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2026 SMM London Metals Forum

2026 SMM AICE Asia Aluminum Conference

ASEAN Solar Storage Summit 2026

SMM CCAE 2026 15th COPPER INDSTRY ANNUAL CONFERENCE

ASCC 2026 SMM 8th Automotive Supply Chain Conference & Industry Collaboration Forum

2026 SMM (3rd) South China Non-Ferrous Metals Annual Conference

CLNB 2026 Asia Battery Material Cooperation Forum

Indonesia Critical Minerals Conference & Expo 2027

Shanghai Metals Expo 2026

SMM (11th) Annual Nickel Conference 2026 - Ni Cr Mn Stainless Steel Event

Putailai announced on Aug 27 that its subsidiary Jiatuo Intelligent, the group's automation equipment platform, resumed IPO review on the Beijing Stock Exchange on Aug 25 after voluntarily suspending to supplement materials. The spin-off listing extends Putailai's platform strategy of materials, process and equipment. Putailai, a leading supplier of anode materials and separators, posted H1 2026 revenue of RMB 10.115 billion, up 42.70% YoY, with total profit of RMB 1.752 billion, up 33.99%.

[Lithium Battery: Putailai's subsidiary Jiatuo resumes IPO review on Beijing Stock Exchange]

CALB Technology Research Institute (Hefei) Co., Ltd. was recently established with registered capital of RMB 100 million, wholly owned by CALB Group, covering new energy and new material R&D, battery manufacturing and import-export business. CALB focuses on lithium-ion power batteries, BMS and energy storage batteries for EVs and storage scenarios such as power stations, grids and data centers. Its H1 2026 net profit is expected at RMB 1.506-1.581 billion, up about 100%-110% YoY.

[Lithium Battery: CALB sets up research institute in Hefei; H1 net profit expected to double]

Pangang Vanadium Semi Coke (Gansu PCI Semi Coke) Procurement Tender for September 2026

This week, the industry chain as a whole exhibited an operating pattern of “upstream consolidation, divergent performance in materials, and improving demand expectations.” Lithium ore prices continued to consolidate at highs, with miners still holding prices firm, but smelting margins were squeezed, and salt producers’ procurement gradually returned to rigid demand; lithium carbonate pulled back after shooting up, with supply growth driven by salt lake production resumptions, while downstream stockpiling on dips provided support for prices. The cobalt market was generally weak, with a wide price spread between buying and selling prices for intermediate products; cobalt sulphate and cobalt powder prices remained under pressure, and actual transactions were still sluggish. Materials showed divergent performance: ternary cathode material prices weakened as raw materials pulled back, while LFP continued to rise on higher costs and robust orders, with industry supply still tight. Anode prices held steady, separators stayed rangebound, and electrolyte costs moved higher, driven by price increases in LiPF6, additives, and solvents. As the “September-October peak season” approaches, stockpiling and production schedule expectations improved in certain segments, but the market still needs to watch raw material price fluctuations, capacity releases, and the fulfilment of end-user orders.

[SMM Cobalt-Lithium Morning Meeting Minutes] Raw Materials Consolidate at Highs with Divergence; Expectations for the Materials Peak Season Gradually Heat Up

This week, the cobalt industry chain as a whole remained in the doldrums, with prices of some products continuing to edge lower. Refined cobalt was supported by overseas miners’ purchases of low-priced intermediate products; futures stopped falling and rebounded, but downstream consumption was still in the off-season, and spot transactions saw only limited improvement. Divergence between buyers and sellers of cobalt intermediate products was pronounced, with downstream purchasing interest clearly shifting lower; the average SMM cobalt intermediate product price fell to $19/lb. Cobalt sulphate was affected by low-priced deals outside China and weakening cost support, with the average price dropping to 71,000 yuan/mt; cobalt chloride and Co3O4 were broadly in the doldrums. The cobalt powder market continued to grind lower, with the average price falling to 420,000 yuan/mt, as downstream demand from the cemented carbide sector remained weak. 

On the cathode material side, ternary cathode precursor and ternary cathode material prices were under pressure; export orders were relatively better, but growth in China demand was limited. LCO supply and demand remained weak, and inventory destocking was slow. With the traditional peak season approaching, the market focused on whether stockpiling in September could drive a recovery in demand; in the short term, price stabilization still needed to wait for signals of concentrated procurement.

