The global automotive industry is accelerating its low-carbon and intelligent transformation, with China's automotive industry advancing from scale advantages to dual leadership in technology and supply chain. In 2025, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles in China exceeded 50%, driving the upgrade of automotive materials such as aluminum, steel, and magnesium, with demand for lightweight new materials surging. Coupled with the implementation of the EU carbon border tax, low-carbon transformation of the industry chain is imminent. Coinciding with the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan and the deepening phase of the dual carbon goals, the industry urgently needs a professional platform to address material technology challenges. Against this backdrop,will be held on September 10-11, 2026 in Shanghai . SMM together with exclusive drinking water title sponsorship partner - Anhui Xiongchuang Aluminum Alloy New Material Co., Ltd. sincerely invites industry peers to attend the conference, promoting the in-depth evolution of the automotive supply chain toward green, lightweight, intelligent, and global development. Clickto attend. We look forward to meeting you at the conference. Anhui Xiongchuang Aluminum Alloy New Material Co., Ltd. was established in October 2018 with a registered capital of 100 million yuan. Located at No. 12 Yanghuai Road, Economic Development Zone, Suixi County, Huaibei City, Anhui province, it is a private new-type aluminum alloy material enterprise integrating R&D, production, and sales. The company occupies a total land area of 63,603 m², approximately 95.5 mu. The planned total construction area is 32,000 m², with supporting public auxiliary engineering. The total project investment is approximately 150 million yuan, of which construction investment is 95 million yuan. The overall designed capacity is 150,000 mt per year. The main products include various grades of high-quality cast aluminum alloy ingots, aluminum alloy liquid, and secondary aluminum alloy bars, primarily used in automotive, new energy, and other fields . The main production equipment adopts China's advanced high-efficiency and energy-saving automatic melting furnaces, achieving high efficiency, energy conservation, reduced slag formation, and improved aluminum liquid purity. The production equipment, technical level, and economic indicators have reached the advanced level of similar domestic production processes. The company is dedicated to the research and manufacturing of aluminum as a substitute for steel and aluminum as an substitute for copper, promoting the lightweight development of automotive, rail transit, and aerospace components, achieving energy conservation and emission reduction, and protecting the global environment. For every mt of secondary aluminum we recycle, we can reduce ore mining by 11 mt, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 0.8 mt, reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 0.6 mt, reduce solid scrap by 20 mt, save 22 m³ of water, and save 14,000 kWh of electricity. Soaring forward with bold strides, breaking through with innovation! Xiongchuang Aluminum Alloy builds its backbone with integrity and forges brilliance with service! In the future, we will fully leverage our industrial advantages, integrate resources from all parties, target market development trends, and create greater value for our clients. Contact Information Mr. Liu 181 0561 3888 Mr. Yang 151 3040 8133 SMM Conference Contact Lv Junlei 176 1601 9596 lvjunlei@smm.cn

【SMM Steel】Taiwan's steel cutting and pipe manufacturing groups have requested CSC to slow down price increases for Q3, citing end-user resistance, reduced purchase volumes, and falling export orders after months of rising costs. Low-priced imports and semi-finished products are also disrupting the domestic market. CSC Sales Director Po-Han Chen promised careful price evaluations during the inventory digestion period and warned against speculative bottom-fishing of imports. CSC also announced that starting Q4, monthly price releases will be fixed on the 5th, with early announcements if that date falls on a holiday.

The global automotive industry is accelerating its low-carbon and intelligent transformation, and China's automotive industry is moving from scale advantages toward dual leadership in technology and supply chain. In 2025, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles in China exceeded 50%, driving the upgrade of automotive materials such as aluminum, steel, and magnesium, with demand for lightweight new materials surging. Coupled with the implementation of the EU carbon border tax, low-carbon transformation across the industry chain is imminent. Coinciding with the launch of the 15th Five-Year Plan and the deepening of the dual-carbon strategy, the industry urgently needs a professional platform to address material technology challenges. Against this backdrop, will be held on September 10-11, 2026 in Shanghai . SMM , together with Hebei Taili Zhente Technology Co., Ltd. , cordially invites industry peers to attend the conference, promoting the in-depth evolution of the automotive supply chain toward green, lightweight, intelligent, and globalized development. Click to attend. We look forward to meeting you at the conference. Hebei Taili Zhente Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Taili Zhente") was established in 2017. It currently has nearly 70 employees, with various professional technical personnel accounting for 70%. It has 3,800 m² of R&D facilities and 8,000 m² of production workshops. The company is dedicated to providing clients with comprehensive solutions through specialized welding technology, with business areas covering equipment manufacturing and sales, process research and development, and technical consulting and services. Adhering to the development philosophy of "Innovation and Sustainability" and shouldering the historic responsibility of "advancing technology to promote technological development," Taili Zhente aims to build Hebei Taili Zhente Technology Co., Ltd. into an internationally oriented company with advanced technology specializing in specialized welding and equipment. The company provides equipment and processes for non-ferrous metal welding required in industries such as aviation, aerospace, shipbuilding, rail transit, electronics and power, and automotive, committing to "turnkey projects" and providing technical assurance for clients to achieve zero-defect products. Contact Information Li Yan, General Manager, 138 1119 1485 Address: No. 16 Yangguang Street, Industrial Park, Development Zone, Zhuozhou City SMM Conference Contact Sun Lingchen 151 6685 2590 sunlingchen@smm.cn

