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CORRECTED - China aluminium wire exports increase as war-driven rally and tax gap drive shipments
Customs data on Wednesday showed that China's exports for aluminium stranded wire increased in April. The rise in prices was largely due to the Iran War, and a tax loophole encouraged traders and producers to ship more metal in processed form, rather than ingots. Customs data released Wednesday show that in?April?China exported 15,565 tons of aluminium-stranded cable, wire and similar products excluding steel core material. This is up 166% compared to a year ago and almost 95% compared to March. Two sources familiar with the matter say that aluminium stranded cable is usually used for power transmission and distribution. However, traders are now looking to use it to export aluminum after the rally opened up an arbitrage opportunity. They requested anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak in public. Sources said that the product qualifies for a value-added tax refund of?13%, while unwrought aluminum faces an export duty of 30%. One of them is interested in 'getting involved' in this business. Sources said that some traders purchase aluminium ingots in China, and then send them to wire producers for processing into stranded cable before export. Buyers overseas will need to remelt the ingots to make items like aluminium bar and alloy. The export boom was also driven by higher overseas prices. The Iran War has driven LME Aluminium up by more than 13%. It has disrupted shipments through Strait of Hormuz, and damaged aluminium facilities located in the Gulf which provide nearly 9% of worldwide supply. Analysts expected China's semi-fabricated and manufactured aluminium product exports to increase as higher overseas prices opened up a?export window. Customs data revealed that South Korea, which had almost no shipments in March, was the number one destination for?Chinese aluminum stranded?wire in April. Vietnam was ranked second with shipments increasing to 2,288 tonnes, almost five times the level in March and nearly 30 times that of a year ago. Exports to Algeria increased to 1,340 tonnes from 36.7 tons last month, while shipments into Ethiopia rose to 1,124 ton from 254 ton. South Korea, Vietnam and?Algeria, together, accounted for almost half of China's April exports. Data also revealed shipments to countries that rarely purchased the product in the past. Japan received 457 tonnes in April, compared to just 4 tons over the 15 previous months. (Reporting from Dylan Duan and Lewis Jackson).
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China's aluminium wire exports increase as a war-driven rally and tax gap drive shipments
Customs data on Wednesday showed that China's exports for aluminium stranded wire increased in April. The rise in prices was largely due to the Iran War, and a tax loophole encouraged traders and producers to ship more metal in processed form, rather than ingots. Customs data released Wednesday show that in?April?China exported 15,565 tons of aluminium-stranded cable, wire and similar products excluding steel core material. This is up 166% compared to a year ago and almost 95% compared to March. Two sources familiar with the matter say that aluminium stranded cable is usually used for power transmission and distribution. However, traders are now looking to use it to export aluminum after the rally opened up an arbitrage opportunity. They requested anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak in public. Sources said that the product qualifies for a value-added tax refund of?13%, while unwrought aluminum faces an export duty of 30%. One of them is interested in 'getting involved in this business. Sources said that some traders purchase aluminium ingots in China, and then send them to wire producers for processing into stranded cable before export. Buyers overseas will need to remelt the ingots to make items like aluminium bar and alloy. The export boom was also driven by higher overseas prices. The Iran War has driven LME Aluminium up by more than 13%. It has disrupted shipments through Strait of Hormuz, and damaged aluminium facilities located in the Gulf which provide nearly 9% of worldwide supply. Analysts expected China's semi-fabricated and manufactured aluminium product exports to increase as higher overseas prices opened up a?export window. Customs data revealed that South Korea, which had almost no shipments in March, was the number one destination for stranded aluminium wire from China in April. Vietnam was ranked second with shipments increasing to 2,288 tonnes, almost five times 'the level in March and nearly 30 times that of a year ago. Exports to Algeria increased to 1,340 tonnes from 36.7 tons last month, while shipments into Ethiopia increased to 1,124 ton from 254 ton. South Korea, Vietnam and?Algeria, together, accounted for almost half of China's April exports. Data also revealed shipments to countries that rarely purchased the product in the past. Japan received 457 tonnes in April, compared to just 4 tons over the 15 previous months. (Reporting from Dylan Duan and Lewis Jackson).
