By 2026, China's new energy vehicle market has evolved from an early-stage race over electric motors, batteries, and electronic controls into a systemic contest centered on battery technology roadmaps, supply chain depth, and cost-control capabilities. Leading domestic players — NIO, Li Auto, XPeng, BYD, and Leapmotor — have each charted a distinctly different path in their battery strategies. What lies beneath these divergent choices is not merely a matter of technical preference, but a reflection of fundamentally different business models, brand identities, and competitive philosophies. NIO: Anchored by Battery Swapping, Building a Multi-Supplier, Multi-Chemistry Matrix NIO's battery strategy stands apart within the industry. At its core is not the choice of a single supplier or chemistry, but rather a battery-swapping network serving as infrastructure, upwardly compatible with battery packs of varying capacities, chemistries, and suppliers. Currently, NIO's lineup runs primarily on 75 kWh and 100 kWh packs, while a higher-energy-density 150 kWh semi-solid-state pack, produced by WeLion New Energy, has already entered volume production and deployment. On the chemistry front, certain NIO models employ a hybrid cell arrangement blending ternary lithium and LFP cells — the LFP cells provide foundational range and cost advantages, while the ternary cells serve as a state-of-charge reference, addressing the well-known pain point of inaccurate SOC estimation inherent to LFP's flat voltage curve. On the supplier side, CATL has long held a core position, with CALB and WeLion also playing significant roles in the supply chain. In early 2026, NIO and CATL further signed a five-year comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement covering long-life batteries, swap-station compatibility, and overseas market expansion. For the full year 2025, NIO Group delivered 326,000 vehicles, up 46.9% year-on-year, and achieved its first quarterly operating profit in Q4 — signaling that its battery-swapping business model is beginning to enter a virtuous cycle. The ramp-up of its two sub-brands, ONVO and Firefly, has further amplified the scale effects of the swapping ecosystem, diluting the per-unit cost of infrastructure. Li Auto: EREV-Led, BEV in Pursuit — Deep Supplier Ties and the Shift Toward In-House Development Li Auto's battery strategy presents a sharp contrast to NIO's. Where NIO pursues breadth in its swapping network and flexibility in battery pack compatibility, Li Auto places greater emphasis on deep ties with top-tier suppliers and meticulous cost-side management. Li Auto's EREV models have long relied on ternary lithium batteries as their primary solution and are now progressively introducing LFP to optimize vehicle cost structures. In the pure-electric domain, the flagship MPV MEGA carries a high-performance ternary pack co-developed with CATL; in 2025, the i6 electric SUV formally adopted a dual-supplier model, sourcing from both CATL and Sunwoda for complementary supply. More significantly, in September 2025, Li Auto and Sunwoda jointly established a battery company, marking a definitive shift from a procurement relationship to one of equity-linked co-development. In May 2026, Li Auto delivered 33,350 vehicles, with the i6 surpassing 20,000 monthly deliveries for the third consecutive month and ranking among the top three electric SUVs by volume, while the EREV L-series remained its sales backbone. With "family comfort" as its core brand proposition, Li Auto's battery strategy has always served a single through-line: eliminating range anxiety while optimizing total cost of ownership — pragmatic and focused. XPeng: LFP as the Mainstay, a Three-Supplier Landscape Taking Shape, and the Dual-Powertrain Strategy Accelerating XPeng's battery strategy is centered on LFP, with a stable landscape of three core suppliers: CALB, EVE Energy, and FinDreams Battery (BYD). CALB has been one of XPeng's first-tier battery suppliers since 2021 and has long held the dominant share. In September 2025, EVE Energy formally entered XPeng's MONA series supply chain, providing prismatic cell solutions for base MONA variants, while longer-range versions continue to use BYD FinDreams cells. XPeng's technology identity has always revolved around full-stack self-developed AI — spanning advanced intelligent driving, proprietary chips, and large-model integration — which gives its battery strategy a notably pragmatic character: choose a mature, safe, and cost-controllable LFP route so that more resources can be concentrated on its core competence in intelligence. Since 2025, XPeng has fully embraced a dual-powertrain strategy of BEV plus EREV, with the addition of range-extender models introducing new variables to its battery demand structure. In May 2026, XPeng Group delivered 32,158 vehicles, with the flagship SUV GX becoming a core incremental contributor right from its debut, while the MONA series and P7+ continued to scale, validating the market appeal of its "technology for all" positioning. BYD: Full Vertical Integration as the Ultimate Moat If NIO, Li Auto, and XPeng respectively embody the brand paths of "service-driven battery swapping," "family comfort," and "technology intelligence," then BYD's defining label points squarely at vertical integration. From FinDreams battery cells and FinDreams Powertrain motors and electronic controls, to in-house IGBT and SiC power semiconductors, BYD has mastered the manufacturing of virtually every core component in a new energy vehicle — a level of supply chain depth unmatched both domestically