[SMM Analysis] Macro Sentiment Lifts Trading, Traders Actively Clear Inventory; Stainless Steel Inventory Extends Mild Destocking SMM, June 18 – This week, stainless steel social inventory continued its prior destocking trend, with inventory pulling back slightly again amid off-season market conditions. Total inventory in the two core markets of Wuxi and Foshan edged down slightly, from 932,900 mt on June 11, 2026 to 932,200 mt on June 18, down 0.08% WoW. Amid the traditional off-season with weak end-use demand, inventory still maintained a mild destocking pace. This week, the stainless steel market was in the traditional consumption off-season, with overall rigid end-use demand remaining weak. However, marginal improvement in macro sentiment drove a periodic recovery in market trading. During the week, easing US-Iran tensions boosted market risk appetite, driving SS futures sharply higher. Although spot price gains were limited, this effectively repaired end-user pessimism. At the start of the week, downstream purchasing enthusiasm picked up notably, leading to a periodic improvement in spot transactions. Mid-week, futures pulled back somewhat, cooling the market's trading fervor. The underlying weak demand in the off-season was not completely reversed. However, effective hedging formed between the supply side and the circulation side. Expectations for maintenance-driven production cuts at stainless steel mills continued to build during the month, with a contraction in future market supply anticipated. At the same time, traders, facing a weak off-season market, generally adopted an active destocking approach, selling actively to accelerate inventory turnover. These multiple factors together drove the slight destocking this week. Overall, the recovery in futures spurred a periodic improvement in transactions, traders’ active destocking in the off-season, and expectations for mill production cuts were the core reasons why inventory continued to destock this week. Short-term sentiment and circulation...

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the Ministry of Commerce, together with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the National Energy Administration will organize and launch the 2026 NEV promotion campaign in rural areas. The notice proposes to further advance vehicle trade-in initiatives into rural areas. During the NEV promotion campaign, a trade-in section will be established, where publicity and promotion of subsidy policies will be carried out, and one-stop services such as old vehicle detection, assessment, and recycling, as well as assistance with subsidy application procedures, will be provided, to further enhance the visibility and coverage of preferential policies and facilitate rural consumers' participation in and enjoyment of the subsidies. All rural consumers who trade in for NEVs may apply for the vehicle trade-in subsidy in accordance with policy requirements, without restrictions on the number of subsidy qualifications.

SMM, June 18: Metals markets: As of midday close, base metals on the domestic market were nearly all down. SHFE copper fell 0.66%, SHFE aluminum fell 0.13%. SHFE lead fell 0.27%. SHFE zinc rose 0.14%. SHFE tin fell 2.46%. SHFE nickel fell 0.38%. In addition, the most-traded cast aluminum futures edged lower, the most-traded alumina futures fell 0.28%. The most-traded lithium carbonate futures fell 4.88%. The most-traded silicon metal futures fell 0.98%. The most-traded polysilicon futures fell 0.24%. Ferrous metals all fell. Iron ore fell 1.26%, rebar fell 1.04%, HRC fell 0.89%, and stainless steel fell 0.66%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal futures contract fell 6.26%, and the most-traded coke futures contract fell 4.21%. On the overseas base metals front, as of 11:45, LME metals fell across the board. LME copper fell 1.06%, LME aluminum and LME lead fell nearly 1%. LME zinc fell 1.12%, LME tin fell 2.7%. LME nickel fell 1.08%. Precious metals: as of 11:45, COMEX gold fell 0.94%, and COMEX silver fell 2.17%. Domestic precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold futures fell 0.36%, and the most-traded SHFE silver futures fell 1.85%. In addition, as of midday close, the most-traded platinum futures fell 2.63%, and the most-traded palladium futures fell 1.88%. As of the midday close, the most-traded container shipping freight futures (European route) rose 1.13% to 3,742.5 points. As of June 18, 11:45, selected futures midday quotes: Spot and fundamentals Zinc: The mainstream brand 0# zinc traded around 24,680-24,790 yuan/mt in the Ningbo market. Ningbo regular brands were quoted at a discount of 20 yuan/mt against the 2607 contract, and at a premium of 30 yuan/mt against Shanghai spot cargoes. The mainstream in Ningbo was quoted against the 2607 contract... Macro front Domestic side: [Five Departments: Launch of 2026 NEV Promotion Campaign in Rural Areas] The General Offices (Comprehensive Departments) of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Commerce and three other departments are launching the 2026 NEV promotion campaign in rural areas, deepening the auto trade-in program in villages. Within the NEV rural promotion campaign, a trade-in special section will be set up to publicize and promote subsidy policies, and provide "one-stop" services