On July 21, the Jiangsu Provincial Development and Reform Commission issued the Notice on the Implementation Plan for the Development of Distributed Photovoltaic in Jiangsu Province (2026- 2030). The notice requires that, in accordance with the overall requirement of "actively and prudently promoting carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, promoting the clean, low-carbon, and efficient use of energy, and accelerating the planning and construction of a new energy system", based on the actual situation of abundant rooftop resources in our province's parks and rural areas, we should increase the organization and development of distributed photovoltaic power. Distinguish between commercial and household scenarios, and focus on centralized flow, Distributed access is secondary, and priority shoul

Recently, the General Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the "Notice on Organizing the Development of National Zero-Carbon Factories" (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice"), officially launching the construction of national zero-carbon factories. The PV industry is an advantageous industry in China's clean energy equipment manufacturing sector, providing critical equipment support for the green and low-carbon transformation of energy while facing the important task of enhancing the low-carbon level of manufacturing processes and strengthening the green competitiveness of products. Guided by the "dual carbon" goals, promoting the PV industry to accelerate the construction of national zero-carbon factories is not only a key path to adhering to the priority of energy conservation and systematically promoting deep decarbonization of the industry, but also a strategic measure to cultivate new quality productive forces and help the industrial sector achieve the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality on schedule.

Recently, public information from the Zhejiang Provincial Investment Project Online Approval and Regulatory Platform showed that the Zhejiang Green Alcohol-Hydrogen Fuel New Energy Industrial Park project has been filed. The project plans to construct facilities with an annual production capacity of 300,000 mt of M100 vehicle methanol fuel, along with 100,000 mt of vehicle alcohol-based fuel and integrated storage and transportation facilities for alcohol-based liquid fuel, further improving the regional green fuel supply system. It is learned that the project is located on the south side of the Railway East Station in the Logistics Park, Chengnan Block, High-tech Zone, Longyou County, Quzhou City, Zhejiang Province. It is undertaken by Zhejiang Saifu Energy Technology Co., Ltd., with a total investment of 350 million yuan. Construction is planned to start in August 2026 and is expected to be completed by October 2027. According to the filing content, the project will be constructed around the Green Alcohol-Hydrogen Fuel New Energy Industrial Park, establishing a comprehensive support system that integrates intelligent warehousing, logistics transportation, and fuel storage and transportation , and building a vehicle methanol fuel storage and distribution center with supporting transportation networks, to provide stable supply assurance for vehicle methanol fuel applications and the related clean energy market in Zhejiang Province. The project will also newly build 300,000 mt M100 vehicle methanol fuel logistics, blending, storage and transportation facilities , and simultaneously construct supporting projects with an annual transfer capacity of 100,000 mt for vehicle alcohol-based fuel and alcohol-based liquid fuel warehousing and transportation integration, further enhancing the circulation efficiency of regional green fuels. In addition, leveraging the enterprise’s existing approximately 50 mu of industrial storage land, the project will construct a green methanol fuel storage and transportation base and an international, standardized methanol fuel logistics, blending, and warehousing system, further improving the supporting capacity of the green fuel industry chain. From the application prospect, methanol fuel features green and low-carbon, environmental protection, high efficiency, and good economic viability , aligning with the carbon peak and carbon neutrality directions and conforming to relevant national industrial policies, thereby possessing significant development potential in the clean energy transportation sector. The filing information shows that the project adopts an overall construction approach without phasing. After full completion, it is expected to generate an annual sales revenue of 1.6 billion yuan, annual profit of 120 million yuan, and annual tax revenue of 66 million yuan, delivering notable economic, environmental, and social benefits.