and globally. The Blade Battery, BYD's signature technology, builds on an LFP foundation and achieves a balance of safety and energy density through structural innovation; it has now achieved scaled deployment across the entire lineup. On the cost side, the scale effects of selling 4.6 million units in 2025 have endowed BYD with extreme supply chain bargaining power. On the technology side, the "Eye of the Gods" advanced driver-assistance system has been deployed in over 2.5 million vehicles, generating more than 160 million kilometers of real-world driving data daily — a data flywheel that competitors will find difficult to replicate. In 2025, BYD's battery-electric vehicle sales reached 2.26 million units, surpassing Tesla (approximately 1.63 million) for the first time to claim the global BEV sales crown. From the Seagull at RMB 70,000 to the Yangwang at over RMB 1 million, from city commuters to hardcore off-roaders, BYD has built the world's most complete new energy product matrix, with its multi-brand strategy covering every mainstream price band and use case. Leapmotor: Full-Stack Self-Development Driving Extreme Value, Multi-Supplier Strategy Fueling the Volume Leap Leapmotor has emerged as a dark horse that can no longer be ignored among China's new-energy startups. Its battery strategy is defined by a clear formula: all-LFP plus parallel multi-sourcing, with core cell suppliers including Gotion High-Tech and CALB, among others — different batches of the same model may mix cells from different brands, but core parameters remain consistent. In November 2025, Leapmotor and CALB jointly established a battery factory, signaling Leapmotor's progression from multi-source procurement toward equity-linked core-supplier relationships. Leapmotor's true moat lies in its full-stack self-development approach — over 65% of core components are developed in-house, spanning electric drives, battery BMS, intelligent cockpits, and autonomous-driving chips. This is what enables Leapmotor to deliver extreme value in the RMB 100,000–200,000 mainstream price band. In May 2026, Leapmotor delivered 81,569 vehicles, up 81% year-on-year, holding the new-energy startup sales crown for multiple consecutive months, with the one-million-unit annual target now within reach. Leapmotor's product matrix has expanded into four series — A, B, C, and D — covering sedans, SUVs, and MPVs, while overseas exports have rapidly climbed to over 37% of total volume, becoming a second engine for growth. The Industrial Logic Behind Divergent Strategies When the battery strategies of these five automakers are examined side by side, several clear industrial patterns emerge. First, LFP's dominance in the mainstream market continues to strengthen. Whether it is BYD's Blade Battery, XPeng's all-LFP lineup, Leapmotor's extreme value proposition, or Li Auto's progressive LFP adoption in its EREV models, all point to the same trend: in the RMB 100,000–250,000 core consumption band, LFP's combined advantages in cost, safety, and cycle life have made it an unshakable baseline. Second, supply chain relationships are upgrading from simple buyer-seller transactions to capital-linked co-development. The joint ventures between Li Auto and Sunwoda, between Leapmotor and CALB, and the five-year agreement between NIO and CATL are all reflections of this trend. Third, battery strategy choices are increasingly dictated by each automaker's business model: NIO's battery-swapping system demands pack standardization and compatibility; BYD's vertical integration demands in-house production; Li Auto's EREV approach imposes unique requirements on battery capacity and cost. For participants in the upstream lithium resource and battery materials industries, understanding the battery strategies of leading automakers — and the direction in which they are evolving — is a critical entry point for gauging mid- and downstream demand structures, the cadence of technology-route shifts, and the changing landscape of supply chain dynamics. In this industrial contest that remains very much at halftime, the divergence in battery strategies not only determines each automaker's cost structure and product competitiveness, but will also profoundly reshape the value distribution across the entire lithium battery supply chain.

The China second-life application market was generally stable this week, with prices for most categories unchanged. On the cost side, lithium carbonate continued to rise this week, cobalt sulphate held steady, and nickel sulphate pulled back slightly. Quoted prices for ternary large-capacity EV-grade second-life battery cells eased downwards due to weak end-use demand in the EV sector, but no actual transaction prices pulled back, with buyers and sellers still locked in negotiation. LFP Grade A downgraded cells, serving as the mainstay of energy storage, saw firm prices and transactions dominated by rigid demand; Grade B cells, leveraging cost advantages, secured the low and mid-end market with stable transactions; dismantled cells, constrained by policies and safety regulations, faced sluggish acceptance and prices held steady at low levels.

Developing local processing capacity is not simply a matter of building another plant next to a mine. It requires a country to simultaneously possess reliable energy supply, logistics infrastructure, chemical-industry capabilities, engineering expertise, customer qualification systems, access to financing, policy continuity and transparent pricing mechanisms. Resources can attract investment, but they cannot guarantee project success.