such as old vehicle inspection, evaluation and recycling, and assistance with subsidy applications, to further increase policy awareness and coverage and facilitate rural consumers' participation and access to subsidies. Rural consumers who trade in old cars for NEVs can apply for auto trade-in subsidies according to policy requirements, without any limit on the number of subsidy qualifications. [NDRC: to Strengthen Coordinated Planning of Computing Power Network, New-Type Power Grid, and New-Generation Communication Network During 15th Five-Year Plan Period] Li Chao, Deputy Director of the Policy Research Office and Spokesperson of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said at a press conference that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, greater emphasis will be placed on supply-demand matching and coordinated planning and construction of the computing power network, new-type power grid, and new-generation communication network. On the "hard investment" front, more effective computing-electricity synergy models will be explored to strengthen computing with electricity and promote electricity with computing; computing-network integration innovation will be enhanced, and direct connection lines between national hubs will be appropriately expanded to further reduce network transmission latency. On the "soft development" front, the monitoring and market-based scheduling of computing resources will be strengthened, and the construction of a nationwide integrated computing power network that is interconnected, universally accessible and easy to use, green, and secure will be accelerated. (from Wallstreetcn APP) [Shanghai Clearing House and CFETS to Launch Optimized Foreign Currency Repo Service from June 22] The Interbank Market Clearing House Co., Ltd. (Shanghai Clearing House) and the China Foreign Exchange Trade System (CFETS) issued a notice stating that to further optimize foreign currency repo trading and clearing services and meet market participants' needs for collateral management and diversified settlement methods, Shanghai Clearing House and CFETS will launch an optimized foreign currency repo service on June 22, 2026. During the term of a foreign currency pledged repo transaction, both parties may initiate substitution of pledged bonds for trades not yet due for settlement through the Shanghai Clearing House integrated business system or the CFETS foreign exchange trading system, subject to counterparty confirmation. Prior to the settlement date, both parties may initiate cash settlement through the Shanghai Clearing House integrated business system, and Shanghai Clearing House will complete the buyout repo maturity settlement based on the cash settlement instruction. The specific launch arrangements by CFETS will be announced separately. (from Wallstreetcn APP) [PBOC Reverse Repos Net Inject 59.5 Billion Yuan Today] The PBOC conducted 248 billion yuan seven-day reverse repo operations in the open market at an interest rate of 1.40%, unchanged from the previous day. Today, 188.5 billion yuan of reverse repos matured. US dollar: As of 11:45, the US dollar index fell 0.15% to 100.24. US Fed officials hinted on Wednesday that they may need to raise interest rates soon rather than cut them, a sharp shift in thinking amid rapidly climbing inflation. Evercore ISI analyst Krishna Guha stated that the pullback in energy prices may offer some relief in the coming months. However, he cautioned that the interest rate outlook has already decoupled from oil prices, which indicates deeper uncertainty over whether underlying inflation will cool enough to spare the US Fed from having to hike rates eventually. Beyond energy, Guha noted, two pressures remain: the ongoing pass-through from tariffs and cost spillovers from the investment boom in AI infrastructure. Claudia Sahm, chief economist at New Century Advisors and former Fed economist, said conditions that would normally prompt the Fed to respond to supply-driven inflation—namely an overheated labour market or unanchored inflation expectations—have yet to be seen. But she acknowledged that the case for action is building. “I can understand the view that the Fed should be ready to step in and hike if things worsen,” she said, adding that the Fed could move more swiftly than during the pandemic-era inflation surge because “they are already having that debate now.” According to CME FedWatch, the probability of the US Fed holding rates steady through July stands at 64.0% (versus 91.0% before the decision), with a 35.1% chance of a cumulative 25bp hike (versus 8.9%) and a 1% chance of a cumulative 50bp hike (versus 0%). For the year-end, the probability of unchanged rates is 14.2% (versus 38.2%), while the odds of cumulative hikes stand at 25bp (36.4%, versus 43.0%), 50bp (33.8%, versus 16.2%), 75bp (13.5%, versus 2.4%), and 100bp (2.1%, versus 0.1%). Citi expects the Fed to deliver 25bp rate cuts in October 2026, December 2026, and January 2027, shifting from its previous forecast of cuts in September, October, and December this year. Goldman Sachs Vice Chairman and former Dallas Fed President Kaplan said the Fed may need to raise rates as early as September if inflation remains persistently elevated. “If the inflation data do not cool between now and September, it would be wise for