[SMM Newsflash] According to the announcement of Wuxi Yoshioka Precision Technology Co., Ltd., to implement the company’s international development strategy and accelerate its expansion into markets outside China, the company, together with its wholly owned subsidiary Yoshioka Seiki Co., Ltd., increased capital in its wholly owned subsidiary YOSHIOKA SEIKI (THAILAND) CO., LTD. to build a Thailand production site, with a view to developing the Southeast Asian market and responding to order demand from clients outside China.

[SMM Express] According to XPeng Motors, on March 13, the first car model jointly developed by Volkswagen and XPeng Motors—Yuzhong 08—officially rolled off the mass production line at Volkswagen Anhui in Hefei. It took the two parties only 24 months from signing the joint development technical cooperation agreement to mass production rollout. In 2023, Volkswagen Group and XPeng Motors reached a long-term strategic partnership, focusing on product development and technological innovation and jointly developing two pure EV models. The mass production rollout of the first jointly developed car model marked the delivery of tangible results from the technical cooperation between the two sides. Following Yuzhong 08, the second model jointly developed by the two parties will also be launched this year.

According to the China Coal Transportation and Distribution Association, in early March, production by key monitored coal enterprises reached 64.44 million mt, with daily average production of 6.44 million mt. The 10-day daily average increased by 380,000 mt, up 6.3% MoM from late February, and by 90,000 mt, up 1.4% YoY.

Chile’s state-owned copper giant Codelco has reported a sharp drop in production to start this year, leading copper industry analysts and former Codelco executives to question its reports of surging output at the end of 2025 that helped the company meet its annual production target.

[SMM Nickel Flash] March 18 News, Supply side, although production costs remained elevated, some upstream traders' offers loosened under pressure from weak end-user demand. Demand side, stainless steel finished product prices generally fell, and amid losses faced by steel mills, bid prices for high-grade NPI procurement declined again, capping upside room for high-grade NPI prices. Overall, high-grade NPI prices still found support at the bottom, but market offers loosened under pressure from the end-user market.

[SMM Coking Coal and Coke Daily Brief Review] In terms of supply, coking costs increased and losses widened somewhat. At present, coke producers were barely maintaining normal operating rates, while coke production remained temporarily stable. Meanwhile, downstream demand for coke increased, and coke producers' shipments improved somewhat. On the demand side, steel mills were in an active phase of resuming production, while finished steel prices fluctuated upward and steel mill profitability improved somewhat, boosting production enthusiasm and increasing demand for coke. In summary, the fundamentals of coke supply and demand developed in a positive direction, and the coke market may remain generally stable with slight rise in the short term.

Data released by the Kazakhstan Bureau of Statistics showed that Kazakhstan's copper cathode production in January-February 2026 fell 9.1% YoY.Copper Cathode: February 2026 production was 35,625 mt, down 7.8% MoM; total production in January-February was 74,266 mt, down 9.1% YoY.

[SMM Newsflash] According to reports, Jiangsu Tongzhan Precision Machinery Co., Ltd., located in Dayi Town, Yizheng City, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, achieved rapid growth in just three years through transformation and upgrading. Currently, leveraging intelligent production lines, the company’s daily production of household accessories reached 80,000-100,000 units, while daily production of automotive steel pistons reached 8,000-10,000 units. Full automation has been fully implemented, providing solid support for order delivery.

[Due to Declining Exports to the Middle East, Nissan Motor Will Reduce Production] Nissan Motor Co. plans to cut production due to a decline in exports to the Middle East. According to foreign media reports, the company will reduce monthly production at its plant in Kyushu, Japan, by 1,200 units. This decision was made as challenges in the Middle Eastern market have affected Nissan’s overall manufacturing strategy.

[China Iron Ore Brief Review: Tight Resources in West Liaoning, Local Ore Prices May Edge Up Slightly] The domestic ore market in west Liaoning was relatively stable, with the ex-factory prices of 66-grade iron ore concentrates, wet basis and excluding tax, at 730-740 yuan/mt. Supply and demand were clearly in a wait-and-see mode. Beneficiation plants, considering the relatively small inventory pressure, temporarily held back from selling. Against this backdrop, traders were not highly motivated to make inquiries, and only a few made price inquiries based on their own needs. Affected by safety and environmental protection inspections, mining was restricted, and a small number of operating beneficiation plants suspended production for maintenance due to constraints in ROM resources. Circulating spot resources remained tight, which still provided certain support for ore prices.