SHFE tin opened the week with a rally in full swing, pushing prices to within striking distance of an all-time high, primarily driven by supply-side disruptions and the computing power theme. In the last two days, however, the market suddenly reversed course, with prices pulling back sharply in a broad decline that completely erased the week’s earlier gains. What changed in the market’s trading logic? Rise and Fall on the Same Catalyst: Semiconductor Stocks Pull Back As the iteration of large AI models advances and high-end computing power chips are upgraded, the amount of solder required in their production increases. This year, tin’s label as a computing-power metal has continued to strengthen. Amid the AI frenzy, semiconductor indices outside China maintained a sustained rally, which not only boosted demand expectations for tin but also significantly benefited tin prices through the stock-futures linkage effect. However, heights breed danger. After a parabolic surge, chip stocks repeatedly hit new highs. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index components recently traded at 26 times forward 12-month earnings, well above the 10-year average of 21 times. The AI space became increasingly crowded, and market disagreement grew over the rally’s sustainability. Going forward, whether AI demand effectively spreads and the earnings performance of chip leaders have become the market’s center of focus. The newly released revenue of chipmaker Broadcom missed expectations, cooling the AI fervour to some extent. Overnight, chip stocks suffered a collective sell-off, and today the South Korean stock market plunged, with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix falling sharply. Against the backdrop of a significant pullback in semiconductor stocks, tin prices were inevitably dragged down, leading the decline in China’s commodity futures market today. The market is now assessing whether AI infrastructure investment has already overdrawn future growth expectations, though some investors remain optimistic. Yesterday, the US Nasdaq index opened lower but rebounded to largely recoup its losses by the close. The overall market style displayed a rotation of funds rather than a mass exodus, making it difficult to argue that the bullish expectations for future semiconductor stocks have completely dissipated. Overseas Central Bank Policy Expectations Turn Hawkish, Liquidity Concerns Intensify Recent US-Iran negotiations have seen repeated developments, but judging by the overall trend in precious and base metals, the market largely ignored the short-term headline noise. The overall trend remained under pressure, mainly weighed down by liquidity concerns. Market expectations for the timing of potential interest rate hikes by European and US central banks are being pulled forward, with multiple factors reinforcing this view. On one hand, US economic data showed resilience. The US ISM Manufacturing PMI rose to 54 in May, a near four-year high and the fifth consecutive month in expansion territory. Some employment data showed improvement, and the labour market maintained its characteristic of "low hiring, low layoffs," providing ample justification for a policy shift. On the other hand, US inflationary pressures are evident. Both the PCE price index and the US Fed’s Beige Book indicated that cooling consumption and rising price pressures have emerged simultaneously across multiple sectors. Uptick in inflation is tightening the outlook for monetary policy. In addition, the overall stance of US Fed officials has turned hawkish. The minutes from the April Federal Reserve meeting showed that the internal assessment has shifted, from previously expecting interest rate cuts later in the year to a greater inclination to maintain current rate levels for an extended period, and even not ruling out a further increase in borrowing costs. Recently, several officials also released hiking signals, stating that if inflation remains persistently high, the possibility of further policy tightening cannot be ruled out. Fundamentals Have Not Shifted, Supply-Side Support Remains Overall, the sharp pullback in SHFE tin over the latest two days was mainly dragged down by liquidity risk and a cooling of the AI frenzy. Tin prices have always exhibited high elasticity. Currently, the futures price has only given back the gains of the preceding two days, with the center not yet moving further downward, which indirectly reflects that support from the tin market’s supply-demand structure still exists. Currently, traditional demand-side tracks remain subdued, while the emerging computing power engine remains robust. Marginal growth keeps demand expectations for the tin market bullish, while ongoing supply-side disruptions bring more upward momentum. Recently, key producing regions including Myanmar, the DRC, and Indonesia have all seen varying degrees of disturbance. Specifically, supply recovery in Myanmar has been slow, hampered by operational restrictions, material approvals, and accidents. The Goma border crossing in the DRC was previously closed due to an Ebola outbreak, raising market concerns about supply disruptions. Indonesia’s export policy outlook carries high uncertainty, with the overall policy direction showing a persistently tightening trend, reflecting deeper resource nationalism and the bottleneck of tin ore flows against the backdrop of resource de-globalization. In summary, current inflationary pressures are intensifying, and interest rate hikes by European and US central banks seem to be on the verge of deployment, making it difficult to expect any easing in liquidity. Commodity trends will remain under pressure. However, the computing power theme is unlikely to fizzle out, and mine-side supply growth is limited, which may restrict near-term downside space. The market retains a bullish outlook for SHFE tin over the medium and long term. (Wenhua, Synthesized)

This week’s macro theme remained the intertwined expectations of US-Iran peace talks and geopolitical conflicts. At the start of the week, elevated ceasefire expectations (progress in Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, Trump’s comment that weekend negotiations with Iran might see progress) led to a pullback in oil prices and improved risk appetite, while production cuts in Chile, pending US copper cathode tariff rulings, and AI-driven demand supported copper prices near record highs with a firm center. Mid-week, the late-May PCE rose to a near three-year high, reinforcing the US Fed’s stance of keeping rates steady with the future path depending on inflation and employment; lingering differences between the US and Iran on nuclear issues and strait passage disrupted sentiment. By the end of the week, funds rotated out of semiconductors in US equities and oil prices weakened again, pulling copper prices back about 1.5% on profit-taking at highs and tariff uncertainty to around $13,700/mt on the LME. Overall, the US Fed remained on hold with sticky inflation, copper prices moved sideways near record highs, and macro drivers provided limited marginal upside momentum. Fundamentals side, spot moved from weakness to stability. The weekly average discount for SMM #1 copper cathode was 52.98 yuan/mt, with the daily average discount steadily narrowing from a Tuesday low of 70 yuan/mt to 35 yuan/mt on Friday — the copper price pullback stimulated downstream consumption and a pickup in restocking interest, combined with a narrowing price spread between futures contracts as delivery approached, providing support to the futures market. However, high-quality copper supply remained tight, supply and demand in North China both declined, and overall trading was sluggish. Inventory-wise, unexpected destocking occurred this week, presenting a picture of narrowing spot discounts and a mild demand recovery, providing limited upward momentum for copper prices but some support to the downside. Looking ahead to next week, the macro focus will remain on the May nonfarm payrolls, US-Iran negotiations, and S232 tariff rulings, with tariffs and geopolitics as the main disruptions. Fundamentals side, narrowing spot discounts and tight high-quality copper supply will provide support to the downside, but high copper prices will cap aggressive buying. LME copper is expected to trade in a range of $13,450–$13,850/mt, while SHFE copper is expected to trade at 104,300–106,800 yuan/mt, with sideways movement near highs. Spot premiums are expected to continue narrowing slightly with overall fluctuations; watch for downstream restocking strength after any futures pullback.