the Fed to act in September or in the autumn. That would be the more prudent course,” Kaplan said. Markets turned hawkish after Fed Chairman Walsh signalled that the central bank remains focused on fighting inflation. Traders dumped short-term Treasuries, pushing some yields higher. Walsh’s remarks were reinforced by the personal projections of Fed members, half of whom pencilled in rate hikes by the end of 2026. Kaplan stated that if inflation remains stubborn, it indicates that monetary policy is still too loose. He also pointed out, “Fed policy actions are rarely one-offs; rate hikes often come in series of two or three. So I think if you’re going to act in September, you need to be prepared. There may be one or two more.” (Jin10 Data APP) Data Releases: Today will see the release of US initial jobless claims for the week ending June 13, the US June Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index, the US May Conference Board leading index month-on-month change, Switzerland’s May trade balance, the Swiss National Bank policy rate as of June 18, the UK ILO unemployment rate for the three months to April, the UK May unemployment rate, the UK May claimant count change, the UK Bank of England rate decision as of June 18, and the eurozone April seasonally adjusted current account, among other data. Additionally, attention should be paid to: China’s refined oil products will open a new round of price adjustment window. The Fed’s FOMC will release its interest rate decision and summary of economic projections, Fed Chairman Warsh will hold a monetary policy press conference, the Swiss National Bank will announce its rate decision, and the Bank of England will release its rate decision and meeting minutes. It is worth noting that on June 18, China’s SGE, SHFE, ZCE, and DCE will have no night session trading due to the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival. On June 19, the NYSE will be closed for Juneteenth. CME Group’s precious metals, energy, forex, equity indexes, and US Treasury futures contracts trading will close early at 01:00 Beijing time on June 20 for the Juneteenth holiday, while ICE’s Brent crude oil futures contract trading will close early at 01:30 Beijing time on June 20 for the Juneteenth holiday. Crude Oil: As of 11:45, oil prices in both markets fell, with WTI down 1.82% and Brent down 1.48%. Trump signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran at the Palace of Versailles in France on Wednesday, declaring an end to the war and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. A US official stated that the agreement had officially taken effect, but it remained unclear whether Iran had immediately taken steps to fully reopen the strait. "Trump's signing of the MOU after the G7 meeting is another important step in the process of reopening the Strait of Hormuz," said Rajeev De Mello, Global Macro Portfolio Manager at Gama Asset Management, "This will further compress energy risk premiums, ease inflation concerns, and provide support for bond and equity markets after the Fed's initial reaction." (Wall Street CN) An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated: Iran must be able to sell its oil smoothly, with no obstacles in transportation and insurance, and must receive the proceeds from oil sales. Jinshi Data APP) According to the latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S. EIA crude oil inventories fell by 8.26 million barrels last week, compared with estimates of a 5.2 million barrel decline by Bloomberg users and a 3.6918 million barrel draw by analysts, following a 7.227 million barrel drop the prior week. Inventories at the Cushing hub in Oklahoma have declined for eight consecutive weeks to around 20 million barrels, a level that most traders consider the operational minimum. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve also fell this week to about 340 million barrels, the lowest since 1983. (Wallstreetcn) Spot market overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

Published: Jun 16, 2026 - 2:00 PM (Kitco News) - Central bank demand has been a solid pillar of support for the gold market as prices pushed to all-time highs at the start of the year. According to the latest report from the World Gold Council, official-sector demand is expected to remain robust for the foreseeable future. The WGC 2026 Central Bank Gold Reserves Survey, published Tuesday, showed that 89% of reserve managers expect global central bank gold holdings to increase over the next 12 months, while a record 45% expect their own institutions to add to their reserves. The survey comes at a historic moment for the precious metal. The WGC noted that gold recently surpassed U.S. Treasuries to become the world's largest reserve asset, underscoring a dramatic shift in how official institutions are managing their wealth. In an interview with Kitco News, Shaokai Fan, Global Head of Central Banks at the World Gold Council, said the survey demonstrates that official-sector confidence in gold remains exceptionally strong. "Central banks are still very positive on gold. In fact, more positive than ever," Fan said, noting that the percentage of respondents planning to increase their gold reserves rose to a record 45% this year from 43% in 2025, despite ongoing geopolitical turmoil. The survey