SMM Evening Comments (Jun 7)

Published: Jun 07, 2018 17:58 (GMT+8)
SMM Evening Comments

SHANGHAI, Jun 7 (SMM) – Nonferrous metals, except for SHFE zinc, rose across the board on Thursday June 7. Copper led the gains and jumped nearly 2.2%, aluminium rose nearly 2%, and lead, tin, and nickel inched up. 

The ferrous complex also soared except for iron ore. Coke gained over 2%, coking coal grew over 1%, rebar rose nearly 1.5%, and hot-rolled coil inched up close to 1%.

Copper: The SHFE 1808 contract registered a fifth consecutive trading day of increase. It surged to a high of 54,360 yuan/mt with support from longs, and closed at 54,160 yuan/mt with open interests up 13,000 lots to 207,000 lots. The contract is expected to gain further above 54,000 yuan/mt tonight given the bullish outlook in the market. 

Aluminium: SHFE 1807 contract hovered above the daily moving average in the morning, and surged to a high of 15,020 yuan/mt in the afternoon as investors added their longs. Open interest increased 52,344 lots to 728,420 lots. Longs grew on concerns of potential self-regulatory measures on power plants in China.  

Zinc: The dominant contract changed into SHFE 1808 contract as its open interests increased 10,260 lots to 177,000 lots, while the1807 contract saw its open interests declining 9,336 lots to 160,000 lots during the day. The SHFE 1808 contract edged down with pressure from shorts while most base metals gained. It broke the support of the Bollinger upper bands with limited upward momentum. We see it hovering at that level tonight. 

Nickel: As the US dollar weakened and supply concerns emerged over environmental restrictions in Inner Mongolia, the SHFE 1809 contract rebounded from a low of 117,050 yuan/mt in the morning and hovered at the daily moving average. It closed 60 yuan/mt higher from Wednesday at 118,020 yuan/mt. We see it trading rangebound at high levels tonight. Investors will take more cues from the eurozone’s seasonally adjusted GDP for the first quarter and the US initial jobless claims over the week ended June 2.

Lead: With pressure from shorts, the SHFE 1807 contract dipped to a low of 20,540 yuan/mt and closed slightly higher from Wednesday, at 20,645 yuan/mt. The contract moved close to the five-day moving average during the day, with open interests declining over 10,000 lots during the two days. It is likely to remain at current high levels tonight. Investors will monitor changes in open interests. 

Tin: As investors cut their longs, the SHFE 1809 contract slumped to a low of 152,300 yuan/mt in the morning. It rebounded as pressure from shorts eased and closed at 153,450 yuan/mt, some 460 yuan/mt higher from Wednesday. Tonight, the contract is likely to retain its rangebound trend with resistance at 155,000 yuan/mt and support at 150,000 yuan/mt. 


For editorial queries, please contact Daisy Tseng at daisy@smm.cn 
For more information on how to access our research reports, please email service.en@smm.cn 

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn
For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn
Related News
Ghana draft bill proposes state special share and shorter mining leases
Oct 02, 2026 15:49 (GMT+8)
Ghana draft bill proposes state special share and shorter mining leases
Read More
Ghana draft bill proposes state special share and shorter mining leases
Ghana draft bill proposes state special share and shorter mining leases
[SMM Gold Flash] A draft mining bill reviewed by Reuters on 30 September would let Ghana’s mines minister require companies to issue the state a free special share with consent rights over major transactions. It would retain the existing 10% free-carried state interest and limit mining leases to 15 years or the projected mine life, whichever is shorter. The draft would also allow future rules requiring local processing and restricting exports of unprocessed concentrates. None of these proposals has been enacted; Reuters did not establish when the draft was prepared. For Ghana’s gold miners, the proposed rights and shorter leases could affect financing, valuations and renewal decisions. Under the draft, existing rights holders seeking renewal would receive priority consideration for equivalent licences. Mining companies expect further consultation before parliamentary debate, Reuters reported. The final wording and timing remain uncertain.
Oct 02, 2026 15:49 (GMT+8)
PGMs: Independent tests advance platinum and palladium battery technology
Oct 02, 2026 15:48 (GMT+8)
PGMs: Independent tests advance platinum and palladium battery technology
Read More
PGMs: Independent tests advance platinum and palladium battery technology
PGMs: Independent tests advance platinum and palladium battery technology
[SMM PGM Flash] Platinum Group Metals said on 1 October that independent testing by the Battery Innovation Center had validated its Lion Battery subsidiary’s platinum- and palladium-based electrodes in prototype lithium-sulphur cells. Compared with cells without the catalysts, the prototypes showed better capacity and rate capability, with palladium-rich formulations performing best overall. Platinum Group and Valterra Platinum, which own Lion 52% and 48% respectively, have approved funding for the next phase. The result offers a possible new use for PGMs beyond vehicle exhaust catalysts, but remains a prototype milestone. Lion plans to make and test pouch cells, refine the catalysts and assess applications including drones. Commercial performance and demand for significant PGM volumes have yet to be established. The work is relevant to Southern African suppliers: Valterra produces PGMs in South Africa and Zimbabwe, while Platinum Group is developing South Africa’s Waterberg project.
Oct 02, 2026 15:48 (GMT+8)
Sibanye reaches East Boulder wage agreement; separate US strike continues
Oct 01, 2026 16:45 (GMT+8)
Sibanye reaches East Boulder wage agreement; separate US strike continues
Read More
Sibanye reaches East Boulder wage agreement; separate US strike continues
Sibanye reaches East Boulder wage agreement; separate US strike continues
[SMM PGM Flash] Sibanye-Stillwater announced on 30 September that workers at its East Boulder platinum and palladium mine in Montana had ratified a collective agreement with the United Steelworkers. The deal runs retroactively from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2029, with a 4.5% wage increase in year one, the greater of 3.5% or CPI in year two and the greater of 3.0% or CPI in year three. Strike action at the separate Stillwater East mine and Columbus metallurgical facility continues, the company said. The East Boulder settlement fixes part of the labour-cost path for Sibanye’s US PGM business and supports its planned shift towards more mechanised mining and team-based incentives. It does not resolve the other strike or demonstrate a recovery in output; the company disclosed no revised production guidance in this release.
Oct 01, 2026 16:45 (GMT+8)
SMM Evening Comments (Jun 7) - Shanghai Metals Market (SMM)