This week, China's second-life battery cell market edged up overall. Upstream lithium carbonate dropped sharply, while nickel sulphate and cobalt sulphate declined in tandem. However, the high production costs accumulated in the earlier period had not yet been fully absorbed, and costs were gradually transmitted downstream to second-life products. Constrained by end-use demand, the extent of cost pass-through remained limited. Trends diverged across sub-categories: ternary second-life battery cells only edged up slightly, with weak downstream power demand and limited room for further price increases; LFP cells showed relatively promising upside potential, as Grade A LFP cells, being core raw materials for energy storage second-life applications, maintained solid rigid-demand fundamentals; Grade B cells leveraged price advantages to penetrate low and mid-end and specialized application scenarios; disassembled battery cells, subject to safety concerns and related policy restrictions, had low market acceptance, with quotes remaining stable. This round of price increases was primarily driven by lagging cost pass-through from the earlier period. Combined with the current rapid decline in lithium prices, all categories faced significant resistance to further price increases.

Around May 23, 2026, import and export data for cobalt and lithium battery industry chain-related products in April were released in a concentrated manner. Data showed that China's spodumene imports in April reached 758,000 mt in physical content, down 9.5% MoM and up 21.7% YoY. Lithium carbonate imports, China imported 32,650 mt of lithium carbonate in April, up 9% MoM and up 15% YoY.......SMM compiled the import and export data for battery materials, as detailed below: Upstream Lithium Concentrates In April 2026, China's spodumene imports reached 758,000 mt in physical content, down 9.5% MoM and up 21.7% YoY, equivalent to approximately 63,000 mt of LCE. Customs data showed that April spodumene imports pulled back MoM from March, reaching 758,000 mt in physical content. By source country, Australian ore port arrivals returned to a relatively normal level, with over 350,000 mt arriving this month, up 38.9% MoM; Zimbabwe's earlier shipments arrived at port this month at 102,000 mt, down 9.2% MoM; South Africa and Nigeria saw some contraction in monthly port arrivals, while ore from Mali had almost no notable port arrivals this month due to shipping schedule impacts. Notably, spodumene powder sold by Brazil in early 2026 arrived at port this month, driving a significant increase in port arrivals from this country. Additionally, after SMM screening, the month's incoming ore was equivalent to 63,000 mt of LCE. Among the incoming ore, lithium concentrates accounted for 67%, edging down MoM, mainly because apart from Australia , ore from other source countries contained some relatively low-grade ore. Source: China Customs, compiled by SMM Spodumene concentrates (CIF China) spot pricing, according to SMM spot pricing, spodumene concentrates (CIF China) spot prices fluctuated upward in April. As of April 30, spodumene concentrates (CIF China) spot prices rose to $2,540/mt, up $221/mt from the month-end price of $2,313/mt in March, a gain of 9.81%. According to SMM, lithium carbonate prices continued to rise in April, and spodumene concentrates prices rose in tandem with salt prices, with gains exceeding those of lithium carbonate itself, causing non-integrated enterprises that purchase externally spodumene concentrates to suffer losses, with spot profitability remaining in deficit. In April, spot circulation of lepidolite concentrates relatively eased. Meanwhile, as lithium carbonate prices rose, processing fees for non-integrated enterprises also increased accordingly, preserving a certain profit margin for their processing operations and enabling these enterprises to achieve spot profitability. However, recently, spodumene concentrates prices adjusted in tandem with lithium carbonate price fluctuations, and the price center shifted downward. According to SMM's latest findings, disrupted by rumors of production resumptions at Jiangxi mines this week, lithium carbonate futures and spot prices declined, further dragging down the overall price center. Currently, lithium mines showed a weak willingness to make shipments, and transactions were mostly concentrated between traders and buyers. Port lithium ore inventory continued to decline. Going forward, attention should still be paid to the potential tight lithium ore supply triggered by high operating rates in the lithium chemicals industry. Lithium ore prices were expected to continue to hold up well. Lithium Carbonate According to customs data, China imported 32,650 mt of lithium carbonate in April, up 9% MoM and up 15% YoY. Of this, 21,000 mt was imported from Chile (65% of total imports), 9,555 mt from Argentina (29%), and 1,100 mt from Indonesia (3%). From January to April, China's cumulative lithium carbonate