On July 27, shares of China Northern Rare Earth rose, closing up 1.15% at 39.48 yuan per share. In other news, the investor relations activity record for June 2026, announced by China Northern Rare Earth on July 21, showed: Q: What is the progress of the green smelting upgrade and transformation project? What benefits will the project bring to the company upon completion? China Northern Rare Earth responded: The company has invested in and constructed the new-generation rare earth green mining, beneficiation and smelting upgrade and transformation project. Phase I has already been put into production, with the production line fully connected; for Phase II, the main structure of the main process building has been completed, and equipment installation is underway. The project adopts industry-leading new processes, technologies and equipment to build a green, intelligent, intensive and high-end rare earth raw material industrial base. By creating a complete automated production line for rare earth smelting and adopting various intelligent equipment systems, the project enhances the intelligent level of green rare earth smelting equipment, enabling high-quality, high-efficiency, low-consumption and flexible intelligent production. It continuously improves the comprehensive utilization level of Bayan Obo resources, actively fosters a higher-quality, more efficient, better-structured, lower-carbon and safer industrial development landscape, effectively achieves the safe and sustainable development of the industry chain and supply chain, and further strengthens the competitive advantage of China's rare earth industry. Upon completion, the project is expected to reduce acid and alkali unit consumption by over 20%, reduce fresh water usage by 30%, and save approximately 15% of energy, effectively raising the level of intensive, efficient, low-carbon and environmentally sound utilization of rare earth resources. It will significantly promote the sustainable, high-quality development of the rare earth industry and downstream application fields, make positive contributions to regional economic and social development, and deliver favorable social benefits. Q: How large are the medium-heavy rare earth reserves in the Bayan Obo mine? China Northern Rare Earth responded: The total medium-heavy rare earth reserves in the Bayan Obo mine are very substantial. In light of changes in the global rare earth resource supply landscape, the company is committed to the research and application of all rare earth elements and categories. It has recently increased investments in medium-heavy rare earths, continuously pursuing technological innovation and boosting R&D spending to provide downstream clients with cost-effective products or solutions. Q: What is the company's sales model for rare earth products? How are prices determined? China Northern Rare Earth responded: The company's products are mainly divided into rare earth raw material products, rare earth new material products, and rare earth end-use application products. Among these, rare earth raw material products include rare earth salts, rare earth oxides and rare earth metals, which serve as the main production raw materials for downstream rare earth new material and new material product processing enterprises. Rare earth new material products include rare earth magnetic materials, polishing materials, hydrogen storage materials, catalytic materials, and rare earth alloys. The company's rare earth end-use application products primarily consist of rare earth permanent magnet high-efficiency energy-saving motors, solid-state hydrogen storage cylinders, and hydrogen-powered two-wheelers. The company generally adopts sales models such as long-term agreements and retail, with long-term agreements accounting for over 50%. Its selling prices are set based on market demand, market price fluctuations, and actual transactions, with metal prices also referencing those from the Baotou Rare Earth Products Exchange. Question: How does the company view future rare earth product prices? What are the downstream applications of rare earth? China Northern Rare Earth responded: Against the backdrop of global carbon neutrality, the vigorous growth of new energy industries and technological innovation has brought new development opportunities for rare earth as a key element of new quality productive forces. Rare earth, recognized as a critical mineral factor globally, has become a vital pillar for future industries. Rare earth product prices are mainly influenced by a combination of factors such as market supply, demand, and market expectations. In the short term, due to the pace of industry supply and demand and downstream procurement cycles, rare earth prices are expected to remain range-bound and fluctuate. In the medium term, the supply pattern in the rare earth industry will remain orderly and controllable, with prices generally running steadily. In the long term, as incremental demand from new energy, high-end equipment, humanoid robots, and other sectors continues to be released and steadily develop, rare earth prices will receive strong support. Against the broader backdrop of carbon neutrality, rare earth connects with manufacturing upgrades, technological innovation, global industry chain adjustments, and national development strategies. The long-term development of the rare earth industry is stable and positive. With the advancement of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, the core demand for rare earth is shifting towards green low-carbon new energy and high-end manufacturing. High-performance rare earth permanent magnets are used in new energy vehicle drive motors, new energy ship power systems, electric aircraft, eVTOL, etc. Some MLCC (multilayer ceramic capacitors) also add trace amounts of rare earth oxides for doping modification, driving continuous growth in rare earth demand. Question: What are the company's plans for extending its industry chain? Will it further expand into downstream end-use