Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance has proposed extending preferential special consumption tax rates for battery electric vehicles with fewer than 24 seats until the end of 2030, as part of efforts to accelerate the country’s shift away from fossil fuels and support its net-zero emissions target. The ministry said the policy is intended to encourage the adoption of environmentally friendly transport. Currently, electric vehicles are taxed at 1–3%, significantly lower than the 10–150% applied to internal combustion engine vehicles. Under existing plans, EV tax rates are set to rise to 4–11% from March 2027.

In March 2026, China's ternary cathode material exports (NCM and NCA combined) reached 21,900 metric tons, representing a 103% MoM increase and a 163% YoY increase.

According to China Customs statistics, China's total chrome ore imports reached 2.4402 million tons in March 2026, rising 36.42% month-on-month and surging 83.58% year-on-year.Of the total, imports from South Africa stood at 1.966 million tons, up 36.79% month-on-month and 97.05% year-on-year; imports from Turkey were 101,600 tons, down 5.15% month-on-month but up 77.67% year-on-year; imports from Zimbabwe amounted to 169,100 tons, down 3.6% month-on-month and 10.14% year-on-year.

[Study Finds EVs Outperform Comparable Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles in Crash Safety] Despite ongoing consumer concerns about EV battery safety, particularly the risk of fire after collisions, real-world test data from independent organizations such as Euro NCAP, ASEAN NCAP, and NHTSA showed that EVs are progressively establishing new safety standards, with their crash test performance generally surpassing that of comparable internal combustion engine vehicles. This advantage of EVs is not coincidental but stems from design philosophies and technical architectures that are fundamentally different from those of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.

Starting from the panic low of $4,099 on March 23, the gold price has slowly but steadily worked its way upward over the past four weeks. Even though momentum is gradually fading and geopolitical tensions continue to act as a disruptive factor, the persistence of the recovery movement remains remarkable. Higher price targets in the range between $4,900 and $5,100 remain active and could be reached soon.

According to Counterpoint, memory prices surged significantly in H2 2025, bringing notable cost pressure to the global smartphone industry and particularly impacting the low-end market. Sales of smartphones priced below $150 declined 11% YoY in H2 2025. As OEM shipments of low and mid-end models were highly dependent on ODM/IDH, this cost-driven market downturn inevitably transmitted to the ODM-IDH sector. According to Counterpoint Research data, shipments of smartphones designed by ODM/IDH enterprises fell sharply by 10% YoY in H2 2025, ending two consecutive years of growth.

In March 2026, NEV exports reached 371,000 units, up 31.6% MoM and up 1.3x YoY. From January to March 2026, NEV exports totaled 954,000 units, up 1.2x YoY. NEV ExportIn March 2026, NEV exports reached 371,000 units, up 31.6% MoM and up 1.3x YoY. From January to March 2026, NEV exports totaled 954,000 units, up 1.2x YoY.

In March 2026, NEV domestic sales in China reached 882,000 units, up 82.4% MoM and down 18.3% YoY. From January to March 2026, NEV domestic sales in China totaled 2.006 million units, down 23.8% YoY.

In March 2026, NEV production and sales reached 1.231 million units and 1.252 million units, respectively.

[PLS Group Secures $600 Million Senior Notes for Strategic Refinancing] The Australian lithium industry has witnessed an unprecedented evolution in capital structures, as producers seek strategies to navigate the dynamic shifts in global supply chains and changing institutional investor preferences. The ability to secure long-term, competitively priced debt financing has become a key competitive advantage for enterprises positioning themselves within the rapidly expanding battery materials ecosystem. Against this backdrop, the implications of strategic refinancing decisions extend far beyond real-time cost optimization, fundamentally reshaping the possibilities for operational flexibility and growth trajectories. PLS Group's $600 million senior notes refinancing represented a substantial capital markets transaction that exceeded initial market expectations through significant oversubscription. The issuance size was increased from an initial target of $500 million to $600 million, highlighting robust institutional investor demand for Australian lithium producer bonds. This 20% upsizing reflected investor confidence in the company's operational fundamentals and its strategic positioning within the global battery supply chain. The notes were set at an annual coupon rate of 6.875%, providing a fixed-cost financing structure extending to 2031 and ensuring seven years of interest rate certainty. Settlement is expected to be completed on April 22, 2026, establishing a clear timeline, with semi-annual interest payments commencing on November 1, 2026. The senior unsecured classification, supplemented by credit enhancement through guarantees from wholly-owned subsidiaries, preserved operational flexibility for the issuer while providing appropriate credit protection for institutional investors. This pricing structure reflected current credit market dynamics for resource sector issuers, incorporating commodity price fluctuations and expectations of lithium industry tax incentives. The successful issuance marked institutional investor recognition of lithium's strategic importance within the energy transition investment theme and confidence in Australian mining credit quality. Source: https://discoveryalert.com.au/ [Vulcan Energy Receives Unexpected Boost for German Lithium Mine] Vulcan Energy received a significant boost in Germany, as the state of Rhineland-Palatinate approved a royalty exemption on lithium production, aimed at strengthening the domestic critical minerals supply chain. The exemption applies until December 31, 2030, with a review one year before expiry, designed to accelerate the development of critical minerals supply chains. Vulcan Energy stated that this decision was favorable to its Lionheart project currently under construction in the state. The integrated lithium and geothermal development project targets annual production of 24,000 mt of lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM), sufficient to supply approximately 500,000 EV batteries per year, while providing 275 Gwh of renewable electricity and 560 Gwh of thermal energy annually over the project's estimated 30-year life cycle. Source: https://www.australianresourcesandinvestment.com.au/ [KoBold Invests $50 Million to Advance Lithium Ore Exploration in DRC] Billionaire-backed scientific exploration company KoBold Metals has launched what it calls the largest lithium ore exploration campaign ever in the DRC, committing over $50 million (A$70 million) by early 2027. The exploration will cover 13 license areas spanning over 3,000 square kilometers, with plans to expand to 5,000 square kilometers by the end of 2026, focusing on the Manono region, where the world's highest-grade lithium pegmatite deposits have been discovered. The DRC is already the world's largest cobalt producer and Africa's largest copper supplier, while also holding vast unexplored lithium ore reserves. Its abundant critical minerals resources make it a key player in the global supply chain, a fact recognized by the US, which signed a formal agreement with the DRC government at the end of 2025. Source: https://mining.com.au/ [Canada's Clean Energy Future Requires Over 40 Times More Lithium — Yet the Country Cannot Advance Mine Construction] Canada faces significant challenges in meeting the growing demand for critical minerals such as lithium, graphite, cobalt, nickel, and copper, which are essential to the global clean energy transition. Despite abundant reserves and a history as a major resource producer, Canada struggles to bring new mining projects into production quickly due to lengthy approval processes, jurisdictional complexities, and local opposition. This bottleneck threatens Canada's competitiveness in the global market and its ability to contribute to collective Western security. Experts emphasized the need for a comprehensive strategy that goes beyond mining to encompass processing and refining, while also addressing economic and geopolitical considerations. Overcoming these obstacles is critical for Canada to secure its position in the clean energy future. Source: https://thehub.ca/