North China is the core heartland of China's cable industry. Leveraging its industrial heritage, full industry chain supporting facilities, and favorable Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development policies, the region has established a complete industrial cluster integrating raw material processing, cable production, new material R&D, and intelligent equipment manufacturing. The annual output value of the regional cable industry has exceeded 100 billion yuan, with a solid industrial foundation and broad market potential. Benchmarked against the advantageous industrial agglomeration zones in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta, North China's cable industry still faces shortcomings such as dispersed industrial resources, weak industry-academia-research collaboration, and insufficient risk resilience across the industry chain. Breaking down collaboration barriers has become key to upgrading the industry. is scheduled for July 23-24, 2026 at the Crowne Plaza Qingdao Jinshui, Shandong , focusing on three major topics: industrial collaboration, green intelligence, and globalization. SMM , together with the initiating organization — Qingdao Hanhe Cable Co., Ltd. , invites participants from across the entire industry chain to gather, explore industry opportunities, and drive the quality upgrading of North China's cable industry. Click to attend the conference. We look forward to meeting you at the event. Qingdao Hanhe Cable Co., Ltd. was established in 1982 and has grown into an industry-leading large enterprise capable of providing clients with comprehensive solutions and turnkey projects covering cables and accessories, cable materials, power design, power transmission and transformation engineering, completion testing, operation and maintenance services, and hydrogen energy application systems. The company was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2010 under the stock code "002498." It currently has over 3,000 employees, including more than 520 R&D personnel and over 310 professionals with senior and intermediate technical titles. The company has established production sites in Qingdao, Jimo, Pingdu, Zibo, Yanggu, Jiaozuo, Xiuwu, Changzhou, Changsha, and Beihai, and has invested in over 20 domestic subsidiaries including Huadian High Voltage, Electrical Engineering, and Hanhe Hydrogen Energy, with overseas companies established in the US, Singapore, and the Middle East. The company primarily develops and manufactures power cables rated 750kV and below, submarine cables, high-voltage cable accessories, specialty conductors, mining cables, nuclear power cables, control cables, PV cables, and high-voltage cable materials. It has participated in the construction of venues and power supply assurance for numerous major events, including the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, the 2018 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Qingdao Summit, and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, as well as major celebrations such as the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. The company places great emphasis on scientific research investment and the development of enterprise technological innovation capabilities. Annual R&D expenditure is no less than 5% of sales revenue, and a relatively comprehensive technological innovation system and infrastructure meeting the requirements of independent innovation have been established. The company has built 4 vertical towers and owns 13 vertical cross-linking production lines, making it one of the largest high-voltage cable manufacturers in China in terms of capacity. The company has a nationally recognized enterprise technology center, a postdoctoral research workstation, and the only "National High-Voltage and Extra-High-Voltage Cable Engineering Technology Research Center" in China's cable industry. The company has successively participated in the development planning of China's wire and cable industry from the "11th Five-Year Plan" through the "14th Five-Year Plan," and undertaken over 100 national, provincial, and city-level projects. In 2021, the 110kV and above high-voltage and extra-high-voltage cables independently developed and manufactured by the company were successfully selected as a National Manufacturing Single Champion Product by MIIT. The company keeps pace with the times, deeply integrating industrial internet, big data, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, and intelligent terminals to unlock the value of industrial big data. Construction of a high-voltage and extra-high-voltage cable intelligent manufacturing ecosystem has been completed, and the company has been awarded multiple certifications including "Excellence-Level Intelligent Factory," "Equipment-to-Cloud Benchmark Enterprise," "Digital Workshop," and "Green Factory," pioneering a new model of intelligent manufacturing management in China's cable industry. Guided by the corporate spirit of "integrity, frugality, pragmatism, and innovation," the quality policy of "pursuing quality and credibility, establishing the Hancable brand," and the corporate mission of "building the Hancable brand and serving society with sincerity," the company adheres to technological innovation to ensure sustainable development. It has formed the core development philosophy of "sustainable development for an enduring enterprise" and the business strategy of "surpassing the advanced level of the international wire and cable industry." The company has successively been honored as a "National High-Tech Enterprise," a "leader in China's cable industry," and a "National Contract-Abiding and Credit-Worthy Enterprise," and has been listed among China's Top 500 Manufacturing Enterprises, China's Top 10 Well-Known Brands in the Electrical Industry, China's Top 100 Machinery Industry Enterprises, China's Top 10 Most Competitive Enterprises in the Wire and Cable Industry, and the Global Top 10 Most Competitive Submarine Cable (Energy Sector) Enterprises. In the future, while consolidating and developing its wire and cable business, the company is expected to accelerate expansion into intelligent detection and services, power transmission and transformation engineering, high-end cable material manufacturing, and other industries, striving to build Hancable into a leading domestic and internationally renowned comprehensive solution provider of wire and cable products and services, making "Hancable Manufacturing" shine on the international market! SMM Conference Contact Zhang Guolei 166 0190 0190 zhangguolei@smm.cn