itself suggests that central bankers increasingly view gold as a strategic monetary asset rather than a passive legacy holding. Eighty-four percent of respondents expect gold to represent a larger share of global reserves within five years, while 74% expect the U.S. dollar's share of reserves to decline over the same period. The findings reinforce a trend that has transformed reserve management over the last decade. Central banks have purchased an average of 1,000 tonnes of gold annually over the last four years, double the pace seen during the previous decade. Fan said one of the most notable developments is that interest in gold is spreading across a broader group of central banks. "We're seeing newer central banks starting to emerge," he said, pointing to countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Guatemala, and El Salvador that have recently entered the market or resumed purchases after years of inactivity. "The base on which central banks are buying is expanding." While emerging-market central banks remain the dominant buyers, Fan noted that interest is no longer confined to developing economies. The survey showed that 18% of advanced-economy central banks also expect to increase their gold holdings over the next year. Fan said central banks are increasingly discussing gold internally as reserve managers evaluate how best to diversify their portfolios amid growing geopolitical and economic uncertainty. "The number of conversations that we've been having over the past one or two years has definitely picked up," he said. "More central banks are approaching us, new central banks are approaching us." The survey found that reserve diversification remains the primary reason for buying gold, followed by the need for a stronger hedge against economic risks and concerns surrounding reserve-currency economies. Thirty-one of the 34 central banks planning to increase gold reserves cited diversification as a key motivation. The survey shows that reserve managers also continue to value gold's traditional monetary characteristics. A record 90% of respondents cited gold's performance during times of crisis as a major reason for holding the metal, while 84% pointed to its role as a long-term store of value and inflation hedge, and 83% highlighted its diversification benefits. Fan said those responses were particularly striking because they came during the latest conflict in the Middle East. "The most relevant factor this year was gold's performance during times of crisis," he said. "If anything, it's even more relevant than before." He added that recent geopolitical tensions have not changed central banks' long-term assessment of the metal. "Central banks are valuing more than ever gold's performance during times of crisis, gold's role as a long-term store of value, gold as a portfolio diversifier, gold being able to be a geopolitical hedge," Fan said. The growing importance of gold is also reflected in participation levels. This year's survey attracted 76 responses, the highest on record and up from 73 last year. Fan said the growing response rate is itself evidence that gold is becoming increasingly important within the official sector. "That fact alone points out that gold is much more relevant, much more front and center as a topic among central banks," he said. Source: https://www.kitco.com/news/article/2026-06-16/record-45-central-banks-plan-increase-gold-holdings-wgc-survey-finds

[SMM Tin Morning Report: The Most-Traded SHFE Tin Contract Moved Sideways in the Night Session, Spot Market Trading Atmosphere Was Quiet]

SMM June 18 News: In metals markets: Overnight, base metals on both domestic and overseas markets collectively rose. LME zinc led the gains with a 1.4% increase, LME tin rose 0.85%, LME aluminum gained 0.99%, SHFE zinc climbed 0.67%, and SHFE nickel added 0.6%. All other metals saw small fluctuations. Alumina main contract rose 0.52% and aluminum casting main contract rose 0.17%. Overnight, the ferrous metals complex generally fell. Iron ore dropped 1.13%, recording a three-day losing streak. HRC, rebar, and stainless steel all fell within 1%. Coking coal and coke both declined, with coking coal down 2.26% and coke down 1.25%. Overnight in precious metals, COMEX gold fell 1.79% and COMEX silver fell 2.93%. Domestically, SHFE gold fell 0.84% and SHFE silver fell 1.36%. Overnight closing prices as of 6:43 AM on June 18: Macro Front China: [PBoC: Improve the Short-End Interest Rate Adjustment Mechanism] Pan Gongsheng, Governor of the People's Bank of China, stated that the short-end interest rate adjustment mechanism will be improved. Building on the temporary overnight repo and reverse repo tools established in July 2024, the mechanism for using the tools will be improved, and the operating rates will be adjusted to the 7-day reverse repo rate plus and minus 25 basis points, narrowing the corridor from 70 basis points to 50 basis points. The open market operations toolbox will be further enriched, and overnight reverse repo operation varieties will be added at appropriate times to better match the short-term liquidity needs of the banking system. (CCTV News) [PBoC Optimizes the Mechanism for Temporary Overnight Repo and Reverse Repo Open Market Operations] To flexibly and efficiently utilize temporary overnight repo and reverse repo