Platinum futures continue to rebound, spot market returns to sluggishness [SMM daily review]

[SMM PGM Flash] Sibanye-Stillwater has announced that workers at its Stillwater East platinum-and-palladium mine and Columbus metallurgical facility in Montana ratified a collective agreement with the United Steelworkers. It runs retroactively from 1 June 2026 to 31 May 2029 and provides a 4.5% first-year wage rise, followed by the greater of 3.5% or CPI in year two and 3.0% or CPI in year three. The ratification ends strike action dating from 3 September. Employees are expected, not confirmed, to resume scheduled duties on the day shift on 9 October. If that return occurs, the agreement removes the immediate labour stoppage affecting these US PGM sites. It is distinct from the East Boulder settlement announced on 30 September, although Sibanye says both agreements support mechanisation, team incentives and benefit alignment. The company did not quantify lost output or provide a production-recovery timetable.

On the first trading day after the National Day holiday, platinum and palladium posted sharp catch-up declines. The most-traded platinum contract fell 3.37% to 406.05 yuan/g, while palladium dropped 6.95% to 271.9 yuan/g, hitting a record low since listing. The overseas market remained under pressure during the holiday, dragged notably by US Treasury yields breaking above 5% and a stronger US dollar. In the spot market, buying interest on dips strengthened, trading was active, supply was tight, and suppliers held prices firm, with spot prices falling less than futures. Further sharp downside appears limited in the near term, and prices may consolidate at lows. Watch for signals from CPI and the FOMC.