Over the past half-century of industrialisation, the global seaborne iron ore market consolidated around a duopoly dominated by Australia's Pilbara region and Brazil's Carajás and Iron Quadrangle districts. However, driven by macroeconomic cycle evolution, a structural shift in China's growth engine, and the steel industry's irreversible push toward low-carbon and green transformation, this traditional supply map is undergoing an unprecedented reshaping. On 26 November 2025, the first commercial vessel loaded with Simandou iron ore departed from the Port of Mabarya, marking the official commissioning of Guinea's Simandou Iron Ore Project — the world's largest undeveloped high-grade greenfield iron ore deposit by reserve. This milestone signals that the African continent, long relegated to secondary status, is progressively emerging as a significant new force in the global ferrous metals market. Africa's iron ore resources are widely regarded as the third-largest iron ore supply region globally, after Brazil's Carajás and Australia's Pilbara. With an estimated 13.8% share of global iron ore resources, and representing the most significant supply-side growth driver over the next five years, shifts in African iron ore dynamics will be a key determinant of international iron ore pricing over the long term. I. Global Iron Ore Market Background According to SMM research data, global iron ore production in 2025 is estimated at approximately 2.472 billion tonnes (bt). Africa contributes roughly 95 million tonnes (Mt), representing close to 4% of global output. As major mining projects progressively come on stream, Africa's iron ore production capacity is forecast to double by 2030, reaching approximately 259 Mt. Assuming no production curtailments elsewhere, Africa's global market share could rise to nearly 10%, while the overall global iron ore supply surplus is projected to widen to approximately 220 Mt. Although the international iron ore market has already entered a prolonged loose supply cycle, the substantive supply shock from African iron ore is expected to materialise gradually over the next five years. In the near term, Africa's estimated incremental shipment of approximately 15 Mt in 2026 — bolstered by its superior high-grade characteristics — is expected to be absorbed relatively smoothly by steelmakers seeking low-carbon blending feedstocks, resulting in a relatively moderate impact on absolute benchmark pricing. The critical inflection point is projected to fall in 2028–2029. As rail and port infrastructure currently under construction in West Africa is fully commissioned, a surge in high-grade iron ore output will exert heavy downward pressure on the right-hand side of the global iron ore cost curve. This will not only systematically compress the iron ore price floor but will trigger intense structural displacement — squeezing the operating margin of low-grade, high-cost producers. The current price downcycle is expected to persist through 2028. When international ore prices breach the USD 90/tonne marginal cost support level, higher-cost non-mainstream small and mid-size mines will be forced into curtailment and exit. The resulting supply shakeout will reshape the global iron ore supply structure into a multi-oligopoly dominated by ultra-large, low-cost operations (including the new African mines), complemented by quality mid-tier producers. II. Africa's Current Market Landscape: South Africa as Dominant Producer, West Africa Expanding Aggressively Building on the global context, this section focuses on Africa's overall iron ore landscape. As the primary driver of supply growth over the next five years, Africa's iron ore production is concentrated in West Africa and South Africa, currently dominated by three key countries. South Africa South Africa is the continent's largest producer, with 2025 output reaching approximately 67 Mt and export shipments maintaining an overwhelming 65% share of total African iron ore exports. However, South Africa's iron ore sector faces structural constraints limiting its organic growth headroom. As other emerging African resource nations commission significant new projects, South Africa's share of total African export volumes is projected to face sustained compression. Mauritania Mauritania is Africa's second-largest iron ore producer, with 2025 output of 15 Mt and export volumes of approximately 12 Mt, representing approximately 12% of the African market. Strategically situated adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean with high-grade iron ore deposits deep within the Sahara Desert, Mauritania possesses highly advantageous geographic and mineralogical characteristics. Its proximity to European and Middle Eastern markets — both in urgent need of green industrial raw materials — provides ideal conditions for the country to become a hub for global green metallurgy capacity relocation. Mauritania is expected to emerge as a highly promising iron ore supply nation going forward. Sierra Leone Sierra Leone is another important regional supply pole, with projected 2025 output also reaching approximately 12 Mt, holding a stable share of approximately 12% in the African export market. Chinese-invested iron ore mines within the country are actively scaling up their operations. Trade Flow Overview Based on full-year 2024 trade data, the proportion of African iron ore shipped to China is relatively low compared to traditional