The English translation of the above text is:

[SMM Cobalt Morning Meeting Minutes] Cobalt Industry Chain Prices Under Pressure in the Peak Season; Signals of a Demand Recovery Still Pending Confirmation

Sunwoda posted H1 2026 revenue of RMB 38.18bn, up 41.5% YoY. Its energy storage business stood out, with ESS shipments of 14.7GWh, up 64.98% YoY, and ESS revenue of RMB 1.77bn, up 76.21% YoY. Orders from the AIDC storage segment surged nearly 30-fold YoY, supported by a full-stack self-developed product matrix covering various voltage levels for IDC/AIDC applications.

[ESS: Sunwoda's H1 ESS shipments reach 14.7GWh, up 65% YoY]

REPT Battero reported H1 2026 revenue of RMB 14.92bn, up 57.2% YoY, with net profit of RMB 778mn, already exceeding its full-year 2025 result. The company sold 42.7GWh of lithium batteries in H1, up 31.8% YoY, including 15.5GWh of EV batteries (+14.8%) and 27.2GWh of ESS batteries (+43.9%), with ESS battery revenue up 81.5% YoY. Gross profit rose 138.8% YoY to RMB 1.98bn as economies of scale kicked in.

[Li-battery: REPT Battero's H1 net profit hits RMB 778mn, topping full-year 2025]

Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) has finalized four 15-year Storage Services Agreements covering a combined 2 GW/8 GWh of utility-scale battery storage, marking the first phase of the Kingdom's large-scale BESS programme. The four projects, each rated at 500 MW/2,000 MWh under a build-own-operate model, represent an investment of more than $1.16 billion. Three projects (Al Muwyah, Haden and Al Kahafa) went to a consortium of Saudi Energy, ACWA Power and Al Sharif, while the fourth, Al Khushaybi, was awarded to a consortium of France's Engie and Haji Abdullah Alireza & Co. Saudi Arabia targets 48 GWh of storage by 2030, with this portfolio representing about one-sixth of that goal.

[Energy Storage: Saudi Arabia's SPPC finalizes 2 GW/8 GWh battery storage portfolio worth over $1.16 billion]

[China's NEV Industry Scale Has Exceeded the Million-Unit Level] The State Council Information Office held a press conference titled "A Strong Start to the 15th Five-Year Plan Period," where officials from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology stated that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's NEV industry scale leaped from the hundred-thousand-unit level to the million-unit level, with annual sales increasing from 1.367 million units to 16.49 million units, and their share of total new car sales rising from 5.4% to 47.9%. The industrial system has become increasingly complete, with China's production of NEVs, power batteries, and key materials accounting for over 70% of the global total. International influence has continued to grow, with products exported to more than 100 countries and regions. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, efforts will be made to further improve product supply quality, actively and steadily promote pilot programs for the market access and road operation of intelligent connected vehicles, as well as the "Vehicle-Road-Cloud Integration" pilot projects. The supporting usage environment will be optimized to effectively address consumers' post-purchase concerns, encouraging consumers to be willing to buy and use these vehicles with peace of mind.

[China's NEV Industry Scale Has Exceeded the Million-Unit Level]

The Future of Indonesia NPI and Asian Stainless Steel

Indonesia ESDM New HPM Formula & Nickel Market Updates

2025-2026 Global PV Market Review & Outlook: Navigating Geopolitics and Policy Shifts

SMM FREE WEBINAR: Sulfur Market: 2025 Review and 2026 Outlook

Impact of Iran Situation on Aluminum & Zinc Chains: A China-Based Market Outlook

SMM Africa Webinar: Strategic Sharing & Insights of Copper, Aluminium, New Energy, and Iron Ore Market

Lithium Is Moving Again — What It Really Means for BESS Costs and Procurement Strategy

Asia Copper and Aluminum Scrap 2025 Market Review and 2026 Outlook

SMM Aluminium Year-End Review: Indonesia 's Value Chain Acceleration - Tighter Quotas, Refinery Ramps & the Path to Aluminum Powerhouse Status

SMM Online Webinar: Nickel in Turmoil - Decoding Indonesia’s Policy Evolution & The Future of Global Supply

Category	Price Description	Change	Date
Raw Materials	Battery-Grade Lithium Carbonate USD/tonne	+81.61	Aug 28
Raw Materials	Battery-Grade Lithium Hydroxide (Coarse Particles) USD/tonne	+155.24	Aug 28
Cathode material	China Lithium Ferrous Phosphate (Powder Compact Density 2.50g/cm³ min) USD/tonne	+21.32	Aug 28
Battery separator	China 9μm Wet-process Separator USD/m²	0	Aug 27
Electrolyte	China Lithium Hexafluorophosphate USD/tonne	+154.2	Aug 28
Electrolyte	China Electrolyte (for LFP Battery) USD/tonne	+27.62	Aug 28

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