China February NEV production tumbled 77.4% from a year ago

Carbon neutrality stocks have attracted market attention recently. In December 2020, the Central Economic Work Conference determined that promoting a peak in coal consumption and carbon neutrality are one of the key tasks to be focused in 2021. China is aiming to improve the system that caps both national carbon intensity－carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP－and energy consumption, as it strives to reach a peak in carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. Carbon neutrality refers to achieving net zero carbon dioxide emissions by balancing carbon dioxide emissions with removal (often through carbon offsetting) or simply eliminating carbon dioxide emissions altogether. It is used in the context of carbon dioxide-releasing processes associated with transportation, energy production, agriculture, and industrial processes. Carbon neutrality is expected be an important part of the "Two Sessions" and the "14th Five-Year Plan” to be held this week. 

Tight cobalt raw materials supply in China has gradually eased, and major traders expect refined cobalt prices to rise amid market talks that the government would collect and storage 2,000 mt of cobalt in late 2020. Prices of lithium salts were stable, with some producers planning to raise prices slightly.

According to statistics from the United States Geological Survey in 2015, the world's proven land cobalt resources were about 25 million mt, with reserves of 7.2 million mt. The Democratic Republic of Congo, Australia and Cuba accounted for 68% of the global cobalt reserves. Congo (Gold) is the country with the most abundant cobalt reserves. As of 2014, cobalt reserves in Congo stood at 3.4 million mt, accounting for more than 50% of the world’s total.

Demand for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in the new energy vehicle market, which enjoy more cost advantage as compared to high-nickel ternary batteries, will likely increase with support from the latest 2020 NEV subsidy policy, under which only passenger cars costing less than 300,000 yuan/unit will receive subsidies. 

Primary lead output in China expanded significantly last month, as some large smelters recovered from maintenance and small and medium-sized smelters reopened after the spread of the coronavirus in the country came under control. China’s output of primary lead increased 11.94% from February to 240,000 mt in March, to produce a year-over-year decline of 7.03%. Output in the first three months of 2020 was 6.13% lower than the same period the year before.

China’s production of new energy vehicles dropped in the first month of 2020, as producers shut or trimmed output due to the Lunar New Year holiday and continued market weakness

Production and sales of NEV across Chinese markets slowed this year

New public fleets including buses, taxis and sanitation trucks across the province all will be NEVs

Daily output of crude steel across China Iron and Steel Association member mills averaged 1.92 million mt during Feb 1-10

Output stood at 63.73 million mt in Nov, up 16.1% from Nov 2017, but down 5.9% month on month