SMM July 17:

The market generally suggested raising the secondary refined lead price by 175-200 yuan/mt, willingness to sell was moderate, and ex-factory prices for spot orders were mostly at parity with SMM #1 lead; spot transactions were at a discount of 50 yuan/mt. Downstream alloy and battery plants resisted the price increase, procurement sentiment remained heavily wait-and-see, overall market trading was sluggish, and the price increase lacked support from actual demand. Today, the SMM secondary refined lead average price was reported at 15,725 yuan/mt, at parity with the SMM #1 lead average price. The supplier selling sentiment stood at 0.96, and the purchasing sentiment for secondary refined lead today was 2.55 (historical data can be accessed in the database).
![Supply Side Tightens; Secondary Lead In-Factory Inventory Shifts to Decline [SMM Secondary Lead Inventory Weekly Review]](https://imgqn.smm.cn/usercenter/xVgcv20251217171721.jpg)
![SMM Secondary Lead Smelter Weekly Operating Rate, July 10-16, 2026 [SMM Lead Weekly Review]](https://imgqn.smm.cn/usercenter/qnyHQ20251217171721.jpeg)