imports reached 116,000 mt, up 47% YoY cumulatively. In April, China exported 370 mt of lithium carbonate, down 17% MoM and down 50% YoY. From January to April, China's cumulative lithium carbonate exports totaled 1,886 mt, up 7% YoY cumulatively. In April, China imported 17,942 mt of lithium sulfate, up 9% MoM and up 296% YoY. From January to April, China's cumulative lithium sulfate imports reached 58,900 mt, up 121% YoY cumulatively. According to SMM spot quotes, spot lithium carbonate prices generally trended upward in April. As of April 30, the spot lithium carbonate price rose to 177,000 yuan/mt, up 14,000 yuan/mt from 163,000 yuan/mt on March 31, a gain of 8.59%. According to SMM analysis, China's lithium carbonate prices followed a "V-shaped" trend in April, first declining then rising, with the monthly average price up 6% MoM. In the first ten days, geopolitical disruptions in the Middle East intensified global risk-averse sentiment, causing non-ferrous metals and lithium carbonate prices to fluctuate downward. In the mid-to-late period, driven by Zimbabwe's export ban, Jiangxi mine license renewals, and rising costs, prices began to rebound and fluctuate upward, with the price center shifting notably higher by month-end. Upstream and downstream purchasing remained stagnant, with the psychological price spread widening week by week. Upstream producers held prices firm and held back from selling, maintaining high offer prices, while downstream buyers made just-in-time procurement only, with psychological price levels concentrated at 155,000-175,000 yuan/mt, restocking on dips only when prices fell rapidly. In April, spot battery-grade lithium carbonate prices dropped to around 155,500 yuan/mt in the first ten days, then rallied all the way to 177,000 yuan/mt by month-end. As of May 29, domestic spot battery-grade lithium carbonate was quoted at 174,000-181,000 yuan/mt, with an average price of 177,500 yuan/mt. Lithium Hydroxide According to customs data, in April 2026, China imported 6,689 mt of lithium hydroxide, up 9% MoM and up four times YoY. Of this, 2,252 mt were imported from South Korea, accounting for 34% of total imports; 1,706 mt came from Indonesia, accounting for approximately 25% of imports; and the remaining 40% came from Australia and Chile. In April, China exported 5,535 mt of lithium hydroxide, up 76% MoM and up 31% YoY, of which 3,915 mt were exported to South Korea and 864 mt to Japan. Continued sluggish ternary cathode material output outside China limited the absorption capacity for lithium hydroxide in markets outside China, resulting in a slight surplus in markets outside China, which in turn widened the price spread between domestic and overseas markets. Meanwhile, as suppliers outside China had previously signed long-term supply agreements with domestic traders, they were able to continuously dump lithium hydroxide into the Chinese market. Under the combined effect of these factors, the trade pattern of lithium hydroxide continued to reverse (shifting from net exports to net imports). Source: China Customs, compiled by SMM Battery Materials LiPF6 According to China Customs data, in April 2026, China's cumulative LiPF6 exports totaled approximately 868 mt, down approximately 80.9% MoM, while cumulative imports were approximately 96 mt. Export side, China's LiPF6 exports in April 2026 were approximately 868 mt, down approximately 80.9% MoM from March and down approximately 33.2% YoY. Specifically, as the LiPF6 export VAT rebate policy was officially abolished starting April 1, 2026, enterprises rushed to export in advance in March, and electrolyte enterprises outside China built up certain inventory, leading to MoM declines in China's exports to multiple major destination countries in April. Exports to Poland were 337.5 mt (down approximately 80.4% MoM), South Korea 81.804 mt (down approximately 92.56% MoM), Czech Republic 150 mt (down approximately 67.43% MoM), and the US 101.908 mt (down approximately 61.7% MoM). Only exports to Japan increased — 191.37 mt (up approximately 50.77% MoM). Artificial Graphite In April 2026, China's artificial graphite imports were 757 mt, up 12.4% MoM and down 32.9% YoY. Average import price side, in April 2026, the average import price of artificial graphite in China was 75,941 yuan/mt, up 23.1% MoM and up 14.6% YoY. In April 2026, China's artificial graphite exports totaled 45,895 mt, up 22.3% MoM but down 21% YoY. In terms of average export price, in April 2026, the average export price of China's artificial graphite was 9,214 yuan/mt, down 6.6% MoM but up 0.26% YoY. Exports from the top five exporting provinces rose 21% MoM from the previous month, with two provinces seeing export volume increases of over 35% MoM, and another province recording a 20% MoM increase. Import market, orders from downstream power battery enterprises in China gradually recovered in April. Combined with the phased tightness in spot capacity of leading anode enterprises, restocking