was scheduled to speak on monetary policy, and Bank of England Governor Bailey was set to attend a House of Lords hearing. On crude oil: As of 11:41, oil prices in both markets moved sideways, with WTI down 0.5% and Brent down 0.38%. CNN reported on June 1, citing a regional source familiar with the US-Iran negotiations, that talks had gotten back on track. Iranian media had previously reported that negotiations between Iran and the US were suspended due to Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon. However, US President Trump subsequently stated that he had spoken with the Israeli side and that negotiations with Iran were "moving fast." (Xinhua News Agency) Oil prices stabilized after posting their largest gains in nearly a month, while uncertainty over the prospects of US-Iran peace negotiations heightened the risk of prolonged disruptions to energy supplies from the Persian Gulf. According to US media, Trump said that a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran on reopening the Strait of Hormuz was expected to be reached within the coming week. However, he also noted that the US side still needed to "finalise a few details" before a final deal was reached. Last month, oil prices once pulled back, buoyed by market optimism that the two sides were likely to reach a deal. The day before, reports emerged that Iran had halted negotiations with the US, threatened to block the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and planned to fully blockade the Strait of Hormuz. Rebecca Babin, senior energy trader at CIBC, said: "If there are more signs that the parties are no longer actively negotiating, then the 'safety cushion' that the market had previously relied on in its pricing — namely expectations of the best outcome — will also disappear." She added: "During this conflict, we have already witnessed too many twists and turns, and nothing is set in stone at this point." (Jin10 Data) In addition, Russian local authorities said a fire broke out at the Ilsky Oil Refinery in the Krasnodar region following a drone attack. (Jin10 Data) Spot market overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

SMM News, May 26: Metals market: As of the midday close, domestic base metals mostly fell. SHFE copper dropped 0.3%. SHFE aluminum edged down. SHFE lead fell 0.15%, and SHFE zinc rose 0.52%. SHFE tin gained 1.37%. SHFE nickel declined 1.08%. In addition, the most-traded casting aluminum futures fell 0.26%, and the most-traded alumina futures rose 5.08%. The most-traded lithium carbonate futures dropped 1.83%. The most-traded silicon metal futures fell 0.52%. The most-traded polysilicon futures rose 0.53%. Ferrous metals mostly fell. Iron ore dropped 1.82%, rebar fell 1.99%, hot-rolled coil declined 1.81%, and stainless steel edged down 0.03%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract rose 6.05%, and the most-traded coke contract gained 2.54%. Overseas base metals, as of 11:45, LME metals mostly rose. LME copper gained 0.26%. LME aluminum edged up. LME lead rose 0.1%. LME zinc climbed 0.75%. LME tin rose 1.3%. LME nickel fell 1.09%. Precious metals, as of 11:45, COMEX gold rose 0.46%, and COMEX silver gained 1.4%. Domestic precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold contract edged up 0.07%, and the most-traded SHFE silver contract dipped 0.02%. In addition, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures fell 0.44%, and the most-traded palladium futures dropped 0.52%. As of the midday close, the most-traded Europe containerized freight index contract rose 0.41%, closing at 2,931.5 points. As of 11:45 on May 26, midday futures performance (selected): Spot Prices and Fundamentals Copper: Today in Guangdong, #1 copper cathode spot prices against the front-month contract: high-quality copper was quoted at a premium of 160 yuan/mt, unchanged from the previous trading day; standard-quality copper was quoted at a premium of 80 yuan/mt, down 20 yuan/mt from the previous trading day; SX-EW copper was quoted at a premium of 10 yuan/mt, down 20 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. The average price of Guangdong #1 copper cathode was 105,010 yuan/mt, down 735 yuan/mt from the previous trading day, and the average price of SX-EW copper was 104,900 yuan/mt, down 745 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Spot market: Guangdong inventory ended a four-consecutive-day increase and resumed declining today... Macro Front China: [MOFCOM: China will attract more multinational companies to locate R&D and high-end manufacturing operations in China] The State Council Information Office held a press conference on the 2026 Qingdao Summit of Multinational Corporation Leaders. Vice Minister of Commerce Yan Dong stated that China will optimize the investment structure and activate new momentum for foreign investment. The Ministry of Commerce issued and implemented the 2025 edition of the *Catalogue of Industries for Encouraging Foreign Investment*, with a net increase of 205 encouraged categories, focusing on areas such as advanced manufacturing, modern services, high-tech, and energy conservation and environmental protection, providing policy support for foreign-invested enterprises to expand into high-end and emerging fields. Going forward, more multinational companies will be attracted to place their R&D and high-end manufacturing operations in China, optimizing the structure of foreign investment in China and strengthening innovation momentum. [Huang Guanglie, Deputy Secretary General of Guangzhou Municipal Government: Confident in Further Consolidating the Stabilizing and Improving Trend of Guangzhou's Property Market] On May 26, Guangzhou held a press conference