open market tools, the People's Bank of China decided to optimize the operational elements effective immediately. The operation time is adjusted to 15:00-15:30 on working days, and the operating rates are adjusted to the 7-day reverse repo rate minus 25bp and plus 25bp, respectively. The rules for using the tools are further clarified. When the money market overnight rate (DR001) is persistently lower or higher than the corresponding tool's operating rate, the People's Bank of China will initiate corresponding operations based on the needs of primary dealers. (People's Bank of China) [Wu Qing‘s Speech at Lujiazui Forum: Expand the Scope of the Fifth Set of Standards to the AI Field, Support Hong Kong-Listed Companies for Domestic Listing] Wu Qing, Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, intensively released policy signals at the 2026 Lujiazui Forum on the 17th, covering reforms to the tech listing system, capital market opening-up, guiding long-term capital, and AI regulation, outlining the regulatory layer's policy blueprint for deepening capital market reforms. In his speech, Wu Qing said that the scope of the fifth set of listing standards will be expanded to the artificial intelligence field, actively supporting the listing of high-quality AI large model companies, and supporting qualified Hong Kong-listed companies to list domestically. He also stated that research on promoting RMB foreign exchange futures pilot programs will be accelerated. He further stated that efforts will be made to enhance cross-border regulatory collaboration, support legal and compliant cross-border investment and financing activities, and lawfully crack down on various cross-border illegal activities. Guiding opinions for regulating the development of capital market AI will be released in due course, with strict investigations and punishments for illegal activities such as riding hot topics, hyping concepts, or even market manipulation and insider trading in the name of technology. US Dollar: As of the overnight close, the US dollar index rose 0.82% to 100.38. The US Federal Reserve's monetary policy meeting this week stood pat as widely expected. The post-meeting statement emphasized the commitment to price stability by reducing high inflation, and the dot plot reflected a strong hawkish bias among Fed policymakers. On Wednesday, June 17 US Eastern Time, the Federal Reserve announced after its FOMC meeting that it would keep the target range for the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75%. To date, after cutting rates at three consecutive meetings through last year-end, the FOMC has stood pat at all four monetary policy meetings in 2026. This decision was completely within market expectations. This was the first FOMC meeting with Warsh as Fed Chairman. Judging from the rate decision, his first major act in the new role was to significantly shorten the statement, including the rate guidance. The new statement emphasized only the inflation side of the dual mandate on employment and inflation. Its assessment of inflation and other economic areas was consistent with the previous one, reiterating that inflation remains high and noting that the Middle East conflict brings high uncertainty to the economy. Compared with the statement, the dot plot released after the meeting reflected an even more pronounced hawkish tilt: half of the Fed officials providing rate forecasts projected at least one rate hike this year. Bloomberg rates strategist Ira Jersey commented that given half of Fed officials foresee hikes, the market focusing on the dot plot makes the bear-flattening of the Treasury yield curve look logical. Nick Timiraos, a veteran Fed correspondent known as the "new Fed wire," described the dot plot as "very hawkish." He pointed out in the article title that the Fed held rates steady, but more officials expect the next move to be a hike. (Wall Street CN) According to CME "FedWatch": The probability that the Fed keeps rates unchanged in July stands at 64.0% (was 91.0% before the decision). The probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point rate hike is 35.1% (was 8.9%), and the probability of a cumulative 50-basis-point hike is 1% (was 0%). For December, the probability that the Fed holds rates steady is 14.2% (was 38.2%), with the chances for a cumulative 25-basis-point hike at 36.4% (was 43.0%), a 50-basis-point hike at 33.8% (was 16.2%), a 75-basis-point hike at 13.5% (was 2.4%), and a 100-basis-point hike at 2.1% (was 0.1%). (Jin10 Data App) Data: Today, China's May Swift RMB share in global payments, the US Federal Reserve's June 17 interest rate decision (upper bound), US initial jobless claims for the week ending June 13, the US Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index for June, and the US Conference Board Leading Index month-over-month change for May will be released. Also due are Switzerland's May trade balance and Swiss National Bank policy rate on June 18, the UK's ILO unemployment rate for the three months to April, UK May unemployment rate, UK May claimant count change, and the Bank of England‘s June 18 interest rate decision, as well as the Eurozone’s seasonally adjusted current account for April, among other data. In addition, China will open a new refined oil product pricing window. The Fed's FOMC