mainstream ore origins, at approximately 60%. The broader Pan-Asian market — encompassing China, Japan, and South Korea — absorbs approximately 70% of total African iron ore shipments. Western European countries, led by the Netherlands and Germany, constitute Africa's core secondary destination, accounting for close to 14% of trade flows. The remaining marginal trade flows are broadly diversified, extending to emerging steelmaking capacity clusters in the Middle East, including Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. Key Corporate Players At the corporate level, South Africa's Kumba Iron Ore and Assmang rank as Africa's largest and second-largest iron ore producers, with annual output of approximately 37 Mt and 17 Mt respectively. Kumba Iron Ore: Kumba's mining operations — including the Sishen mine — are globally recognised for producing high-grade fines (Fe >62%) and metallurgically superior premium lump ore (Fe 65.2%). Under the prevailing trend of blast furnace (BF) emission reduction, this type of direct-charge lump ore — which reduces sintering-related carbon emissions — commands strong market demand and a substantial price premium. Assmang: Assmang similarly holds high-quality iron ore assets, operated as a 50:50 joint venture between African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) and Assore. Its Assmang Fines and Assmang Lump products (Fe 64–65%) are also direct-charge, high-quality materials. However, the company's key bottleneck lies not at the pithead but on the rail. Heavy dependence on Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) for haulage means logistics constraints frequently cap its achievable shipment volumes. SNIM (Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière): Mauritania's state-owned mining company is Africa's third-largest iron ore producer after the two South African majors. Unlike mainstream Australian and Brazilian ores, SNIM products occupy a distinctive niche in terms of physicochemical specifications and market segment. Its most widely traded product, TZFC fines, is characterised by extremely low alumina (Al2O3) and phosphorus (P) content. As an excellent blending ore, major steelmakers regularly blend SNIM fines with high-alumina Australian fines (such as certain Pilbara blend products) to significantly dilute the impurity ratio in the burden, thereby optimising blast furnace performance metrics. III. Africa's Market Transformation: Major Producers Facing Stagnation; Emerging Projects as Primary Growth Drivers Where does future growth lie? According to SMM observations, Africa is expected to undergo a significant structural transformation within the next five years. Multiple large-scale iron ore projects across the continent are currently under construction, with scheduled commissioning prior to 2030. Based on our modelling, African iron ore supply is forecast to grow substantially from the current approximately 95 Mt to 260 Mt over five years — a cumulative increase of 85%. The market structure is also expected to shift from South Africa-dominated Western-oriented exports to a Guinea-led export paradigm. Guinea — Simandou Iron Ore Project The primary growth driver will be Guinea's renowned Simandou iron ore project, jointly developed by multiple entities and representing the world's largest undeveloped high-grade open-pit hematite deposit. The project holds reserves in excess of 5 billion tonnes (bt) and a designed production capacity of 120 Mt per annum, making it the project with the greatest strategic potential to reshape the existing iron ore market structure. Since first ore shipments in late November 2025, cumulative exports from the principal export hub — the Port of Mabarya — reached approximately 1.6 Mt through Q1 2026. Blocks 1 & 2, developed under the Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS), have successfully commenced production, with 2026 capacity expected to reach nameplate and ramp-up to 60 Mt per annum projected over the next two to three years. Blocks 3 & 4, led by Simfer (a Rio Tinto and Baowu joint venture), are forecast to commission in Q1 2026, with estimated 2026 shipments of 5 Mt and a 30-month ramp-up timeline to reach 60 Mt per annum. In aggregate, Guinea is projected to achieve 120 Mt per annum before 2030, becoming the world's second-largest single iron ore project by capacity — second only to Vale's S11D project in Brazil (designed capacity of 200 Mt post-expansion, expected by 2030). Other African Countries — Key Development Projects Other nations — including Liberia, Gabon, Sierra Leone, and the Republic of Congo — all have iron ore projects under development. Projects scheduled for commissioning before 2030 account for a combined planned capacity of approximately 46 Mt. The largest single project is ArcelorMittal Liberia's (AML) Tokadeh Phase II, expected to commission in H2 2026 and reach a nameplate capacity of 20 Mt per annum by year-end, producing iron ore concentrate with an estimated grade exceeding Fe 66%. Given that AML's European steelmaking capacity cannot absorb such a large volume increment in the near term, the majority of Tokadeh's output is expected to enter the international seaborne market, exerting pricing pressure on the iron ore concentrate segment. South Africa — Structural Constraints on Production Growth South Africa's output is expected to remain broadly stable in the 63–67 Mt range, with mild downside risk. The primary underlying cause is the country's heavy dependence on the heavy-haul Sishen–Saldanha Bay rail corridor, operated by Transnet Freight Rail (TFR). In recent years, TFR has suffered a severe reduction in effective haulage capacity due to locomotive fleet shortages, frequent cable theft incidents, and chronic infrastructure underinvestment, materially constraining the rail transport of major bulk commodities including iron ore and coal. In its FY2025 annual results published in February 2026, Kumba Iron Ore — South Africa's dominant iron ore producer — reported total finished goods inventory of 7.5 Mt, up from 6.9 Mt at end-2024. With rail haulage capacity unable to match mine production, South Africa's major iron ore producers have been compelled to stockpile large volumes at mine sites. To avoid inventory saturation, miners have been forced to proactively revise production guidance downward. While producers are actively addressing haulage constraints, the deeply entrenched structural issues on the rail network are unlikely to be resolved in the short term. Mauritania — SNIM Long-Term Strategic Growth Blueprint Post-2030, attention turns to SNIM's strategic growth roadmap. Under its Horizon 1 programme, the company plans to raise annual production capacity to 45 Mt by 2031, through the implementation of lean manufacturing practices, equipment and technology upgrades, and the co-development of new mineral reserves. Of this total, 20 Mt will be produced under SNIM's wholly owned capacity, while the remaining 25 Mt will be realised through joint ventures with international capital partners. SNIM has further set a long-term target to expand annual capacity to 80 Mt by 2045 under its Horizon 3 plan. Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) — MIFOR (Grand Est Iron Ore Project) On 26 March 2026, the DRC and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding designating the MIFOR project as a priority flagship initiative. The deposit is estimated to hold cumulative resources of 15–20 bt, with an average grade exceeding Fe 60% — a potential scale approximately 2.5 times that of Guinea's Simandou. Phase I capital expenditure is estimated at USD 28.9 billion, encompassing the construction of a heavy-haul railway and the utilisation of Congo River navigation, ultimately linking to a deep-water port at Banana on the Atlantic coast. Phase I design capacity stands at 50 Mt per annum, with a long-term target of scaling to 300 Mt per annum. These projects collectively underscore Africa's inevitable emergence as an indispensable iron ore supply source for the global steel industry. IV. Global Steel Industry Chain Transformation: Can Africa, as a Hub for High-Grade Ore, Enable DRI Production? High-Grade Ore as a DRI Feedstock Advantage Notably, the majority of Africa's current and planned iron ore projects produce ore at average total iron (Fe) grades predominantly above 65%, with extremely low impurity content. This scarce, high-grade ore is the ideal feedstock for the Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) process. As the DRI-Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) green steel route gains traction across Europe, the Americas, and China, demand for iron ore at Fe 65% and above will grow exponentially on the demand side. This will confer a substantial 'grade premium' on major projects, including South Africa's Kumba, Guinea's Simandou, and other future African producers. Over the longer term, iron ore pricing benchmarks are inexorably shifting away from the traditional Platts 62% Fe index, and African ore producers will gain bargaining leverage when renewing long-term supply agreements, thereby reshaping the global industry chain profit distribution structure. DRI Investment Pipeline in Africa In alignment with global carbon neutrality objectives, international investors — encouraged by local governments — are actively deploying capital into high value-added downstream processing facilities, including DRI plants and high-grade pellet facilities, aimed at leveraging Africa's abundant high-grade iron ore resources and vast renewable energy potential for DRI production. According to SMM observations, Africa is projected to add approximately 20 Mt of DRI capacity by 2030. The largest single project is a Libyan integrated DRI complex, jointly developed by Turkish steelmaker Tosyali and the Libyan National Steel Company, with a total design capacity of 8.1 Mt. China's Decarbonisation Push and the Global Green Steel Transition As China advances its dual carbon targets — carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060 — the domestic steelmaking sector is undergoing significant adjustment. The traditional carbon-intensive Blast Furnace–Basic Oxygen Furnace (BF-BOF) long route faces increasingly stringent capacity replacement policies and environmental regulations. Simultaneously, the global trade system is accelerating the imposition of carbon costs, most notably through the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), compelling global steel supply chains to accelerate the transition from the source toward a low-carbon, ultimately zero-carbon 'green steel' era. In the context of this irreversible transition, the DRI-EAF short-route process has become the most commercially viable decarbonisation pathway. To meet surging global demand for green steel, market projections indicate that global DRI designed production capacity will need to expand by hundreds of millions of tonnes during the 2030s. This scale of expansion will profoundly alter the global steel supply structure: the share of traditional hot metal (pig iron) production will progressively decline, while low-carbon DRI supply will directly determine the competitiveness of major economies in the global green steel market. In particular, 'hydrogen metallurgy' — using green hydrogen to replace natural gas and coking coal as the reductant in iron ore reduction — is widely recognised by the industry as the core technology for achieving ultimate zero-carbon steelmaking. Africa as the Future 'Green Iron' Production Hub Represented by world-class high-grade iron ore projects such as Guinea's Simandou, the progressive commissioning of these mega-mines is expected to inject over 100 Mt of high-grade iron ore per year into the global market, substantially alleviating the global scarcity of DRI-grade ore. More critically, North Africa and West Africa possess world-leading solar and wind energy potential, enabling large-scale, low-cost green hydrogen production in situ. This perfect combination of 'high-grade ore + low-cost green hydrogen' is increasingly inclinng multinational capital and steel majors toward establishing DRI production lines directly on African soil — reducing iron ore to low-carbon Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) on-site for ocean transport to EAF facilities in Asia and Europe. Africa is thus formally transitioning from its historical role as a raw material exporter to become an indispensable link in the green iron production chain of the future.

