Social Inventory Gradually Rises, Zinc Price Center Slightly Declines [SMM Zinc Morning Comment]

Published: Feb 6, 2026 08:52
[SMM Zinc Morning Comment] Overnight, the most-traded SHFE zinc 2603 contract opened at 24,350 yuan/mt, initially dipping to 24,320 yuan/mt. Subsequently, bears reduced positions and exited, causing the price to gradually rebound and fluctuate higher, rising above the daily average line and touching a high of 24,615 yuan/mt. It hovered at highs near the close, finally settling up at 24,600 yuan/mt, an increase of 205 yuan/mt or 0.84% from the opening price.

Overnight, LME zinc opened at $3,324/mt, initially touching a high of $3,327.5/mt before its price center quickly fell to $3,271.5/mt. After entering European trading hours, the price gradually fluctuated and rebounded, moving above the daily average line by the end of the session, ultimately closing down at $3,298.5/mt, a decrease of $7/mt, or a 0.21% drop. Trading volume decreased to 80,368 lots, and open interest fell by 3,617 lots to 229,000 lots. Overnight, LME zinc formed a bearish candlestick, with resistance from the 5- and 10-day daily averages above and support from the 40- and 60-day daily averages below. Influenced by the decline in precious metals, the price centers of base metals generally moved lower; however, the gradual decrease in overseas zinc inventory provided some support to zinc prices, and LME zinc maintained a fluctuating trend.

Overnight, the most-traded SHFE zinc 2603 contract opened at 24,350 yuan/mt, initially dipping to 24,320 yuan/mt. Subsequently, bears reduced positions and exited the market, and the price gradually fluctuated and rebounded, rising above the daily average line and touching a high of 24,615 yuan/mt. It maintained a high fluctuation near the end of the session, ultimately closing up at 24,600 yuan/mt, an increase of 205 yuan/mt from the opening, or a 0.84% gain. Trading volume decreased to 70,510 lots, and open interest fell by 852 lots to 69,679 lots. Overnight, SHFE zinc formed a bullish candlestick, with resistance from the 5- and 20-day daily averages above and support from the 40- and 60-day daily averages below. Domestic social inventory continued to build up, consumption in the spot market was moderate, and macro sentiment waned, leading to a slight decline in the price center of SHFE zinc.

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, other data are derived by SMM based on public information, market communication, and SMM’s internal database model, and are for reference only, not constituting decision-making advice.

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 to learn 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
Zinc Price Center Moved Higher, Focus on the Peak Consumption Season and Smelter Raw Material Supply [SMM Zinc Morning Comment]
5 hours ago
Zinc Price Center Moved Higher, Focus on the Peak Consumption Season and Smelter Raw Material Supply [SMM Zinc Morning Comment]
Read More
Zinc Price Center Moved Higher, Focus on the Peak Consumption Season and Smelter Raw Material Supply [SMM Zinc Morning Comment]
Zinc Price Center Moved Higher, Focus on the Peak Consumption Season and Smelter Raw Material Supply [SMM Zinc Morning Comment]
[SMM Zinc Morning Comment] Overnight, SHFE zinc posted a bullish candlestick with no upper shadow, with support from the 5/10-day daily average below. Driven by the LME market overnight, zinc prices fluctuated upward, but on the fundamentals side, April production at China's domestic smelters is expected to increase by more than 10,000 mt MoM. At elevated zinc prices, downstream enterprises showed lower purchasing enthusiasm, inventory destocking slowed down, and weak domestic fundamentals are expected to limit its upside. Focus on......
5 hours ago
Macro and Fundamentals Resonated, LME Zinc Posted a Three-Day Winning Streak [SMM Morning Meeting Summary]
5 hours ago
Macro and Fundamentals Resonated, LME Zinc Posted a Three-Day Winning Streak [SMM Morning Meeting Summary]
Read More
Macro and Fundamentals Resonated, LME Zinc Posted a Three-Day Winning Streak [SMM Morning Meeting Summary]
Macro and Fundamentals Resonated, LME Zinc Posted a Three-Day Winning Streak [SMM Morning Meeting Summary]
[SMM Morning Meeting Summary: Macro Factors and Fundamentals Resonated, and LME Zinc Logged a Three-Day Winning Streak] Overnight, LME zinc logged a three-day winning streak, with support from the 20-day moving average below and resistance from the 40/60-day moving averages above. Overnight, as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East may have de-escalated, the US dollar index moved lower, nonferrous metals rose, and LME zinc inventory continued destocking......
5 hours ago
Zinc Price Center Shifted Lower in March; How Will It Perform in April? [SMM Analysis]
22 hours ago
Zinc Price Center Shifted Lower in March; How Will It Perform in April? [SMM Analysis]
Read More
Zinc Price Center Shifted Lower in March; How Will It Perform in April? [SMM Analysis]
Zinc Price Center Shifted Lower in March; How Will It Perform in April? [SMM Analysis]
As of March 31, the most-traded SHFE zinc contract closed at 23,480 yuan/mt, up 1,230 yuan/mt for the month, with a decline of 4.98%. Zinc prices plunged in March, briefly climbing to a high of 24,955 yuan/mt at the beginning of the month and falling to a low of 22,350 yuan/mt in the middle of the month, with the overall price center moving down significantly. After zinc prices plunged in March, how will they move in April?
22 hours ago
Register to Continue Reading
Gain access to the latest insights in metals and new energy
Already have an account?sign in here