demand was released, boosting artificial graphite imports to rebound from weakness on a MoM basis. However, import volumes remained down YoY, primarily because China's anode industry had ample overall capacity with supply still in surplus, domestic self-sufficiency continued to strengthen, and the industry's reliance on imported raw materials and finished products steadily declined. Flake Graphite In April 2026, China's flake graphite imports totaled 3,178 mt, down 19% MoM and down 45% YoY. Data source: China Customs, SMM In April 2026, China's flake graphite exports totaled 4,093 mt, down 50% MoM and down 54% YoY. Export market, the flake graphite export tax rebate policy was officially canceled this month, directly squeezing profit margins for foreign trade enterprises and significantly dampening overall export willingness. Meanwhile, the approval pace for flake graphite export licenses slowed down, hindering foreign trade shipments processes. Coupled with weak ex-China end-use demand, multiple bearish factors combined to directly drive a sharp decline in industry export volumes. The import market also continued to weaken. Goods originally intended for exports shifted to domestic sales circulation, with increasingly abundant local supply sources in China. Market enthusiasm for import procurement was insufficient, ultimately causing imports to decline in tandem this month. Phosphate Ore On May 20, 2026, according to customs data, China's phosphate ore imports totaled 207,000 mt in April 2026. April imports rose 13.5% from 182,000 mt in March. Total import value in April was $19.741 million, up 35.7% MoM from $14.552 million in March. The average unit price was $95.5/mt, up 19.6% from $79.9/mt in March. Import commentary: In May, Egypt's phosphate ore exports faced "policy tightening and weakening demand."On May 13, Egypt's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources announced that it would no longer sign any new phosphate ore export contracts. Previously, Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly stated clearly at a meeting on May 10 that the government was pushing for a transition from raw material exports to the manufacturing of high-value-added products such as phosphate fertiliser. Already signed long-term contracts would not be affected. This is expected to push up import prices and may affect imports. Cobalt Cobalt Hydrometallurgy Intermediate Products In April 2026, China's cobalt hydrometallurgy intermediate products imports were approximately 1,247 mt in physical content, down 26% MoM and down 98% YoY. Among them, imports from the DRC were approximately 945 mt in physical content, down 43% MoM and down 98% YoY. In April 2026, the average import price of China's cobalt hydrometallurgy intermediate products was $17,187/mt in physical content, up 2.63% MoM. It was learned that most miners had completed the Q4 2025 quota approvals, but the Q1 2026 quota approvals slowed down again due to sampling, detection and other procedural issues. In addition, transportation capacity in the DRC was tight. Fleets, driven by economic considerations, prioritised the transport of oil products and chemicals that were in production shortage, followed by other metals with shorter turnover cycles, and cobalt among non-ferrous metals came last, meaning cobalt faced significant transportation capacity issues. Constrained by the above factors, miners mainly focused on building in-transit inventory and had not yet arranged concentrated vessel bookings, and the arrival of large batches of intermediate products at ports may continue to be delayed. Unwrought Cobalt In April 2026, China's unwrought cobalt imports were approximately 1,334 mt, up 39% MoM and up 59% YoY. In April, refined cobalt imports mainly came from Indonesia, Russia, and Madagascar, with imports of 462 mt, 457 mt, and 182 mt respectively. The main reason for the increase this month was that domestic smelters lacked intermediate product raw materials and imported cobalt slabs and cobalt briquettes for re-dissolution to ensure normal production. In terms of average import prices, the average import price of China's unwrought cobalt in April 2026 was $52,724/mt, up 4.72% MoM. Cumulative imports from January to April 2026 totalled 5,916 mt, up 153% YoY cumulatively. Export side, China's unwrought cobalt exports in April 2026 were approximately 218 mt, down 47% MoM and down 95% YoY. By country, China's exports to the US dropped significantly, with April exports to the US at 35 mt, down 87.5% MoM. The main reason was that demand for alloy-grade refined cobalt in the US pulled back in April, and ex-China branded refined cobalt was already sufficient to meet regional demand, with some refined cobalt traders redirecting their destinations from the US back to China. Average export price, the average export price of China's unwrought cobalt in April 2026 was $54,590/mt, up 5.80% MoM. Cumulative exports from January to April 2026 totaled 1,792 mt, down 76% YoY.