will release its interest rate decision and Summary of Economic Projections. Fed Chairman Warsh will hold a monetary policy press conference. The Swiss National Bank and the Bank of England will announce their interest rate decisions, with the BoE also releasing meeting minutes. Notably, on June 18, there will be no night trading session on the Shanghai Gold Exchange, SHFE, Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange, and DCE in China due to the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival. On June 19, the NYSE will be closed for Juneteenth. On the same day, trading of precious metals, energy, foreign exchange, equity index, and US Treasury futures contracts on the US-based CME will close early at 01:00 Beijing Time on June 20 for Juneteenth. Also due to Juneteenth, trading of Brent crude oil futures contracts on the US-based ICE will close early at 01:30 Beijing Time on June 20. Crude Oil: As of the overnight close, both oil benchmarks fell. Brent crude fell 0.38% and WTI crude fell 0.35%. On June 17 local time, senior US officials read out the 14 terms of a US-Iran memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war and promoting the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to the media. According to the arrangement, both sides will begin 60 days of further negotiations this Friday (June 19) in Switzerland to reach a final agreement. The US commits that, effective immediately upon the signing of this memorandum and until sanctions are lifted, the US Treasury Department will issue exemption licenses for Iran's exports of crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives, as well as related supporting services (including banking transactions, insurance, and transportation). (Jin10 Data App) Amid the chain reaction from easing Middle East tensions, the International Energy Agency (IEA) judged in its monthly oil market report released Wednesday that if a peace arrangement proves sustainable, the global crude market could shift to a clear oversupply next year. The IEA systematically assessed the impact of the end of the Iranian conflict for the first time in this report. The agency analyzed that as oilfields shut down for months due to the conflict gradually resume production, supply from the Gulf region will show a "gradual" recovery trend this year. On this basis, global crude oil production is expected to increase by 8 million barrels per day by next year, reaching a total scale of 110 million barrels per day. In contrast, global demand growth is estimated at about 2 million barrels per day, described as "relatively mild." The IEA noted in the report that this supply-demand mismatch will lead to a "massive surplus," which it suggested "could provide a welcome breathing space for the market and an opportunity to replenish depleted stocks or build new strategic reserves." Currently, oil inventories in OECD countries have fallen to their lowest levels since 1990. (Jin10 Data) The IEA also noted that oil prices experienced a sharp correction between May and mid-June, driven by market optimism about a peace deal and changes in Asian demand. Reduced crude oil procurement from Asia exerted clear downward pressure on prices. Affected by these combined factors, North Sea crude prices cumulatively fell by more than $40 per barrel during this period to around $82, indicating the market had already priced in expectations of increased supply and slowing demand. (Jin10 Data)

On June 16, Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee chaired a symposium in Guangzhou on accelerating the development of the new mechatronics industry. Guangdong will continue to focus on mechatronics and software-hardware coordination, consolidating the foundation of "machinery", strengthening the advantages of "electronics", and deepening the leadership of "intelligence", to build a world-class new mechatronics and AI industry cluster, and accelerate the transition from a major manufacturing province to a strong one. For technological breakthroughs, it will launch systematic research to solve "chokepoint" problems, increase support for leading fields like NEVs and drones, deepen tracks such as robot vision, intelligent sensing and advanced materials, achieve independent control of core links and strategic materials, accelerate industrial application, and consolidate the "technology foundation".

Chongqing Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology recently held a symposium on waste power battery recycling. The meeting emphasized strengthening inter-departmental and municipal-district coordination, aligning with national regulations, implementing targeted measures for key issues, and building a long-term whole-chain recycling governance system via government-enterprise cooperation. It required enhancing information traceability: launching data reporting on the national NEV power battery traceability platform, and strictly enforcing the battery digital ID system. Standardized disposal was stressed: rationally arranging recycling outlets, updating information timely, banning illegal cascade utilization, and strengthening recycling to ensure compliant battery disposal. Law enforcement deterrence will be reinforced; inspection problems will be list-managed and resolved one by one to standardize the recycling order.