applications? China Northern Rare Earth responded: After years of development, the company has taken the lead in the industry to become an integrated, group-level publicly listed firm that combines rare earth smelting and separation, functional materials, application products, scientific research, and trade. It has formed an industrial structure based on rare earth resources, centered on smelting and separation, focused on new materials, and oriented towards expanding into end-use applications. Relying on an innovation-driven development strategy, it continuously promotes industrial structure adjustment, transformation and upgrading, achieving integrated development across the upstream, midstream, and downstream of rare earth, and building an industry-leading competitive advantage across the entire industry chain. The company has deployed six major industries: magnetic materials, polishing materials, energy storage materials, catalytic additives, high-purity metals and alloys, and optical functional materials. It has: (1) established the rare earth permanent magnet material–permanent magnet motor industry chain, continuously enhancing the production capacity of permanent magnet motors; (2) established the rare earth hydrogen storage material–solid-state hydrogen storage industry chain, focusing on solid-state hydrogen storage applications such as hydrogen fuel two-wheelers, solid-state hydrogen storage forklifts, and hydrogen refueling stations, to promote industrial application; (3) established the rare earth alloy–intermediate alloys of rare earth iron, rare earth aluminum-magnesium industry chain, constructing a demonstration line for large-scale production of high-purity rare earth metals and targets, driving breakthroughs in applications of rare earth aluminum-magnesium alloys in advanced rail transit and lightweight profiles; (4) consolidated and expanded the leading position of the rare earth polishing materials industry in and outside China, breaking through production technologies for high-end products such as high-performance rare earth polishing powders and polishing for high-grade glass substrates, and breaking foreign monopolies; (5) established the rare earth catalytic material–exhaust purification functional device industry chain, focusing on industrial exhaust gas treatment, automotive exhaust gas purification, volatile organic compound (VOC) treatment, and petrochemicals to achieve industrialization; and (6) expanded the application fields of rare earth optical functional materials, strengthening the commercialization and promotion of rare earth multi-color reflective thermal insulation coatings, rare earth infrared radiation materials, and rare earth infrared heat storage and temperature-rise materials. For example: to address the poor thermal insulation of architectural glass, the company developed a rare-earth nano thermal-barrier coating that significantly reduces air-conditioning energy consumption; to mitigate heat accumulation on building exteriors and metal surfaces, the company developed a rare-earth multi-colour reflective thermal-insulation coating containing over 25% lanthanum-cerium compounds, effectively alleviating the heat-island effect; leveraging the unique photofunctional properties of light rare earths, the company developed polyester-based rare-earth functional fibres that enable smart thermal regulation such as heat storage, thermal insulation and UV shielding. Closely following market demand, the company continuously increases R&D investment, optimises product structure and performance, and meets the differentiated needs of downstream clients. Q: How is the company progressing in the utilisation of rare-earth secondary resources? China Northern Rare Earth responds: In the current context of green and low-carbon development, the prospects for rare-earth secondary resource utilisation are broad. The Rare Earth Regulations explicitly encourage and support enterprises in adopting advanced and applicable technologies and processes to conduct comprehensive utilisation of rare-earth secondary resources. Meanwhile, the continuously climbing demand for rare earths in fields such as NEVs, wind power and consumer electronics is also providing more resources for rare-earth secondary resource utilisation. For a long time, the company has been consistently focusing on secondary resource recycling and recovery. Regarding the return of scrap after the sale of Pr-Nd alloy, since 2022 the company has included a provision when signing supply agreements with downstream magnetic material enterprises: NdFeB enterprises using the company’s Pr-Nd alloy must return the production scrap generated in their own manufacturing processes to the company for resource recycling and recovery in accordance with market principles. At present, the company has established a circular loop spanning from raw ore to metal, magnetic material, and the recycling of scrap generated from magnetic material production. The company has made deep deployments in both the north and south. In the south, its controlled subsidiary Xinfeng Xinli has completed the main plant construction for its Phase-I NdFeB scrap recycling and utilisation project, and on-site equipment is undergoing orderly installation and commissioning; its rare-earth oxide comprehensive utilisation technological transformation project has received approval from the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Jiangxi Province. In the north, its controlled subsidiary Jinmeng Rare Earth has completed the “NdFeB Scrap Recycling Automated Production Line” project and the automation upgrade and renovation of the rare-earth concentrates separation line; both lines have commenced production, with notable capacity release. The company actively deploys and develops the rare-earth secondary resource utilisation industry, builds a 10kt-scale resource recycling capacity, achieves full-element rare-earth recycling and recovery through effective utilisation of secondary resources, and enhances