May 29, 2026 A crumbling foundation for U.S. growth, coupled with stubborn inflation and renewed tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, are exacerbating the Federal Reserve’s macroeconomic dilemma. For investors in real assets, this mix of data recently sent a clear signal: while stock markets are struggling to digest monetary policy uncertainty, precious metals have posted significant gains. Spot gold rebounded noticeably, and industrially driven silver rose even more dynamically. U.S. growth falters – inflation remains hot The U.S. economy is losing momentum faster than expected. Economic growth for the first quarter was revised down significantly from the previously reported 2.0% to an annualized 1.6%. This slowdown temporarily eased pressure on bond yields. In contrast, inflation remains stubbornly high, causing headaches for the Federal Reserve: The PCE price index for April rose 0.4% month-over-month and remains at a high 3.8% year-over-year. The core PCE index (excluding food and energy), which is crucial for monetary policy, rose by 0.2% month-over-month and 3.3% year-over-year. Both indicators thus remain well above the official stability target of 2%. For the gold price, it was primarily the interplay of these factors that tipped the scales on Thursday: The combination of weaker growth and a slightly cooler monthly core PCE figure eased concerns about further interest rate hikes, causing the dollar index (-0.1% to 99.16) and yields on 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds to decline slightly. Since physical precious metals do not yield interest, their relative attractiveness increased as a result of this stabilization. Geopolitical powder keg in the Strait of Hormuz In addition to U.S. monetary policy, geopolitical risk in the Strait of Hormuz is driving up risk premiums in the markets. The critical waterway, through which a large portion of global crude oil exports passes, remains fiercely contested. Over the past 48 hours, ongoing skirmishes in the area have kept volatility high. Although a preliminary 60-day framework plan is currently being negotiated—which calls for an extension of the ceasefire, the reopening of shipping lanes without fees, and a resumption of nuclear talks—a final agreement has yet to be reached. For the real assets sector, this results in two opposing effects: A diplomatic solution would dampen oil prices and ease inflation concerns, which could weaken the dollar and support precious metals. Further military escalation, on the other hand, would further fuel energy prices (WTI currently at $88.90, Brent at $92.72) and thus global inflation, forcing the Fed to adopt a restrictive stance. Conclusion: In the short term, the gold price remains caught between weakening U.S. economic data and geopolitically driven inflation risks. However, the fundamentals for hard assets appear extremely robust in this stagflationary environment. Source： https://goldinvest.de/en/gold-price-caught-in-a-stagflation-dilemma-u-s-weakness-meets-the-hormuz-crisis

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

In May, the global aluminum market continued the core pattern of LME outperforming SHFE with divergent trends. The most-traded SHFE aluminum contract moved sideways in the doldrums, while LME aluminum maintained strength supported by low inventory and geopolitical premiums, with both seeing slight corrections at month-end. This month's market-driving logic revolved around Middle East ceasefire negotiations, rising expectations for US Fed interest rate hikes, divergence in inventory in and outside China, and accelerating export transmission, further highlighting the divergence between domestic and overseas aluminum price trends. The SHFE/LME aluminum price ratio declined further from the April average of 7.03 to the May average of 6.66, with the inverted price spread between domestic and overseas markets widening, as the trend of overseas aluminum prices outperforming SHFE aluminum continued to deepen. May Aluminum Price Review: Similar Pace but Intensifying Divergence in Strength China · The Most-Traded SHFE Aluminum Contract The contract opened low at around 24,800 yuan/mt at the beginning of the month. After the holiday, it pulled back rapidly due to high domestic inventory and weaker-than-expected downstream demand, hitting the monthly low of 24,075 yuan/mt on May 7. In mid-month, it rebounded to 24,620 yuan/mt driven by positive signals from the China-US meeting. In the latter part of the month, it pulled back to 24,375 yuan/mt as ceasefire expectations heated up combined with off-season drag. Ex-China · LME Aluminum The contract opened at $3,480/mt at the beginning of the month. In mid-month, it rallied to $3,680/mt (the monthly high and a four-year high) supported by supply disruptions and continued destocking. At month-end, it corrected to $3,628/mt, impacted by news that a US-Iran ceasefire agreement was 95% reached. In terms of price-driving factors, geopolitics remained the core common variable for aluminum prices in and outside China this month. Production cuts in the Middle East and shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz continued to provide a shortage premium for LME aluminum. The price divergence stemmed from dual differences in macro policy and fundamentals—slow destocking from high inventory levels in China constrained SHFE aluminum's rebound space, while historically low inventory and a high premium structure outside China provided strong support for LME aluminum prices. Core Inventory Indicators: Extreme Divergence Between Domestic and Overseas Inventory with Contrasting Destocking Pace China · Gradual Decline from High Levels, Pressure Persists Social inventory began to pull back from the high of 1.456 million mt at the beginning of May, reaching approximately 1.401 million mt by month-end, with only about 55,000 mt destocked over the entire month. The destocking pace was slow, with inventory remaining at a near six-year high for the same period. SHFE warrants recorded 485,500 mt on May 29, still showing inventory buildup on a weekly basis, confirming ample spot supply in China. Ex-China · 20-Year Low, Structural Deficit Becomes Evident LME total inventory declined from approximately 363,000 mt at the beginning of the month to 338,000 mt at month-end, a decrease of approximately 25,000 mt over the month, with inventory levels at historically extreme lows. LME aluminum Cash-3M premiums closed at $92.53/mt at month-end, widening significantly from approximately $29/mt at the beginning of the month. Japan's Q3 spot premiums rose, premiums in Europe and the US continued to climb, and the rigid supply gap outside China provided sustained and strong support for LME aluminum. Macro and Fundamentals Intertwined: Geopolitical Dynamics and Rate Hike Expectations Dominating Sentiment Geopolitical Variables: Repeated Ceasefire Negotiations At the beginning of the month, the US military launched airstrikes on southern Iran, with military frictions between the two sides recurring. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remained disrupted, and geopolitical risk premiums climbed. At month-end, a US-Iran framework agreement was reportedly 95% complete, and a 60-day temporary ceasefire draft emerged. Expectations for the resumption of strait navigation warmed, and geopolitical premiums converged significantly. On the morning of May 28, both SHFE aluminum and LME aluminum plunged. US Fed Expectations: Hawkish Pressure US April CPI came in at 3.4% YoY, with core PCE reaching 2.8%. Inflation stickiness, compounded by Middle East conflicts pushing oil prices above $90/barrel, led hawkish US Fed officials to release signals of "raising rates at any time." Market expectations for a 25bp rate hike within the year surged abruptly, and a stronger US dollar continued to weigh on the demand outlook for non-ferrous metals. IV. Current Core Market Trades and Arbitrage Strategies (Including Divergence in Capital Behavior) Based on the current SHFE and LME fundamentals, inventory pace, and LME curve structure, the aluminum market overall exhibits a cautious unidirectional and arbitrage-dominated trading pattern. In particular, SHFE-LME cross-market reverse arbitrage (selling SHFE and buying LME) has become the core market play. Capital behavior among market participants has shown clear divergence, mainly falling into three categories: 1. Early-positioning capital (light long positions in reverse arbitrage) Some trading capital has positioned reverse arbitrage ahead of time based on the logic that China's inventory inflection point has already appeared. The core expectation of such capital is that as China's inventory gradually enters a destocking channel, accelerated destocking is highly likely to follow, rapidly easing China's high inventory pressure. The weak SHFE aluminum pattern is expected to be corrected, and the depressed SHFE-LME ratio has clear room for recovery, warranting early light positioning to capture the ratio rebound. 2. Wait-and-see cautious capital (staying on the sidelines for now) The majority of market capital has maintained a wait-and-see stance, with two core concerns: First, China is currently only experiencing slow destocking, and its sustainability is questionable during the off-season, as inventory pressure has not been substantially cleared and SHFE aluminum lacks sufficient rebound momentum. Second, LME is currently in a deep backwardation structure, making roll and extension costs for LME aluminum bulls extremely high, with significant cost erosion and high open interest pressure for holding long-term reverse arbitrage positions. Combined with the entrenched short-term pattern of LME outperforming SHFE, the price spread still risks further widening. Therefore, this segment of capital has chosen to wait for confirmed signals of accelerated destocking in China before entering the market. 3. Previously trapped capital (open interest under pressure, caught in a dilemma) Some positions that were established earlier to set up SHFE-LME reverse arbitrage are currently slightly underwater. Recently, LME has been continuously driven higher by geopolitical risks while SHFE has been range-bound and weak, with the divergence between LME outperforms SHFE intensifying, causing the ratio to remain persistently low and unrealized losses to emerge. Meanwhile, LME contango fees have risen sharply, long positions carrying costs continue to increase, and the pressure of holding trapped positions has further intensified. In the short term, these positions are caught in a dilemma, highly dependent on the subsequent pace of China's inventory destocking to restore the spread. Overall, the sole core inflection variable for SHFE-LME reverse arbitrage is currently the pace of domestic inventory destocking. Once weekly inventory drawdowns continue to widen and accelerated destocking is confirmed, it will directly drive a reversal in three types of capital behavior: sidelined capital entering the market en masse, trapped positions getting unwound, and early-entry positions realizing profits, triggering a rapid recovery in the ratio. Looking ahead to June, the aluminum market's core focus centers on three dimensions: first, whether the US-Iran ceasefire agreement can be formally signed and the pace of resuming navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, which will directly determine the extent of geopolitical premium convergence — if the agreement materializes and Middle Eastern aluminum supply gradually recovers, the prior support logic for LME aluminum faces correction risk; second, whether domestic inventory destocking can accelerate — continued export growth and import suppression will keep driving destocking, and the magnitude of destocking will determine SHFE aluminum's upside elasticity. The US Fed's June FOMC meeting is highly likely to keep rates unchanged, but a hawkish tone and sticky inflation will continue to suppress interest rate cut expectations, with a stronger US dollar maintaining sustained pressure on non-ferrous metals. Overall, the aluminum market in June is expected to continue the pattern where LME outperforms SHFE, though the degree of divergence is likely to narrow. LME aluminum is expected to hover at highs amid the tug-of-war between geopolitical premium convergence and rigid ex-China supply deficits, with downside room constrained by low inventory and high premiums. [ Data source disclaimer: Data other than publicly available information is derived from public information, market communication, and SMM's internal database models, processed by SMM for reference only and does not constitute decision-making advice. ] Data source: SMM