on the series of supporting documents for the *Implementation Opinions on Further Promoting the Stable and Healthy Development of the Real Estate Market*. Huang Guanglie, Deputy Secretary General of Guangzhou Municipal Government, stated that going forward, Guangzhou will continue to improve the two major systems of the housing market and housing security, and continuously optimize property market regulation measures. Departments including the Municipal Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources, the Municipal Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and the Municipal Housing Provident Fund Center have issued supporting detailed rules on matters such as land supply, special subsidies for "selling old and buying new," and "commercial-to-provident fund loan conversion." Huadu District responded swiftly by launching the "Huadu Eight Measures" as specific initiatives. State-owned enterprises represented by Guangzhou Anju Group are accelerating the launch of pilot work on the acquisition and revitalization of second-hand housing. It is believed that as these detailed rules are fully implemented and all sectors work in coordination, we are confident in further consolidating the stabilizing and improving trend of Guangzhou's property market. (Jin10 Data APP) [Guangzhou: Removing Restrictions on "Only Housing in the City" and the Number of Provident Fund Loan Uses] On May 26, 2026, the Guangzhou Housing Provident Fund Management Center issued the normative document *Implementation Measures for Converting Commercial Personal Housing Loans to Housing Provident Fund Personal Housing Loans in Guangzhou (Provisional)*. It proposed expanding the scope of commercial loan banks, removing the restriction that "the original commercial loan bank must be a housing provident fund entrusted bank," and allowing commercial loans from non-housing provident fund handling banks to be converted into pure housing provident fund loans. Requirements on loan types, terms, and provident fund contribution periods were relaxed. For commercial-to-provident fund conversion handled by housing provident fund loan handling banks, applicants whose convertible provident fund loan amount is not enough to fully repay the principal and interest of the original commercial loan may choose to convert to a combined loan. The requirement for opening an account and accumulating housing provident fund contributions was reduced from "60 months" to "36 months." The original commercial loan disbursement period was shortened from "more than 3 years" to "more than 2 years." The restrictions on "only housing in the city" and the number of provident fund loan uses were removed, no longer requiring that "the mortgaged property is the applicant's family's only housing in the city," and supporting applications for first and second improved housing. Applicants who have "never used or have only used housing provident fund loans once" are also eligible for the commercial-to-provident fund loan conversion, and are no longer restricted by the "never used housing provident fund loans" requirement. (Jin10 Data) [Xiongan New Area: Maximum Housing Provident Fund Loan Raised to 800,000 Yuan] The Xiongan New Area Housing Management Center issued a notice on optimizing and adjusting housing provident fund withdrawal and loan policies. According to the notice, for contributing employees who meet the rental withdrawal conditions in the new area but have not filed their housing rental contracts, the maximum annual withdrawal amount has been raised to 17,000 yuan; for those who have filed their housing rental contracts via the "Hebei Xiongan New Area Housing Rental Information Service Platform," the maximum annual withdrawal amount has been raised to 25,000 yuan. For contributing employees who purchase self-occupied housing in the new area and apply for a housing provident fund loan, the maximum loan amount has been raised to 800,000 yuan. For employees of Beijing-relocated entities whose housing provident fund contributions are based in the new area and who purchase self-occupied housing in the new area, the maximum housing provident fund loan amount has been raised to 1.2 million yuan. For multi-child families with two or more children who purchase self-occupied housing in the new area and apply for a housing provident fund loan, the maximum loan amount is increased by 200,000 yuan. Employee families who have only one fully repaid housing provident fund loan record nationwide and own no property in the new area are eligible for the first-home housing provident fund loan policy. (Xiongan Provident Fund) [PBOC's Reverse Repo Operations Result in a Net Injection of 248.5 Billion Yuan on the Day] The PBOC conducted 249 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repo operations today. As 500 million yuan of 7-day reverse repos matured today, this resulted in a net injection of 248.5 billion yuan on the day. US dollar: As of 11:45, the US dollar index rose 0.07% to 99.05. US Secretary of State Rubio, who concluded his visit to India, today (May 26) commented to the media on the so-called "self-defensive strikes" carried out by US forces this morning across multiple locations in southern Iran, stating that the Strait of Hormuz "must remain open, no matter what." Rubio said, "The (Hormuz) Strait must be open; it will eventually open in some way; it must be open." He also stated that the agreement expected to be reached with Iran may still require "a few more days" of negotiations over wording. (CCTV International News) According to CME's "FedWatch": the probability that the US Fed will keep interest rates unchanged through June is 99.9%, with a 0.1% probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate cut. The probability that the US Fed will keep interest rates unchanged through July is 90.3%, with a 9.6% probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate hike and a 0.1% probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate cut. (Jin Shi Data) Other currencies: Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Himino Ryozo emphasized that timely policy adjustments were crucial for maintaining market participants' confidence amid the recent sell-off in Japanese government bonds. Himino Ryozo said on Tuesday: "Regarding monetary policy and long-term interest rates, we believe it is very important to adjust the degree of monetary easing at an appropriate pace in response to future economic, price, and financial conditions, thereby maintaining market confidence that inflation will be properly controlled." The remarks appeared to suggest that the BOJ was open to raising interest rates in the near term. Himino Ryozo and other officials, including BOJ Governor Ueda Kazuo, recently emphasized the need to maintain a responsible attitude toward financial markets, and the market widely expected the BOJ to raise interest rates at its meeting next month. Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae last week subtly released signals that she hoped the BOJ would maintain policy stability, as she was trying to mitigate the economic impact of the Iran war. Himino Ryozo said: "The BOJ will strive to implement policy appropriately to maintain such market confidence and achieve the price stability target in a sustainable and stable manner." (Jin Shi Data) DBS Group Research FX strategist Philip Wee said the Reserve Bank of New Zealand was very likely to keep interest rates unchanged at its Wednesday meeting, but the overall stance would be hawkish. "The RBNZ may prioritize above-target inflation over weak GDP growth and high unemployment." Wee also said that a rate hike on Wednesday could not be ruled out, and therefore NZD/USD was expected to return to the upper half of this year's 0.5700–0.6100 trading range. (Jin Shi Data) Data: Data to be released today include the UK May CBI retail sales balance, US March FHFA House Price Index MoM, US March S&P/CS 20-City Composite Home Price Index YoY (non-seasonally adjusted), US May Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, and US May Dallas Fed Business Activity Index. In addition, attention should also be paid to Xiaomi Group's earnings call. Crude oil: As of 11:45, oil prices in the two markets diverged, with WTI down 5.33% and Brent up 1.62%. The notable divergence between the two reflected a high degree of uncertainty in the market's assessment of the situation. (Wallstreetcn) US Central Command said the US and Israel struck multiple Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, hours after Trump said negotiations with Tehran on an interim deal were making progress. The renewed fighting underscores the fragility of the US-Iran ceasefire agreement. The market is closely watching strikes that could derail negotiations. (Jin10 Data) According to Al Arabiya, a draft US-Iran agreement has been reached. The draft allows free passage through the Strait of Hormuz and the clearing of mines; navigation through the Strait of Hormuz must be restored within 30 days. The agreement stipulates that the US commits to easing the blockade on Iranian ports; the agreement allows Iran to sell and export oil; the agreement will provide specific sanctions exemptions for Iranian oil exports, and will consider easing sanctions on Iranian oil in phases, depending on Iran's implementation of its commitments. The agreement provides for continued nuclear negotiations to reach a long-term consensus. Spot Market Overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

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 Stainless Steel Daily Review] SS Futures Strengthened, Stainless Steel Spot Prices Remained Firm with Inquiries and Transactions Boosted SMM, May 25: SS futures continued to hold up well. Driven by the overall strength of non-ferrous metal futures and SHFE nickel, SS futures rose in tandem. As of the midday close, the most-traded SS contract was quoted at 14,805 yuan/mt. In the spot market, buoyed by the slight uptick in futures, spot quotes remained firm, with both market inquiries and transaction activity improving. However, the current macro environment still carried significant uncertainties, steel mill production schedules stayed high, and the traditional off-season was gradually approaching, intensifying industry participants' concerns about the market outlook. The most-traded SS contract held up well. At 10:15 AM, SS2605 was quoted at 14,860 yuan/mt, up 60 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Spot premiums for 304/2B in the Wuxi area were in the range of 310-710 yuan/mt. In the spot market, the average price of cold-rolled 201/2B coils in Wuxi remained stable with a downward bias; for cold-rolled trimmed-edge 304/2B coils, Wuxi remained stable and Foshan's average price held steady; cold-rolled 316L/2B coils in the Wuxi area fell 50 yuan/mt; hot-rolled 316L/NO.1 coils in Wuxi dropped 175 yuan/mt; cold-rolled 430/2B coils in both Wuxi and Foshan remained stable. This week, the stainless steel market saw both futures and spot prices fluctuate within a stable range. Futures movements were mainly driven by industry news and expectations, with limited overall fluctuations. Market sentiment was divided — traders held a cautious stance, but downstream end-user just-in-time procurement remained resilient. Combined with traders' active shipments, market supply continued to be absorbed, with the overall situation showing...