The 2025 2nd SMM Southeast Asia Automotive Supply Chain Conference was successfully held, featuring the on-site launch of 10 new car models, Southeast Asia brand strategies from three automakers, and SMM's local steel prices in Thailand. The event facilitated efficient matchmaking between 12+ buyers and 60+ suppliers, and preliminarily established a communication platform for the entire industry chain of the Southeast Asian automotive industry. Currently, the NEV industry in Southeast Asia is entering a critical development phase. Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam each have their own strategic layouts and breakthroughs, while the industry also faces challenges such as supply chain restructuring, competition over technology roadmaps, and localization compliance. Thanks to the support of all parties, SMM's local pricing systems in Thailand and Indonesia have been implemented and adopted by core enterprises, establishing a credible cost benchmark for the industry. The 2026 3rd Conference will focus on three core themes: exploring the auto sales potential of NEVs in Southeast Asia; connecting the last mile of the supply chain and integrating regional industry chain resources; and advancing SMM's Southeast Asia metal pricing from a price reference to a transaction benchmark, implementing electrification material procurement applications and establishing an executable pricing system. We firmly believe that true progress comes from turning consensus into action. At this conference, sincerely invites you to gather again in Bangkok to transform strategic blueprints into competitive market advantages, to witness and participate in this extraordinary and far-reaching industry event, and to co-create a brilliant new chapter! Click the to register now. Francool Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. was founded in April 2001 and is headquartered in Longhua District, Shenzhen. It is a national high-tech enterprise and national-level Specialized, Refined, Unique & Innovative "Little Giant" enterprise specializing in the R&D, production and sales of metal & new material working fluids, lubricants and intelligent environmental protection treatment equipment. Committed to the vision of becoming a world-leading one-stop supplier of fluid solutions, the company has over two decades of industry experience and has been listed among Shenzhen Top 100 Quality Enterprises and Shenzhen Top 400 Enterprises. Francool Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. founded in April 2001 and headquartered in Longhua District, Shenzhen, FRANCOOL Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. is a national high-tech enterprise and national-level Specialized, Refined, Unique & Innovative "Little Giant" enterprise specializing in the R&D, production and sales of metal & new material working fluids, lubricants and intelligent environmental protection treatment equipment. Committed to the vision of becoming a world-leading one-stop supplier of fluid solutions, the company has over two decades of industry experience and been listed among Shenzhen Top 100 Quality Enterprises and Shenzhen Top 400 Enterprises. In terms of development history, the company upholds the philosophy of "Customer-oriented, People-focused, Technology-driven, Sustainable Development" , and has progressively achieved a global layout. It has successively established multiple production sites in Shenzhen, Zhongshan, Kunshan, Vietnam, and Thailand. Through Francool Advanced Industrial Fluid Technology (Thailand) Co., Ltd. , the company has implemented localized production and operations in Thailand, achieving full coverage of core manufacturing clusters in China and key industrial markets across Southeast Asia. Guided by the corporate philosophy of "Customer-oriented, People-focused, Technology-driven, Sustainable Development", the company has steadily rolled out its global footprint with manufacturing bases across Shenzhen, Zhongshan, Kunshan, Vietnam and Thailand. Its localized production and operation in Thailand are implemented via Francool Advanced Industrial Fluid Technology (Thailand) Co., Ltd., enabling full market coverage of core domestic manufacturing clusters and key industrial hubs across Southeast Asia. The core business focuses on three major segments, forming an entire industry chain service capability. Products span six major series and are widely applied in key fields such as consumer electronics and auto parts. Leveraging its self-developed OWS oily wastewater treatment system , the company provides one-stop environmental protection solutions, fulfilling its social responsibilities. Centered on three core business segments, the enterprise has built a full industrial chain service portfolio consisting of six major product lines widely adopted in consumer electronics, auto parts and other pivotal industries. Supported by its self-developed OWS oily wastewater treatment system, FRANCOOL delivers integrated one-stop environmental solutions to fulfill corporate social responsibilities. In terms of technical strength, the company has 3 R&D centers along with postdoctoral and doctoral research platforms, and has assembled a global R&D team. It holds a cumulative total of 122 patents of various categories and 2 software copyrights. Core products have passed multiple international system certifications, with some reaching internationally advanced levels. In terms of technical capacity, the company operates three R&D centers together with postdoctoral and doctoral research platforms and a global R&D workforce. It holds 122 patents of various categories and 2 software copyrights; core products have obtained multiple international system certifications, with some reaching world-class advanced standards. In terms of global layout, the company has 11 wholly-owned subsidiaries and over 20 offices in China. Outside China, with the Vietnam production site as the core and supported by branch offices across multiple regions, the company provides full-lifecycle services to global clients through a direct sales model. In the future, the company will focus on high-end environmental protection products, advance its global layout, and strive to build a world-leading brand for industrial lubricants . For global layout, FRANCOOL owns 11 wholly-owned subsidiaries and over 20 representative offices in China. Overseas operations pivot around its Vietnam manufacturing base and regional branches, adopting a direct sales model to deliver full-lifecycle services to worldwide clients. Going forward, the company will focus on high-end eco-friendly products, accelerate global expansion and strive to grow into a world-leading brand for industrial lubricants. Contact Information Contact Tel: 0755 28130169 Contact Us Yan Caowei 15618581967

