[SMM Morning Meeting Summary: US dollar index edges down, LME zinc center rises] Overnight, LME zinc opened at $3,582.5/mt. In early trading, LME zinc moved sideways near the daily average line, then edged down slowly. During the European trading session, it dipped to $3,571.5/mt. Prices at the night session shot up to touch $3,625.5/mt. It edged down slightly in late trading, and finally closed up at $3,609.5/mt, an increase of $36.5/mt or 1.02%. Trading volume increased to 9,333 lots, and open interest decreased by 3,194 lots to 244,000 lots.

As of July 28, LME zinc inventories (including off-warrant stocks) had fallen to 119,600 mt, down by approximately 45,000 mt from mid-June. As overseas inventories continued to decline, the LME zinc market structure shifted from contango to backwardation, with the backwardation widening further. By July 28, the LME zinc cash-to-3M spread had strengthened to US$61.09/mt.

[SMM Zinc Morning Comment] Overnight, the most-traded SHFE zinc 2609 contract opened at 24,750 yuan/mt. In early trading, it shot up to touch 24,760 yuan/mt. Then, as bulls reduced positions, the price pulled back and fell to a low of 24,655 yuan/mt. Late in the session, as bears reduced positions, the price rebounded slightly and moved sideways, finally closing down at 24,690 yuan/mt, down 75 yuan/mt, or 0.30%. Trading volume fell to 34,929 lots, and open interest decreased by 1,850 lots to 103,000 lots.

[Shanghai Refined Zinc Market] According to market sources, refined zinc inventories in Shanghai have remained at relatively high levels recently. However, favorable margins in the local invoice market, combined with the reopening of the export arbitrage window, have strengthened traders' willingness to hold firm on prices. As a result, spot premiums for refined zinc in the Shanghai market have continued to rise.

[SMM Zinc Morning Brief: US Dollar Index Rose from Lows, LME Zinc Stays High]: Last Friday, LME zinc opened at $3,616.5/mt. After opening, LME zinc drifted higher, touching a high of $3,637.5/mt before pulling back all the way. Near the night session, LME zinc dipped to a low of $3,580/mt. Then LME zinc rebounded from the low to near the daily average line, finally settling at $3,611.5/mt, down $4.5/mt or 0.12%. Trading volume decreased to 12,329 lots, and open interest fell by 469 lots to 268,000 lots...

[SMM Zinc Morning Comment: Fundamentals Show Both Bullish and Bearish Factors, SHFE Zinc Consolidates at Highs] Last Friday, the most-traded SHFE zinc 2608 contract opened at 24,790 yuan/mt, dipped to a low of 24,780 yuan/mt in early trading, then drifted higher after the opening, hitting a high of 24,945 yuan/mt, before pulling back to near the daily average line, maintaining a fluctuating trend, and finally closing flat at 24,865 yuan/mt, with trading volume decreasing to 37,825 lots..

[SMM Morning Comment on Zinc] The most-traded SHFE zinc 2608 contract opened at 24,605 yuan/mt overnight. In early trading, bulls added positions, quickly pushing SHFE zinc up to a high of 24,750 yuan/mt. Then SHFE zinc consolidated, eventually closing up at 24,670 yuan/mt, up 155 yuan/mt, or 0.63%. Trading volume decreased to 56,555 lots, and open interest increased by 1,941 lots to 90,819 lots.

[SHFE/LME zinc price ratio fluctuated around 6.9]: This week, the SHFE/LME zinc price ratio fluctuated around 6.9, and the zinc ingot import window remained persistently closed. Outside China, on the macro front, repeated geopolitical news caused fluctuations in US Treasury yields and the US dollar index, affecting the market. Tariff policy expectations stirred again, combined with persistently low zinc inventories outside China, and LME zinc continued to fluctuate at highs.

As of May 26, the Shanghai-LME zinc price ratio stood at 6.97, continuing its downward trend from 7.4 recorded in late March, which has led to a widening import loss of refined zinc ingots in China. According to calculations by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM), the current import loss of China’s refined zinc ingots has expanded to approximately RMB 3,800 per metric ton of metal.

During the May Day holiday in 2026, LME zinc traded in a general sideways range, finding solid support at the 40-day moving average. In terms of specific performance, LME zinc showed an N-shaped trend of rising first, then falling and rebounding again.