the economic value of rare-earth elements. Q: What are the future development trends for polishing materials? China Northern Rare Earth responds: The global polishing fluid market is maintaining a steady growth trend. Demand for high-end semiconductor polishing materials, such as those for AI chips and memory-wafer capacity expansion, continues to rise. Going forward, high-end, refined and green development will become the main theme. The localisation rate of specialised polishing fluids for China’s high-end integrated circuits will increase significantly, while demand for polishing in conventional optics and panels will grow at a moderate pace. The company ranks first in the industry in both production and sales volume and market share in the rare earth polishing materials sector, with its three polishing powder production enterprises covering high-end, mid-end, and low-end segments. In the rare earth polishing materials field, the company has multiple advantages in scale, technology, and upstream-downstream industry chain integration, enabling it to quickly respond to demand from various downstream application fields, achieve steady growth in production and sales, and continuously increase the share of high-value products, holding a leading position in the industry. The company is deeply involved in national strategic scientific and technological breakthroughs, has led the formulation of multiple national and industry standards, completed national-level scientific research projects such as the “863 Program” and “Torch Program,” holds 4 invention patents and 6 utility model patents, and its core technical indicators have reached internationally advanced levels. With self-developed cutting-edge technology, its products are renowned in and outside China for uniform particle size, high polishing efficiency, and strong suspension, and are widely used in manufacturing fields such as liquid crystals, hard disk glass substrates, curved and flat cover glass for mobile phones, crystal and rhinestone ornaments, traditional optical and precision optical components, semiconductor photomasks, and integrated circuits. Q: What is the proportion of externally purchased ore in the company’s raw material supply? China Northern Rare Earth responded: The rare earth raw materials required for the company’s production mainly come from the Baiyun Obo mine, the world’s largest co-existing ore containing rare earths and other elements. The company’s proportion of externally purchased ore is very small and is dynamically adjusted based on production line conditions, market prices, downstream client demand, and other factors. China Northern Rare Earth’s semi-annual performance forecast shows: According to preliminary estimates by the company’s financial department, net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent company in H1 2026 is expected to be RMB1.98 billion to RMB2.06 billion, an increase of RMB1.05 billion to RMB1.13 billion compared with the same period last year (statutory disclosed data), up 112.74% to 121.33% YoY. Net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent company after deducting non-recurring gains and losses in H1 2026 is expected to be RMB1.99 billion to RMB2.07 billion, an increase of RMB1.093 billion to RMB1.173 billion compared with the same period last year (statutory disclosed data), up 121.90% to 130.82% YoY. The main reasons for the expected year-on-year increase in performance: In H1 2026, the company served the national rare earth resource strategy and fully implemented the requirements for security management and control of the rare earth industry chain. Affected by factors such as constrained raw material supply, multi-point release and sustained growth of downstream demand, rare earth product prices showed an overall strengthening trend and consolidated. Focusing on the annual production and operation targets, the company planned holistically and implemented comprehensive measures, strengthened overall budget management, coordinated cost reduction and efficiency improvement, scientifically arranged production scheduling, intensified marketing operations, deepened reform and innovation, enhanced group management and risk prevention and control, advanced the deep integration of professional management, lean management, and 5S management at a high quality, promoted the construction of key projects, accelerated the development of new quality productive forces through management and scientific research innovation, and provided solid support and assurance for achieving good operating results with strong industry chain value creation capability and core competitiveness. The Company scientifically refined production organization and operations, and the production of rare earth smelting and separation products, rare earth metal products, and rare earth new materials all reached record highs for the same period; the Company’s subsidiary, Inner Mongolia Northern Rare Earth Magnetic Materials Co., Ltd., achieved revenue of approximately 9.5 billion yuan in H1, up about 107% YoY, maintaining growth for three consecutive years; its subsidiary Inner Mongolia Xi'ao Ke Hydrogen Storage Alloy Co., Ltd. officially put into operation the first batch of 1,000 hydrogen-powered two-wheelers in Baotou, with cumulative safe driving mileage reaching 170,000 km, achieving notable demonstration results. The Company persisted in benchmarking against advanced internal and external practices to tap internal potential, strengthened lean management, and significantly improved multiple economic and technical indicators. Based on precise measures for each business segment: the smelting and separation segment overcame new production cost changes brought by rising prices of raw and auxiliary materials, effectively managed cost fluctuations, scientifically organized production scheduling, and ensured supply to meet new product demand; the rare earth metal segment took the reinforcement of lean production concepts as a starting point, used digital