SMM June 3 News: Metals market: As of the midday close, base metals on the domestic market rose nearly across the board. SHFE copper gained 1.03%, SHFE aluminum rose 0.45%, SHFE lead rose 0.45%, SHFE zinc gained 1.61%, SHFE tin rose 1.83%, and SHFE nickel fell 0.64%. In addition, the most-traded casting aluminum futures rose 0.39%, and the most-traded alumina futures fell 1.51%. The most-traded lithium carbonate futures continued the downtrend from the previous two trading days, falling 2.58%. The most-traded silicon metal futures rose 0.63%. The most-traded polysilicon futures fell 1.96%. Ferrous metals showed mixed performance. Iron ore was flat at 784.5 yuan/mt, rebar edged down 0.09%, hot-rolled coil fell 0.21%, and stainless steel rose 0.2%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract fell 0.26%, and the most-traded coke contract rose 0.18%. Overseas base metals, as of 11:41, LME metals showed mixed performance. LME copper fell 0.34%, LME aluminum rose 0.17%, LME lead and LME nickel both fell within 0.4%. LME zinc and LME tin edged up. Precious metals, as of 11:41, COMEX gold fell 0.16% and COMEX silver fell 0.29%. Domestic precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold contract rose 0.07%, and the most-traded SHFE silver contract rose 0.18%. In addition, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures fell 0.82%, and the most-traded palladium futures rose 1.02%. As of the midday close, the most-traded Europe containerized freight index contract fell 0.67%, closing at 3,758 points. As of 11:41 on June 3, midday futures quotes for selected contracts: Spot and fundamentals Copper: Today, #1 copper cathode spot prices against the front-month contract in North China were reported at an average discount of 400 yuan/mt to a discount of 300 yuan/mt, with the average discount of 350 yuan/mt down 20 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. The average transaction price was 106,360 yuan/mt, up 825 yuan/mt from the previous trading day... Macro front China: [PBOC reverse repo operations achieved a net withdrawal of 177.6 billion yuan on the day] The PBOC conducted zero reverse repo operations today. As 177.6 billion yuan in 7-day reverse repos matured today, a net withdrawal of 177.6 billion yuan was achieved on the day. [ Zibo, Shandong: Optimizing housing provident fund usage policies ] Zibo officially implemented new optimized provident fund policies, adopting multiple measures to boost housing consumption and safeguard residents' essential and upgrading housing needs. The new policies broadened the scope of provident fund withdrawals, allowing down payment and owner-occupied housing withdrawals to be linked with funds from the homebuyer's spouse, both parents, and children. Elevator installation withdrawals were also expanded to include old elevator replacement scenarios. Lending side, housing unit count can be reduced for families with multiple children, purchases of high-grade residential properties or completed homes, and one loan record can be waived for trade-in policies; the upper limit of second-hand housing age plus loan term was raised to 50 years, and the lending ban on properties over 300㎡ was lifted. The new policy added loan extension services, while opening up commercial-to-provident fund and commercial-to-combined loan conversions for flexible employment workers, further reducing residents' home purchase and repayment costs. US dollar: As of 11:41, the US dollar index rose 0.03% to 99.24. US April JOLTs job openings surged from 6.89 million in March to 7.62 million, reaching the highest level in nearly two years, while layoffs declined. These signs indicated that the labour market remained robust despite pressure on enterprises from rising energy costs caused by the Iran war. The professional and business services sector accounted for nearly all of the increase. Total hiring fell to 5.12 million, partially offsetting the sharp increase in March, while layoffs also declined to 1.69 million. These data suggested that US labour demand has stabilized this year compared to near-zero job growth in 2025. Although job openings remained well below levels reached during the post-pandemic reopening period, this stability may further undermine the case for interest rate cuts, with US Fed officials increasingly discussing the possibility of rate hikes. According to CME "FedWatch": the probability of the US Fed maintaining rates unchanged through June was 98.6%, with a 1.4% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point interest rate cut. The probability of the US Fed maintaining rates unchanged through July was 92.4%, with a 6.3% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point rate hike, and a 1.3% probability of a cumulative 25 basis point interest rate cut. Fed Chairman Waller has hired two outside individuals as advisors to assist him in the early stages of his tenure; one of them co-authored a conservative policy blueprint that recommended sweeping structural reforms to the US Fed. According to people familiar with the matter, one of the advisors is Paul Winfree. He served as a White House domestic policy expert during Trump's first term. He is also a credited author of the US Fed chapter in "Project 2025," a conservative policy blueprint developed ahead of the 2024 election. The other advisor is Daniel