[Lithium Battery: XTC New Energy Plans New 10,000-Ton Lithium Battery Cathode Material Project In Malaysia]

In July 2026, China's phosphate rock imports stood at only 17,000 tons, a sharp month-on-month drop of 87.3%, hitting a near three-year low, while exports fell to zero. The average import price was $84.5 per ton, down 7.6% month-on-month. Among importing provinces, only Guangxi maintained 14,000 tons, with all others dropping to zero. Among source countries, Egypt's shipments shrank sharply by 81%, while Kazakhstan saw a marginal increase. After a spike in June, exports returned to zero in July, mainly due to the completion of order deliveries, the off-season for demand, and regulatory policies. A rebound in imports is unlikely in the short term, and attention should be paid to winter stockpiling and changes in export policies.

[Solid-State Batteries: SEVC POWER Completed Several Hundred Million Yuan in Financing, Accelerating the Industrialisation of Sulphide All-Solid-State Batteries] On 26 August 2026, solid-state battery enterprise SEVC POWER announced that it had completed external financing of several hundred million yuan. This round was co-led by existing shareholders Saike Investment and CICC Capital, with Zhongguancun Qihang, Dingfeng Kechuang, Zhongguancun Yulin, Linjie Venture Capital, Yibin Talent Fund, and Yibin Zhengchuang participating as co-investors. The proceeds will be used for the construction and capacity expansion of production lines for sulphide electrolytes, high-safety batteries, all-solid-state battery cells, and PACK, and to continuously advance the development of the material system, solid–solid interface, cycle life, and continuous manufacturing processes for sulphide all-solid-state batteries, while also expanding the R&D, engineering manufacturing, and marketing teams. The company was recently certified as an “Innovative Small and Medium-sized Enterprise of Sichuan Province (2026)” and was listed on the GEI China Potential Unicorn Enterprise List, marking dual recognition from both capital markets and the industry in the industrialisation track for sulphide all-solid-state batteries.

[Shanghai: Expand Trading Scale of Copper, Aluminum and Other Key Metals, Accelerate Improvement of Futures Product Series for Emerging Metals Like Lithium, Cobalt and Nickel] The Shanghai Municipal People's Government issued the "15th Five-Year Plan" for Accelerating the Construction of an International Trade Center in Shanghai. The plan mentions accelerating the expansion of bulk trading categories. Expand the trading scale of key metals such as copper and aluminum. Accelerate the improvement of the futures product series for emerging metals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel. Improve the service system for new energy products, and support the Lingang New Area to build a hydrogen-based green energy trading platform. Enhance the internationalization level of bulk commodities. Support traditional varieties such as steel to explore the international market, and consolidate the pricing benchmark status of varieties such as "Shanghai Copper", "Shanghai Oil" and "Shanghai Rubber". Promote more futures and options products to be directly opened to overseas traders, and accelerate the launch of new international varieties priced in RMB.