GAC Group announced that in March 2026, automobile production was 193,800 units, up 2.60% YoY, and sales were 176,900 units, up 1.68% YoY; cumulative production for the year was 394,800 units, down 3.99% YoY, and cumulative sales were 379,900 units, up 2.38% YoY. In March, NEV production and sales were 56,163 units and 57,577 units, up 18.91% YoY and 72.58% YoY, respectively.

[How Should Zinc Consumption Be Viewed Against the Backdrop of Geopolitical Conflicts?] Q1 2026 had passed, and the overall recovery in post-holiday consumption was somewhat delayed. How would consumption perform going forward?

►New Advances in Magnesium Materials and Processes ►Development and Application of New-Type Low-Cost, High-Strength, Corrosion-Resistant Magnesium Alloys ►Stainless Magnesium Technology: R&D Progress from Alloy Materials to Semi-Solid Processes, R&D and Application of Stainless Magnesium Alloys ►Hefei • Great “Magnesium” Chaohu — Building a First-Class Magnesium Industry Ecosystem in China ►R&D Progress and Current Industrialisation Status of Magnesium-Based Materials and Products at Baowu Magnesium ►Haitian Magnesium Alloy Injection Molding Technology and Market Outlook ►Magnesium from an International Perspective: The Transformation from a Cost-Driven Bulk Commodity to a Strategic Engineering Material ►: Focusing on the New Cycle of Supply and Demand for Magnesium Metal and Downstream Applications — Outlook for the Magnesium Market in 2026

[China’s Automobile Production Reached 4.024 Million Units, January-February] On March 16, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released the latest data showing that, by sector, from January to February, the value added of 35 out of 41 major industrial categories increased YoY. Among them, automobile manufacturing was up 3.4% YoY. By product, from January to February, the production of 397 out of 626 products by industrial enterprises above designated size increased YoY. Among them, automobile production was 4.024 million units, down 9.9%, of which NEV production was 1.604 million units, down 13.7%.

[SMM Cast Aluminum Alloy Morning Comment: Futures Rebound Lifted Sentiment, Spot Quotes Rose Across the Board] Spot market, boosted by the rebound in futures prices, ADC12 quotes rose across the board today, with the SMM average price of ADC12 raised by 300 yuan/mt. Driven by the cost side, producers actively recouped earlier losses, generally raising prices by 200-400 yuan/mt. However, affected by wild swings in prices during the week, downstream purchase sentiment remained cautious, with most buyers staying on the sidelines and only restocking to meet immediate needs, while the overall pace of market transactions was stable. In the short term, against the backdrop of cost support and a mild release of supply, ADC12 prices were expected to hold up well.

According to data released by CAAM, China's automobile production and sales reached 2.45 million units and 2.346 million units, respectively, in January this year. Compared with the same period last year, production increased slightly by 0.01% YoY, while sales decreased by 3.2% YoY. In the segmented market, NEVs performed remarkably, with production and sales reaching 1.041 million units and 945,000 units, respectively, up 2.5% YoY and 0.1% YoY. In addition, NEV exports continued their strong growth momentum, with exports reaching 302,000 units, doubling YoY.

[SMM Cast Aluminum Alloy Morning Comment: Overnight Futures Slightly Lower, Spot Prices Hold Steady Amid Wait-and-See Attitude] On Wednesday, the A00 aluminum price edged down by 30 yuan/mt to 23,260 yuan/mt compared with the previous trading day, while the SMM ADC12 price remained stable at 23,650 yuan/mt. As the Chinese New Year approaches, upstream and downstream enterprises in the secondary aluminum industry chain have entered a concentrated holiday period, leading to a noticeable decline in market liquidity. Actual transactions continue to be sluggish, with spot quotations largely making minor adjustments around the futures market.

[SMM Express] The latest data released today (11th) by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) showed that China's automobile industry maintained stable operation in January 2026. In January, automobile production and sales reached 2.45 million units and 2.346 million units, respectively, with production up 0.01% YoY and sales down 3.2% YoY.

According to CAAM data, in January, automobile production and sales reached 2.45 million and 2.346 million units respectively. Production was up 0.01% YoY, while sales decreased by 3.2% YoY, down 25.7% and 28.3% MoM respectively. NEV production and sales reached 1.041 million and 945,000 units respectively, increasing by 2.5% and 0.1% YoY. NEV sales accounted for 40.3% of total new automobile sales. According to CAAM analysis, in January, the overall automobile industry operated steadily. The passenger vehicle market experienced some decline, while the commercial vehicle market continued its positive trend. The NEV market operated stably, and automobile exports maintained growth. The main factors contributing to the market decline were: first, the transition and adjustment of the NEV purch

[SMM Hot Topic: Leveraging the "Golden Key" of Trade-in Policy to Unlock New Growth Opportunities in the Market] "Market sales have rebounded significantly, with rapid growth in trade-in related goods." This was stated by Fu Linghui, spokesperson for the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and director of the Department of Comprehensive Statistics of National Economy, at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on June 16. Implementing trade-in policies for consumer goods plays a crucial role in boosting consumption and expanding domestic demand. Since the beginning of this year, various regions have continuously intensified their trade-in policies, effectively stimulating market vitality and becoming a "golden key" to promoting economic growth and enhancing people's livelihoods.