Heil, a policy fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution who served as an economic policy advisor to the 2016 presidential campaign team. His recent writings have primarily focused on cutting federal healthcare spending costs and social security issues. Both individuals have long been active in conservative policy circles, and their professional backgrounds lie in areas outside the US Fed's core responsibilities. A person familiar with the matter said the two advisors would work on temporary contracts to assist Warsh with policy analysis and planning; Warsh has not yet made a final decision on whether they will take on longer-term, formal job titles within the US Fed. (Jin10 Data APP) Other currencies: Traders were reluctant to push the yen exchange rate above the key 160 level amid the risk of intervention by Japanese authorities to support the yen. The yen edged down to near 160 in early Wednesday trading, touching its weakest level since the authorities intervened in late April. The yen still declined despite Japan spending a record 11.73 trillion yen ($73.35 billion) to support the currency between April 28 and May 27. Finance Minister Katayama Satsuki reiterated on Wednesday that the authorities were prepared to respond to foreign exchange fluctuations at any time as needed. Gaitame.com Research Institute analyst Nakamura Tsutomu said: "As USD/JPY approaches the 160 level, intervention concerns are escalating rapidly, triggering a psychological battle in the market, but a test of 160 could happen at any time. With almost no signs of a breakthrough in US-Iran permanent ceasefire negotiations, pressure on the yen is increasing. The large interest rate differential between the US and Japan is also putting the yen under pressure after the Bank of Japan kept rates unchanged in April. Bank of Japan Governor Ueda Kazuo is scheduled to speak on Wednesday afternoon, his last scheduled speech before the central bank's rate-setting meeting on June 16." Overnight index swaps indicated the probability of a rate hike this month was approximately 84%. (Jin10 Data APP) Australia's economic growth slowed more than expected last quarter as households cut spending in the face of rising fuel costs and higher interest rates. Government data released on Wednesday showed GDP grew 0.3% in the first three months of the year, below expectations and roughly one-third of the Q4 2025 growth rate. The 2.5% annual growth rate also fell short of expectations. The head of national accounts at the Australian Bureau of Statistics said: "Economic growth slowed in the March quarter, with mild household and public sector spending. Rising interest rates and significantly higher fuel costs in March likely created an environment of more cautious consumer behavior." Swap traders consolidated the view that the probability of a rate hike at the August meeting was only slightly above 50%, and maintained the view that the Reserve Bank of Australia may raise rates once more before year-end. (Jin10 Data APP) Data: Data to be released today include US May ADP employment, US May S&P Global Services PMI final, US May ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI, US April factory orders month-over-month, France May Services PMI final, Eurozone May Services PMI final, Eurozone April PPI month-over-month, Germany May Services PMI final, UK May Services PMI final, and Australia Q1 GDP annual rate. In addition, attention should be paid to: Bank of Japan Governor Ueda Kazuo will deliver a speech, and US Fed Governor Barr will participate in a dialogue at the 2026 Community Development Bankers Association Peer Forum. Crude oil: As of 11:41, oil prices in both markets rose, with WTI up 0.92% and Brent up 0.82%. According to CCTV News: On June 2 local time, the US Central Command stated that US forces took action against an oil tanker heading to an Iranian port in the Arabian Gulf and disabled it. The war between Iran and the US has no end in sight, diplomatic negotiations have stalled, and military conflicts in the Gulf region continue to escalate. A series of developments indicate that this conflict, which erupted in late February this year, continues to drain all parties through repeated frictions. Oil prices rose after the news broke. (Wallstreetcn) US API crude oil inventory for the week ending May 29 was -6.757 million barrels, vs. expectations of -3.605 million barrels and a prior value of -2.819 million barrels. US API gasoline inventory for the week ending May 29 was 3.454 million barrels, vs. expectations of -98,000 barrels and a prior value of -3.199 million barrels. (Jin10 Data APP) Spot market overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

Multiple Factors Converge to Drive Tellurium Prices Gradually Higher

As the United States continues to strengthen critical minerals security, domestic manufacturing, and copper supply chain resilience, limited smelting capacity is increasingly emerging as a key challenge. The country currently operates only a handful of primary copper smelters, while low treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) and rising environmental compliance costs continue to pressure profitability. Alongside efforts to expand domestic mining and manufacturing capacity, maintaining existing smelting operations and securing refined copper supply will remain critical to the long-term success of U.S. copper supply chain strategy. Continued pressure on the smelting sector could limit the country's ability to reduce reliance on imported refined copper in the near term.

India’s cable and wire industry is expected to achieve around 30% revenue growth in the coming fiscal year, supported by infrastructure investment, manufacturing expansion, and construction activity. Industry groups said higher copper and aluminum prices are increasing costs but also lifting selling prices. Continued investments in grid modernization and renewable energy are expected to drive stronger copper consumption. Analysts see India emerging as a major contributor to global copper demand growth.