[SMM Stainless Steel Daily Review] SS Futures Fluctuated Downward, Stainless Steel Spot Prices Held Steady SMM, May 22: SS futures were in the doldrums. The new US Fed chairman officially took office today, and combined with the continued release of hawkish remarks from the US Fed recently, non-ferrous metal futures weakened overall today. SS also pulled back slightly following the trend. As of the close, the most-traded SS contract was quoted at 14,745 yuan/mt. On the spot market side, although SS futures were weak, the overall decline was limited. Spot prices mostly remained stable, with end-users mainly making just-in-time procurement, and intraday transactions were steady. The most-traded SS futures contract pulled back. At 10:15 AM, SS2605 was quoted at 14,800 yuan/mt, down 30 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Spot premiums for 304/2B in the Wuxi area were in the range of 370-770 yuan/mt. In the spot market, the average price of cold-rolled 201/2B coils in Wuxi held steady; for cold-rolled trimmed-edge 304/2B coils, Wuxi held steady, and the average price in Foshan held steady; cold-rolled 316L/2B coils in Wuxi held steady; hot-rolled 316L/NO.1 coils were quoted steady in Wuxi; cold-rolled 430/2B coils in both Wuxi and Foshan held steady. This week, the stainless steel market saw both futures and spot prices fluctuate steadily. Futures movements were mainly driven by industry news expectations, with limited overall fluctuations. Market sentiment was divided—traders held a weak sentiment, but end-user just-in-time procurement remained resilient. Combined with active shipments from traders, market supply continued to be depleted, presenting an overall pattern of news providing a floor, rigid demand offering support, and fundamentals under pressure. On the futures side, this week SS...

[SMM Stainless Steel Daily Review] Macro Disturbances Dragged SS Futures Lower; Low Inventory Pressure and Rigid Demand Supported Stainless Steel Spot Prices SMM, May 15 — SS futures continued to be in the doldrums. Non-ferrous metal futures extended the previous day's decline, and SS also fluctuated downward in tandem. As of the morning close, the most-traded SS contract was quoted at 14,825 yuan/mt. Spot market side, dragged by the persistently weak SS futures, stainless steel spot prices pulled back in tandem. However, stainless steel social inventory has been on an overall downward trend recently, and traders faced relatively small shipment pressure. Market confidence remained stable, and price declines were relatively limited. The most-traded SS contract fell and pulled back. At 10:15 AM, SS2605 was quoted at 14,890 yuan/mt, down 60 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Spot premiums for 304/2B in the Wuxi area were in the range of 380-680 yuan/mt. In the spot market, the average price of cold-rolled 201/2B coils in Wuxi remained flat; for cold-rolled untrimmed 304/2B coils, the average price in Wuxi fell 100 yuan/mt, and the average price in Foshan fell 100 yuan/mt; cold-rolled 316L/2B coils in the Wuxi area held steady; hot-rolled 316L/NO.1 coils were quoted stable in Wuxi; cold-rolled 430/2B coils in both Wuxi and Foshan held steady. The stainless steel market was dragged by the weak and volatile futures, with notable downward pressure, but overall spot price declines remained limited, highlighting the divergence between futures and spot. Downstream end-users adopted a cautious wait-and-see stance due to macro uncertainties, with no concentrated restocking observed. However, rigid demand purchases remained solid, and the resilience of rigid demand provided a foundation for spot prices...