and intelligent means to further strengthen on-site process operation management, and drove new breakthroughs in economic and technical indicators such as quality and material ratios; the rare earth new materials and applications segment fully leveraged the advantages of new capacity, precisely aligned with client needs, and achieved new progress in driving sales through production. Deepening industry chain synergy and coordination, while ensuring stable product supply, it solidified the foundation of downstream client cooperation. The Company closely followed market demand, strengthened marketing management, optimized sales structures, client credit evaluations, and product account period management, adjusted and shortened account periods by category, secured the fundamental base with long-term agreement orders, and met differentiated market demand through retail. Sales of rare earth metals and magnetic materials steadily increased, achieving full coverage of top-tier players in magnetic materials; sales of lanthanum-cerium products increased YoY, further digesting historical inventory; polishing material sales increased YoY; developed 5 new pieces of equipment and 20 customized and specialized new products, continuously expanding product application scenarios. The Company efficiently advanced key project construction, continuously enhancing its intelligent and informatization level. The first phase of the rare earth green smelting upgrade and transformation project has been put into operation, with all production lines fully connected, and the second phase construction progressing in an orderly manner; industry chain projects such as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and capacity expansion for rare earth metals, magnetic material alloys, magnets, and secondary resource utilization are accelerating their implementation. The secondary resource utilization project achieved volume growth and quality-efficiency improvements; the Company's digital and intelligent transformation pace quickened, with its digital and intelligent level continuously improving. Regarding the 2026 business plan, China Northern Rare Earth announced in its 2025 annual report that: 2026 is the opening year of the "15th Five-Year Plan", and is an important year for the Company to advance high-quality development and accelerate building itself into a world-class rare earth leader. The company will adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, focus on forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and all plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, and carry out the important speeches and instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on Inner Mongolia and the rare earth industry, as well as the decisions and deployments of higher authorities including the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Baotou City. It will uphold the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, fully, accurately and comprehensively apply the new development philosophy, bravely fulfill its responsibilities and missions, steadily improve operational quality and efficiency, build an industrial system covering all elements and categories, promote the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation, accelerate the pace of deepening reforms, enhance modern governance capabilities, continuously strengthen core functions and improve core competitiveness, speed up the development into a world-leading rare earth enterprise, ensure a good start and solid first steps for the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, and make new and greater contributions to the construction of the "Two Rare Earth Bases." Main production and operation targets for 2026 (these targets are solely planned objectives; whether they can ultimately be achieved is uncertain and does not constitute a substantive commitment to investors; investors and relevant parties should maintain sufficient risk awareness and understand the differences among plans, forecasts, and commitments): achieve operating revenue of over 44 billion yuan and total profit of over 3.5 billion yuan. On the premise of meeting operational targets, employee income will be linked to corporate economic benefits and labor productivity in the same direction. A review of the SMM Pr-Nd oxide price trend in H1 shows that the average price of Pr-Nd oxide on June 30 was 742,500 yuan/mt, up 136,000 yuan/mt from 606,500 yuan/mt on December 31, 2025, representing an H1 increase of 22.42%. The average price of Pr-Nd oxide in H1 this year was 740,530.17 yuan/mt, compared with an average of 430,952.99 yuan/mt in H1 2025, a YoY rise of 309,577.18 yuan/mt, or 71.84%. According to SMM quotes, on July 27, the average price of Pr-Nd oxide was 765,000 yuan/mt, up 0.99% from the previous trading day. For the rare earth market outlook, in the short term, amid a stalemate in the tug-of-war between upstream and downstream, Pr-Nd product prices are expected to move sideways within a narrow range, with limited room for significant upward or downward movement. Supporting factors come from the supply side — recently some raw ore separation enterprises have suspended operations, production at scrap recycling enterprises remains persistently low, and overall oxide supply is relatively tight, forming bottom support for prices. Pressuring factors come from the demand side, as new orders for magnetic material enterprises are unlikely to recover quickly in the short term, buyers have low acceptance of high prices, and the market lacks sustained upward momentum. For heavy rare earths, after experiencing adjustments this week, dysprosium and terbium are expected to gradually stabilize as major players step in to purchase. From a medium-term perspective, most industry participants hold expectations for a demand recovery in the traditional peak season at the end of Q3, and coupled with the likely improvement in new export orders, the rare earth price center still has the potential to edge upward steadily after a period of consolidation. However, in the short term, close attention must be paid to the pace of downstream restocking and the purchasing moves of top-tier players. Recommended reading:

SMM, July 21 – To deepen industry exchanges, smooth information channels, and accurately grasp development trends and market dynamics in the zinc and indium sectors, on July 21, a team from SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd. (SMM) — including Geng Zhiyao, Senior Analyst for Copper, Lead and Zinc; Li Hanyu, Senior Zinc Analyst; and Dai Junxiu, Senior Business Manager — visited Yunnan Tin Wenshan Zinc Indium Smelting Co., Ltd. for an exchange and was warmly received by relevant leaders of the company. During the exchange, the two parties had in-depth discussions on core industry topics, such as current zinc and indium price trends, the enterprise’s comprehensive recovery technologies for zinc and indium metals, existing production and processing capacity, and the regional layout of new mine capacity. Meanwhile, the SMM team introduced in detail the platform’s existing pricing system, pricing logic, and mainstream market application scenarios, conducted in-depth exchanges with the enterprise on industry pricing standards and market quotation applications, fully listened to frontline production and market demands, and further broke down information barriers between upstream and downstream. This visit effectively consolidated the foundation for information sharing across the industry and provided strong support for accurately assessing zinc and indium market trends and promoting the green, high-quality, and standardized development of the industry. Profile of Yunnan Tin Wenshan Zinc Indium Smelting Co., Ltd. Yunnan Tin Wenshan Zinc Indium Smelting Co., Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yunnan Tin Co., Ltd. Established in May 2016 with a registered capital of 1.1 billion yuan and 843 registered employees, it is a state-owned enterprise integrating production, R&D, and trade, mainly engaged in the smelting, processing, sales, and trading of non-ferrous metals and ore products. After six years of independent process and equipment R&D, the company overcame the industrialization challenges of hematite technology and equipment. In 2018, it invested 2.44 billion yuan to build China’s first and the world’s second demonstration plant for hematite iron removal hydrometallurgical zinc smelting. The plant reached full production and standards within one year, with core indicators leading the industry: zinc recovery rate >98%, indium recovery rate >83%, copper recovery rate >95%, lead and silver recovery rate >99%, iron resource utilization rate >95%, comprehensive energy consumption for zinc electrowinning 99.96%, and tail gas SO 2 <60 mg/Nm 3 . Leveraging its technological and green development strengths, the company has received more than 30 honors, including national-level “Quality Engineering” award, national-level specialized and sophisticated key “Little Giant” enterprise, national-level green factory, and high-tech enterprise. It holds 42 authorized patents (including 21 invention patents), and three of its core technologies have won the First Prize of China Nonferrous Metals Industry Science and Technology Award. The “New Green and Efficient Zinc Smelting Technology for Complex Polymetallic Iron-bearing Sphalerite” and the “Hematite Process for Iron Removal and Zinc Smelting” have been respectively listed by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), and other authorities in the industry carbon peak action plan and energy-saving and carbon-reduction guide, and are promoted as key advanced technologies. SMM Contact: Geng Zhiyao Tel: 13818541149

By 2030, approximately 80,000 kilometers of facility renovations will be carried out, a new round of rural road improvement actions will be launched, and 500,000 kilometers of rural roads will be newly built or upgraded.

The "15th Five-Year Plan" Action Plan for Carbon Peak was released. In the transportation sector, the Action Plan proposes that by 2030, the NEV ownership share should strive to reach 30%, and the ownership share of new energy commercial vehicles should reach 25%. As of the end of 2025, the national NEV ownership share was approximately 12%, meaning the target of more than doubling will need to be achieved within five years. For ordinary people, during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the ownership of new energy private cars will further increase.

The State Council issued the "15th Five-Year Plan for Carbon Peak Action," outlining key tasks in five areas. The plan proposes to support local consumption of new energy, actively develop models of green electricity direct supply such as green electricity direct connection and new energy nearby access to incremental distribution networks, and promote the integrated development of generation-grid-load-storage. By 2030, pumped storage hydropower installed capacity will reach around 160 million kW, new-type energy storage installed capacity will strive to reach 300 million kW, the maximum regulation capacity of virtual power plants nationwide will exceed 50 million kW, and power demand response capability will reach over 5% of the maximum electricity load.

SMM Cobalt Morning Brief: This week, the cobalt industry chain continued to consolidate on a weak note overall. Refined cobalt traded around 380,000 yuan/mt. Although smelters slightly raised their offers, high inventory and weak end-use demand limited price recovery. The trading center of cobalt intermediate products moved lower. Cobalt sulphate ground lower on a weak note. Transactions of cobalt chloride and Co3O4 were sluggish. Cobalt powder remained under pressure due to the traditional off-season. The pullback in raw material prices dragged down ternary cathode precursors and ternary cathode materials. LCO remained stable with a weak bias. Future market trends still require attention on Q3 restocking and end-use demand recovery.