I. Overseas Markets: Driven by Two Core Catalysts – Surging Demand for Stationary Power Generation, Supply Constraints Hinder Aviation Green Hydrogen Rollout (I) European Off-Grid Stationary Fuel Cells Secure Repeat Bulk Orders; Overseas OEMs Restructure Revenue Mix Ballard Power Systems, Canada’s leading fuel cell manufacturer, unveiled a landmark repeat order on June 15: a second 15 MW fuel cell system supply contract from a UK renewable off-grid power producer. The order covers 150 sets of 100 kW automotive-grade fuel cell modules, slated for delivery in H2 2026. These modules will be integrated into hydrogen power generators to replace conventional diesel gensets, serving off-grid power needs at construction sites, film production sets, large-scale events, and critical infrastructure. Underpinning demand remains robust: multiple European nations have rolled out policies phasing out diesel generators for construction and cultural tourism applications. Coupled with prolonged grid connection lead times for industrial parks and data centers, demand for zero-carbon off-grid power sources has expanded rapidly. UK-based GeoPura has deployed Ballard fuel cells at scale to operate charging stations and construction site power supplies, validating the technology’s commercial viability. Strong earnings reflect booming market momentum. In Q1 2026, Ballard’s stationary fuel cell business posted USD 5.2 million in revenue, skyrocketing 775% year-on-year to become the company’s second-largest revenue segment, trailing only its transit fuel cell division. This repeat order confirms sustainable, replicable growth in the overseas off-grid power segment. A new industry trend has emerged: automotive fuel cell modules are downward-compatible with stationary power applications, enabling manufacturers to amortize production costs across shared assembly lines and unlock profit upside. Parallel demand is emerging for AI computing backup power. Global tech giants are ramping up investments in hydrogen backup power. Microsoft and Amazon continue to deploy megawatt-scale fuel cell setups for data center power supply. Boasting millisecond load switching capability and zero carbon emissions, hydrogen has become the prime alternative to diesel gensets for AI computing campuses, creating dual demand alongside Europe’s construction and tourism sectors. (II) UK Launches SAF Policy Consultation; Long-Term Green Hydrogen Demand via PtL Jet Fuel Secured, Yet Severe Short-Term Capacity Gaps Persist Over the past two weeks, the UK Department for Transport (DFT) officially launched a public consultation on its mandatory sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blending mandate, focusing on industry-wide capacity assessments for hydrogen-based power-to-liquid (PtL) fuels. The initiative signals two pivotal industry shifts: Mandatory policy locks in long-term green hydrogen demand. The UK’s SAF blending rules will take effect by end-2026, requiring 0.2% of jet fuel to come from green hydrogen-derived PtL feedstocks by 2028, rising to 3.5% by 2040. Meanwhile, caps will be imposed on waste oil-based HEFA fuel usage, forcing jet fuel producers to comply with regulations via green hydrogen paired with captured CO₂ to synthesize PtL fuels. This opens vast long-term upside for green hydrogen, with the industry widely viewing mandatory PtL blending as a core permanent growth driver for hydrogen demand. Near-term industrial bottlenecks trigger a transitional industry adjustment phase. The UK currently hosts no commercial-scale PtL jet fuel production facilities. Projects face compounded headwinds including constrained renewable power supply, elevated green hydrogen costs, limited carbon capture feedstock sources, and financing hurdles. Industry stakeholders report production timelines for advanced non-HEFA fuels lag policy targets, prompting government concerns that supply shortages will fail to meet blending obligations. The consultation will evaluate potential adjustments to HEFA volume caps and compliance frameworks. The DFT will consolidate industry feedback in autumn 2026; any policy tweaks could slow near-term investment in PtL projects, though the long-term growth thesis for green hydrogen aviation remains intact. II. Domestic China Market: Top-Tier Policy Catalysts Land, Commercialization Accelerates Across Segments, Cost Disadvantages Remain a Key Hurdle (I) Top-Down Policies Unlock New Incentives; Comprehensive Hydrogen Pilots Unleash Full Industrial Chain Potential At the start of June, three central ministries jointly issued a circular on comprehensive hydrogen application pilots, spurring intense industry discussion over policy implementation details in the subsequent two weeks. Pilots span the entire industrial chain with amplified financial support. The central government has selected urban agglomerations to carry