On March 13, the average price of SMM battery-grade nickel sulphate rose slightly.

[SMM Weekly Survey of the Aluminum Downstream Sector: Downstream Aluminum Operating Rate Continued to Rebound to 61.9%, with High Prices Suppressing the Peak "Golden March" Season] This week, the weekly operating rate of leading downstream aluminum processing enterprises in China rose 2.4 percentage points MoM to 61.9%, overall extending the post-holiday recovery trend, with all segments rebounding MoM, and the industry as a whole entering a normal production pace.

The University of Tsukuba in Japan successfully developed a new-type magnesium-air solid-state battery, using a nitrogen-doped porous graphene cathode to solve the problem of chloride corrosion, providing a high-safety, low-cost technological pathway for flexible electronics and wearable devices. At the same time, the Record Ridge magnesium mine project in British Columbia, Canada, has triggered strong opposition from the local tourism community over plans to transport ore to China for processing, and has been halted by litigation, with a court hearing scheduled for March 10. The two developments respectively highlight magnesium’s cutting-edge applications in new energy technology and the real-world tensions in resource development.

SMM, March 5: Today, market sentiment in the Foshan A00 spot aluminum market adjusted in the doldrums. Downstream players basically completed the resumption of work after the Lantern Festival, with bullish sentiment spreading. Purchase willingness and buying intensity both increased, and market transactions were in a phase of accelerated recovery. The overall supply-demand pattern changed relatively little. Although overall deliverable cargo in warehouses was ample, pressure from in-transit cargo eased slightly due to the expanded suspension of rail loading in South China. Aluminum prices rose for several consecutive sessions, leaving traders hedging positions relatively passive. Today, mainstream quotes in the South China market were at a discount of 170-180 yuan/mt to the SHFE aluminum 03 contract, with mainstream transactions at a discount of 180 yuan/mt to the SHFE aluminum 03 contract. Aluminum billet: Today, the average processing fee for SMM 6063 aluminum billet (Guangdong) was -50 yuan/mt for Φ90/100, and -100 yuan/mt for Φ120 and above, down 230 yuan/mt from yesterday. As overseas aluminum supply saw renewed turbulence, the base price fluctuated sharply. Aluminum billet processing fees came under pressure, with the discount widening. Downstream players were wary of high prices, mainly purchasing on rigid demand while pushing for lower prices, and overall market trading sentiment was average.

【The daily average trading volume of used cars in China from February 9 to February 14 was 65,800 units. 】Data from the China Automobile Dealers Association showed that during February 9 to February 14, the domestic used car market exhibited typical pre-holiday trading characteristics, with a daily average transaction volume of 65,800 units, down 5.28% MoM from the previous week. Affected by multiple factors such as the Spring Festival travel rush, suspension of logistics, and extended consumer car purchase decision-making cycles, the used car market typically enters an off-season in the week before the holiday.

Tianli Lithium Energy issued an announcement on February 26, stating that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sichuan Tianli Lithium Energy Co., Ltd., has completed the scheduled production line maintenance plan and fully resumed production operations on February 24, ahead of the originally planned date of February 28. It is understood that the production suspension for maintenance at Sichuan Tianli began on January 14, 2026, with the core objective of ensuring the efficient, stable, and safe operation of the lithium iron phosphate production line, thereby guaranteeing the smooth progress of subsequent safe production. During the maintenance period, Sichuan Tianli conducted a comprehensive inspection and upkeep of the production line, simultaneously carrying out upgrades and renovations.

[SMM Aluminum Price Weekly Review: Middle East Geopolitical Conflict Drove a Sharp Surge in Aluminum Prices; In the Short Term, Aluminum Prices Are Expected to Hold Up Well]

The suspension of equivalent tariffs! LME zinc center moved upward. Overnight, LME zinc opened at $2,550/mt, then fluctuated along the daily average line, hitting a low of $2,515/mt. During the night session, LME zinc fluctuated upward, reaching a high of $2,620/mt at the end of the session, and finally closed up at $2,620/mt, an increase of $67/mt, a gain of 2.62%. The trading volume decreased to 132,000 lots, and the open interest decreased by 269 lots to 218,000 lots.

On May 20, Baolong Automotive and WEIFU Group announced the formation of a joint venture aimed at entering the emerging market of fully active suspension systems.

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