SMM, July 10: Metals market side, overnight, base metals on the domestic market mostly rose. SHFE copper rose 1.58%, SHFE aluminum rose 0.48%, SHFE lead fell 0.19%, SHFE zinc rose 1.26%, SHFE tin rose 2.26%, and SHFE nickel rose 1.08%. In addition, the most-traded alumina futures rose 0.29%, and the most-traded casting aluminum contract rose 0.63%. Overnight, ferrous metals mostly fell. Stainless steel fell 0.59%, iron ore rose 0.27%, rebar fell 0.13%, and hot-rolled coil was flat at 3,297 yuan/mt. Coking coal and coke side, the most-traded coking coal contract fell 2.79%, and the most-traded coke contract fell 2.15%. Overnight, on the overseas market, LME base metals all rose. LME copper rose 1.71%, LME aluminum rose 2.29%, LME lead rose 0.19%, LME zinc rose 2.49%, LME tin rose 2.18%, and LME nickel rose 1.13%. Overnight, precious metals side : COMEX gold rose 1.23%, and COMEX silver rose 3.1%. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE gold contract rose 1.31%, and the most-traded SHFE silver contract rose 3.22%. According to Polish central bank Governor Grabinski, the bank purchased billions of dollars worth of gold during the recent dip in gold prices. At a press conference in Warsaw on Thursday, Grabinski said the bank has purchased 82 mt of gold so far this year. This means that since the last official data release in April, the bank added another 37 mt of gold, worth approximately $5 billion at current prices. “Taking advantage of the recent price decline, we have been continuously purchasing gold,” Grabinski said. Poland reported more gold purchases than any other central bank in 2025 and is expected to continue this record this year. Gold prices have fallen over 10% since April. Grabinski reiterated the Polish central bank’s target of 700 mt of gold reserves. He said the bank currently holds 632.4 mt of gold, of which 105 mt is stored in Poland and the rest is held in London and New York. (Jinshi Data APP) Bernstein raised its 2026 gold price forecast, expecting a H2 gold price target of $4,375 per ounce and a full-year target price of $4,533. The firm believes that continued central bank purchases and the high probability that the US Fed will not cut interest rates over the next 12 months will be key factors supporting gold prices. Bernstein expects the Fed to raise rates at most 1 to 2 times, and gold ETF outflow pressure will also be limited. Bernstein noted that in Q2 2026, rising real interest rates caused gold prices to pull back from $4,650/oz to around $4,000, but as rate expectations stabilize, gold still has upside room. The firm also warned that if inflation persistently exceeds expectations, prompting the Fed to hike rates more aggressively, that would become a major risk to gold’s upward movement. (Jinshi Data APP) As of 7:12 AM on July 10, overnight closing market data: Macro front China side: [State Council Issues “15th Five-Year Plan” Carbon Peak Action Plan: Carbon Emissions to Decrease 17% in 2030 Compared with 2025] On July 9, the “15th Five-Year Plan Carbon Peak Action Plan” was released, charting a “roadmap” for China to meet its carbon peak target before 2030. Over the next five years, China’s energy structure will undergo further adjustment and optimization. By 2030, China’s carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will be reduced by 17% from 2025 levels, and non-fossil energy consumption will account for 25% of the total. In terms of specific measures, the Action Plan clearly mandates accelerating energy structure adjustment and optimization and vigorously promoting non-fossil energy development. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, new electricity consumption will be increasingly covered by new clean energy generation. The Action Plan intensifies efforts to promote green and low-carbon industrial development, with a series of new measures being introduced. On one hand, it aims to deepen the low-carbon transition of traditional industries, advancing energy-saving and carbon-reduction projects in steel, aluminum, cement, flat glass, petrochemical engineering and other key industries. On the other hand, it focuses on vigorously developing emerging green and low-carbon industries such as green energy, green manufacturing, and green services. For existing capacity, it emphasizes “improving quality through green transition,” guiding enterprises from a zero-sum cost-driven competition mindset toward an innovative approach of low-carbon and zero-carbon development. For new capacity, it stresses “cultivating the new with green transition,” nurturing and expanding strategic emerging and future industries characterized by green, low-carbon features. In the transportation sector, the Action Plan proposes that by 2030, the ownership share of NEVs should reach 30%, and the ownership share of new energy operating vehicles should reach 25%. By the end of 2025, national NEV ownership accounted for about 12%, meaning this share will more than double within five years. For ordinary citizens, private NEV ownership will further increase during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. US dollar side: Overnight, the US dollar index fell 0.14% to 100.93. The latest data shows that for the week ending July 4 (which includes the US Independence Day holiday), US initial jobless claims decreased by 2,000 to 215,000, below market expectations of 217,000, remaining near historic lows. However, continuing claims, which reflect the re-employment situation for the unemployed, rose to 1.81 million, the highest level since March. Initial jobless claims persistently running low, together with recent non-farm payrolls data, paint a picture of a US labor market characterized by “reduced layoffs, slowing hiring.” (Wall Street News) Fed Chairman Warsh Kevin has established five working groups to conduct a comprehensive review of the Fed’s monetary policy operating framework, covering areas such as balance sheet management, policy tools, and the impact of artificial intelligence. The Fed stated