out four-year demonstration programs, with maximum funding awards of RMB 1.6 billion per cluster. Supported use cases extend beyond traditional fuel cell vehicles to green hydrogen chemical production, hydrogen metallurgy, hydrogen-blended power generation, off-grid energy storage, and hydrogen-powered vessels. Two landmark 2030 targets have been formalized: a national fleet of 100,000 fuel cell vehicles and a retail hydrogen price of RMB 25 per kg for transport, with leading regions targeting RMB 15 per kg, laying out clear long-term scale and cost roadmaps for the sector. Leading industry experts align on the sector’s development cycle. During FCVC 2026 (June 10–12), Academician Ouyang Minggao stated the hydrogen industry has crossed the “valley of death,” identifying the next five years as a critical window for large-scale commercialization. Wan Gang, former vice chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, called for accelerated development of wind-solar coupled green hydrogen and cross-regional hydrogen transportation corridors. Aligned policy and industrial consensus have boosted long-term sentiment among primary market investors and A-share hydrogen stock participants. (II) Segmented Commercialization Gains Traction: Industrial Green Hydrogen, Commercial Vehicles, and Domestic Equipment Exports All Deliver Growth Accelerated large-scale green hydrogen deployment in heavy industry. Ningxia Baofeng’s RMB 13.5 billion green hydrogen-coal chemical integration project has entered commissioning, delivering an annual green hydrogen output of 150,000 tons at production costs below RMB 18 per kg, setting a domestic benchmark for low-cost green hydrogen. Baosteel Zhanjiang’s million-ton hydrogen metallurgy production line has achieved full operational capacity, deploying domestically manufactured hydrogen shaft furnace technology to replace imported equipment. Massive industrial hydrogen consumption is driving upstream demand for electrolyzers. As of end-March, China’s installed renewable hydrogen production capacity exceeded 250,000 tons per annum, doubling from end-2024 levels. Scaling penetration of fuel cell commercial vehicles and two-wheelers. Regional hydrogen price data updated June 1 shows retail hydrogen prices of RMB 29–38 per kg across major domestic markets, still above the RMB 25 per kg national target. Nevertheless, 49-ton hydrogen heavy-duty trucks have cut hydrogen consumption to 8.5 kg per 100 km, undercutting diesel trucks in operating costs on select trunk haul routes. Hydrogen two-wheeler pilots are expanding rapidly, with tens of thousands of hydrogen light vehicles deployed in Chengdu, Changzhou, and Huangshi. Fast refueling and stable low-temperature driving range have unlocked new civilian niche demand. Rapid overseas expansion of domestic hydrogen equipment. At the Brazil International Hydrogen Exhibition (June 16–17), a delegation from the Daxing Hydrogen Demonstration Zone in Beijing showcased Chinese electrolyzers and hydrogen heavy-duty trucks to tap Latin American demand. Overseas demand for off-grid power and zero-emission mine power aligns with Ballard’s international order momentum, lifting export growth expectations for domestic fuel cell system and electrolyzer manufacturers. (III) Core Domestic Market Constraint: Elevated End-User Hydrogen Costs Impede Full-Scale Commercialization The latest China Hydrogen Price Index shows clean hydrogen priced at RMB 34.34 per kg in the Yangtze River Delta, RMB 38.13 per kg in the Pearl River Delta, and industrial hydrogen at RMB 29.33 per kg in Henan. Only wind- and solar-rich chemical parks in western China have achieved the RMB 18 per kg low-cost green hydrogen threshold. High costs tied to hydrogen storage and refueling infrastructure allocation erode economic viability for transportation and distributed power applications. For the near term, industry growth will remain concentrated in large-scale industrial hydrogen consumption and policy-subsidized pilot projects. Conclusion Near-term market catalysts stem from overseas power generation equipment orders, domestic pilot policy rollouts, and surging equipment exports. Over the long run, off-grid hydrogen power and green hydrogen aviation will emerge as the sector’s core high-growth tracks. The industry, however, continues to face headwinds including capacity constraints, prohibitive production costs, and project financing challenges.

According to China Customs data, from January to April 2026, India's imports of can stock (highly correlated with HS 76061220) from China rose from 4,587 mt to 6,923 mt, while imports of finished cans (HS 76129010) also increased from 43 mt to 467 mt (equivalent to approximately 38.9 million cans) over the same period. Starting in May, China's can stock exports to India are expected to further expand, forming a phased export peak.