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Toyota Motor has formulated a production increase plan, aiming to raise the production of hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles to approximately 6.7 million units (expected to be achieved in 2028). This production target is 30% higher than the estimated 5 million units projected for 2026.

According to preliminary statistics from the Passenger Car Association, wholesale sales of passenger new energy vehicles in China are estimated to have reached 900,000 units in January, up 1% YoY. Among them, Tesla China performed strongly, with wholesale sales of 69,129 units, up 9.3% YoY.

Federal Reserve Governor Cook pointed out that bringing the inflation rate back to the target level in the near term is the top priority for the US Fed, which is crucial for maintaining its credibility. Cook also mentioned that the risk of a rise in inflation is currently prominent, and uncertainty in the economic outlook remains high.

The European Central Bank decided to maintain the current benchmark interest rate unchanged, marking the fifth consecutive pause in interest rate cuts since last June. Despite this, the bank has yet to provide clear guidance on the future path of monetary policy, further reinforcing market expectations that monetary policy will remain unchanged in the short term. Meanwhile, policymakers continue to monitor the appreciation of the euro, focusing on assessing its potential impact on the competitiveness of the export sector and inflation trends.

The China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) predicts that China's new PV installations are expected to pull back in 2026, ranging between 180 GW and 240 GW. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the average annual new PV installations are projected to reach 238 GW to 287 GW. Wang Shijiang, Deputy Director of the Electronic Information Department at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), emphasized that the core task this year is to address the cut-throat competition in the PV industry.

US Fed Vice Chairman Jefferson expressed "cautious optimism" regarding the US economic outlook, suggesting that, driven by robust productivity growth, inflation is expected to pull back to the central bank's 2% target level. Additionally, Jefferson noted that the current policy stance is sufficient to effectively address economic developments.

According to big data from the commerce sector, as of February 5, a total of 335,000 subsidy applications had been received for the 2026 auto trade-in policy, effectively boosting new auto sales with a total value of 53.77 billion yuan. Further observation revealed that the average price of new cars involved in the trade-in activity in January exceeded the 160,000 yuan mark, showing a significant increase compared to the previous year.

[SMM Nickel Flash] February 6 - Supply side, market offers were basically flat, with the price center showing a slight increase. Demand side, there was no substantial procurement demand before the holiday, but transactions were difficult to conclude at low prices. Overall, high-grade NPI prices saw a slight rebound, and significant fluctuations are unlikely to continue before the holiday.

[SMM Nickel Flash] On February 6, the SMM average price for 10-12% high-grade NPI was 1,040 yuan/mtu (ex-factory, tax included), up 2.5 yuan/mtu MoM from the previous working day. The market sentiment factor for high-grade NPI was 2.06, down 0.04 MoM; the upstream sentiment factor for high-grade NPI was 2.84, down 0.07 MoM; and the downstream sentiment factor for high-grade NPI was 1.28, flat MoM.

[SMM Aluminum Express News] Danantara officially began construction on a major aluminum smelter and alumina refinery (SGAR) in Mempawah, West Kalimantan, on February 6, 2026. The total investment is Rp 87.7 trillion. The project, managed by Inalum and Antam, will have a 1-million-ton annual capacity.

Premier Li Qiang presided over an executive meeting of the State Council to study policy measures for promoting effective investment. The meeting noted that promoting effective investment plays an important role in stabilizing economic growth and strengthening momentum for development. It is necessary to innovate and improve policy measures, and intensify efforts to enhance the efficiency of utilizing funds such as central budget investments, ultra-long-term special treasury bonds, local government special bonds, and new-type policy-based financial instruments. In conjunction with formulating and implementing the 15th Five-Year Plan

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the plenary sessions of the Party’s 20th Central Committee, fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy, strengthen top-level design, build computing power interconnection nodes oriented toward national hub periods, major strategic regions, and key industries, establish a system of computing power interconnection nodes, improve the efficiency and service level of public computing power resources, and promote high-quality development of computing power.

After intensive indirect consultations, the new round of nuclear talks between Iran and the US in Muscat, the capital of Oman, has achieved phased progress. It is reported that during this round of talks, the Iranian and US delegations did not meet directly. Instead, Omani Foreign Minister Badr acted as an intermediary, conveying a series of core proposals, strategic concerns, and policy positions to the other side. The atmosphere at the talks was tense yet efficient. According to preliminary on-site assessments, although both sides continue to negotiate over specific terms, they have reached a consensus on the key objective of "continuing dialogue."