that the working groups will operate independently, conduct fact-based studies, and submit rigorous analyses to the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The review will assess whether there is room for improvement in policy tools, analytical methods, and the policy framework. The review teams include several prominent economists and former central bank officials. Among them, Harvard economist Chetty Raj will co-lead the data working group, tech investor Andreessen Marc will head the productivity and employment working group, and former White House Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Mankiw Gregory will co-lead the inflation working group. Warsh said that the US economy has undergone dramatic changes over the past generation, and the current transformation is occurring at a faster pace, so the Fed needs to ensure it is in optimal condition to achieve its dual mandate of price stability and maximizing employment. (Jinshi Data APP) Additionally, according to the Congressional Budget Office’s “Monthly Budget Review: June 2026,” the US federal budget deficit totaled approximately $1.4 trillion in the first nine months of fiscal year 2026, an increase of $35 billion compared to the same period last fiscal year. Federal revenues over the period were $4.2 trillion, up $142 billion or 4%, while outlays were $5.5 trillion, up $178 billion or 3%. (CCTV) New York Fed Open Market Account Manager Perli stated that reserve management purchase operations have no preset course, and the New York Fed’s open market trading desk can adjust purchase amounts higher or lower depending on money market conditions. Additionally, Perli said that amid Fed Chairman Warsh appointing a working group on the Fed’s balance sheet, the trading desk is ready to implement any changes and interest rate control frameworks the committee may decide to adopt. The Fed began conducting reserve management purchase operations last December, driven by expectations that reserves would decline rapidly in April as tax payments flowed into the Treasury General Account. When the Treasury’s account balance at the Fed increases, reserves in the banking system decline. (Jinshi Data APP) Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan stated that if the FOMC conducts open market operations through a voluntarily participated central clearing mechanism, it would help improve operational efficiency and effectiveness, and enhance US financial market stability. Logan noted that such an arrangement could improve the use of Fed tools, such as the Standing Repo Facility, which aims to provide liquidity to eligible institutions but has seen relatively low market usage so far. Some believe that simplifying clearing processes could increase its attractiveness. She also stated that market leverage levels need to be carefully managed, and financial markets must maintain an appropriate balance between the benefits and risks of leverage, and between leverage and liquidity. (Jinshi Data APP) According to CME “FedWatch”: The probability of the Fed holding rates steady in July is 74.9%, while the probability of a cumulative 25-basis-point hike is 25.1%. Probability for the September meeting: holding rates steady at 35.7%, a cumulative 25-basis-point hike at 51.1%, and a cumulative 50-basis-point hike at 13.1%. (Jinshi Data APP) Other currencies side: Minutes from the ECB’s June meeting showed the bank could no longer ignore the energy shock, projecting that rising energy prices would push medium-term inflation above its 2% target. The ECB Governing Council unanimously decided to raise key interest rates to 2.25% last month, becoming the first major central bank to hike rates due to elevated energy prices caused by the Iran war. The minutes stated: “The current situation clearly falls no longer into the category of shocks that can be looked through.” “The longer energy prices stay high, the more likely it is that they will push up broader inflation through indirect and second-round effects. This increases the risk that the energy shock becomes entrenched in underlying inflation and medium- to long-term inflation expectations.” (Jinshi Data APP) Macro side: Data scheduled for release today include Germany’s June CPI final monthly rate, France’s June CPI final monthly rate, Switzerland’s June consumer confidence index, Canada’s June employment change, China’s June M2 money supply annual rate, China’s June year-to-date new yuan loans, and China’s June year-to-date aggregate social financing growth. Also in focus: 2026 FOMC voting member and Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan’s speech; SK Hynix’s American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) are tentatively scheduled to list on Nasdaq this July 10. Crude oil side: Overnight, both oil futures fell, with WTI oil down 2.33% and Brent oil down 2.72%. Although US-Iran military conflict escalated overnight, the market’s actual reaction was notably subdued, with crude oil closing lower. Brown Brothers Harriman’s Elias Haddad noted that the market views this attack as another “controlled escalation,” based on the premise that the economy can withstand the shock. Goldman Sachs’ Privorotsky shared a similar view, indicating that the market signal suggests no real interest from any party in expanding the conflict, preferring instead to maintain bargaining leverage. However, Privorotsky also warned that while crude oil prices have pulled back, the refined product prices that actually feed into inflation have yet to follow. (Wall Street News) The US Central Command stated that Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. Since early May, US forces have been assisting in safeguarding navigational safety in this vital international trade route, with over 800 merchant ships and 380 million barrels of crude oil successfully passing through the strait. (Jinshi Data APP) Additionally, sources said that the Saratov refinery in Russia has been shut down since Wednesday following a drone attack. (Jinshi Data APP)