Silicon Exporters Cease Operation for Chinese National Day Holiday

Coherent launched PhotonLink, an integrated optics platform for AI infrastructure incorporating Indium Phosphide (InP) lasers, silicon photonics, detectors and optical modules. The company disclosed more than 10 CPO engagements, over 10 NPO engagements and more than five chip-to-chip connectivity projects, with anchor customers and long-term agreements secured for both CPO and NPO. Revenue is expected to begin ramping in Q4 2026. Coherent has shipped over 300 million InP lasers and is expanding its 6-inch InP manufacturing capacity to support the ramp. The customer pipeline provides a clearer commercial demand signal for InP devices and upstream materials, although additional capacity and indium consumption were not disclosed.

Alleima raised tube alloy surcharges in Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania from Oct 1. For hot-finished products, 316/316L rose from €5.26/kg (€5,260/t) to €5.33/kg (€5,330/t); High Mo from €5.74/kg (€5,740/t) to €5.81/kg (€5,810/t); SAF 2205 and SAF 2507 increased 2.26% and 1.95%; and 254 SMO rose 0.70%. The hot-finished energy surcharge more than doubled to €0.21/kg (€210/t). SMM analysis: Mo-bearing surcharges broadly rose, but the energy reset means the full increase cannot be attributed to molybdenum.

Global molybdenum production was 167.2 mlb (75,841 tonnes) in Q2 2026, down 3% YoY and 1% QoQ, while usage reached 177.5 mlb (80,513 tonnes), up 8% YoY but down 2% QoQ. The direct comparison leaves an apparent quarterly gap of 10.3 mlb (4,672 tonnes). China produced 79.5 mlb (36,061 tonnes), flat YoY and up 1% QoQ; South American output fell 9% YoY and 4% QoQ to 39.9 mlb (18,098 tonnes). China’s usage rose 10% YoY to 90.2 mlb (40,914 tonnes), while US usage increased 12% to 17.1 mlb (7,756 tonnes). The gap does not account for inventories or trade flows.