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Shares rise on Nvidia earnings and Samsung strike suspension
Stocks rose on Thursday as some vessels resumed their passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, forecast-beating Nvidia results and a suspended workers' strike by Samsung Electronics boosted?shares of the chipmakers. The MSCI broadest Asia-Pacific share index outside Japan rose 1.2% to end a four-day losing streak. Meanwhile, the KOSPI soared over 4%. Brent crude futures rose 0.7% in Asia to $105.76 per barrel, retracing their declines following the passage of three supertankers through the Strait on Wednesday. Iran also consolidated control over the waterway. Wall Street saw the S&P500 rise 1.1% and the Nasdaq Composite rally 1.5%, after three days of declines. President Donald Trump stated that the United States would be ready to continue with more attacks against Iran if Tehran refused to agree to a peaceful deal. However, he suggested Washington wait a couple days until it "got the right answers." Analysts at Westpac said in a report that "Oil prices fell and other major markets rallied as investors were comforted by headlines quoting Trump as saying the U.S. is in the final stages" with Iran. Asian chipmakers' stocks rose on Wednesday after Nvidia announced a better-than expected revenue forecast. CEO Jensen Huang wanted to assure investors that world's largest company, Nvidia, could sustain a blockbuster increase in demand for their flagship AI chips. Dan Ives is the global head of technology at Wedbush in New York. He said, "The chipscape remains Nvidia’s world, with everyone else paying rent. Nvidia shares dropped 1.1% during extended trading while S&P500 e-minis futures fell 0.5%. Tony Sycamore is a market analyst with IG Sydney. He said that the market's response was "relatively muted" by his own high standards. The lack of China sales in the outlook, and guidance that only modestly exceeded expectations left some investors wanting more fireworks. Samsung Electronics shares in Seoul jumped more than 6% following the union's announcement that it would suspend its industrial action if a tentative wage agreement was reached with the company. This prevented a strike of nearly 48,000 employees, which threatened South Korea's economic growth and the global supply of?chips. The Nikkei index rose 1.9% in Japan after S&P Global’s flash manufacturing PMI expanded a?slower rate than a?month earlier. It?slipped to 54.5 from 55.1 last month. Data from the Finance Ministry showed that Japanese exports increased 14.8% on an annual basis in April. This was the eighth consecutive month of growth, and dispelled fears about a global economic stagflation. Australian shares rose 1.5%, despite mixed leading indicators. Flash PMI data showed that activity in Australia's service sector slowed in May to 47.7 from 50.7 one month earlier. However, a manufacturing gauge remained at 50.2, which is just above the threshold separating growth from contraction. The yield on the 10-year Treasury bond in the United States increased 1.9 basis points, to 4.588%. This is a return to growth after a three-day decline. The minutes of the Federal Reserve meeting on April 28-29 showed that policymakers were more concerned about inflation last month. Bitcoin fell 0.3% to $77,453.44, and ether dropped 0.3% to $2,127.53. (Reporting and editing by Jacqueline Wong; Gregor Stuart Hunter)
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Oil prices rebound on the uncertainty surrounding the Iran peace agreement and inventory reductions
The oil prices recovered on Thursday, after two days of losses. This was due to supply concerns arising from the uncertainty surrounding the end of the Iran War and the U.S. inventory withdrawal which raised fears about the depletion of global stocks. Brent crude futures grew 81 cents or 0.77% to $105.83 a barrel by 0055 GMT. U.S. West Texas intermediate futures rose 97 cents or 0.99% at $99.23. Both benchmarks fell more than 5.6% after U.S. president Donald Trump announced that negotiations with Iran are in their final stages. He also threatened to launch further attacks against Iran if they refused to agree to a peaceful deal. Iran warned against any further attacks and announced measures to consolidate its control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that before the war transported oil and liquefied gas equaling about 20% of world consumption. It has since been mostly closed. Analyst at Haitong Futures, Yang An said: "The sharp fall in oil prices appears to be pricing the possibility of a breakthrough" in the negotiations. Yang stated that if Trump insists upon?making no compromises to Iran then an agreement is unlikely and the outcome of the negotiation could'reverse sharply. The?Iran announced on Wednesday a new "Persian Gulf Strait Authority" that would create a "controlled marine zone" along the Strait of Hormuz. Iran closed the Strait as a retaliation for the U.S. attacks and Israeli attacks which started the conflict on February 28. The majority of fighting has stopped following an April ceasefire, but the U.S. is blocking its coast. Supply losses in the Middle East region due to the war has forced countries into a rapid withdrawal of their strategic and commercial inventories, causing concern about the draining. Energy Information Administration reported on Wednesday that the U.S. withdrew almost 10 million barrels from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve last week. This was the largest drawdown in history. The EIA said that commercial crude inventories dropped by 7.9m barrels, to 445m barrels last weekend. This was compared with analyst expectations of a 2.9m barrel draw. Gasoline inventories fell by 1.5 million barrels while distillates increased by 372,000 barrels. Mingyu Gao is the chief researcher for energy and chemicals, at China Futures. Gao stated that "global refined-product inventories and onshore crude stocks are expected to drop below their lowest levels in this time of the year for the last five years by late may and late juin," Gao said. (Reporting and editing by Lewis Jackson, Sam Li)
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Arafura opens the way for Australia's 1st ore-to -oxide rare Earths plant
Arafura Rare Earths announced on Thursday that it had made a final investment decision for the development of 'Nolans' project in Australia's Northern Territory. This would be 'the country's 'first 'fully integrated ore to oxide rare earths 'operation. The company's shares rose 13.6% intraday to A$0.335, their highest intraday gain since 11 March. As of 0046 GMT, the benchmark index was up by 1.7%. The Nolans project is designed ?to deliver 4,440 metric tons of neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) oxide annually, targeting markets outside China ?amid growing demand for rare earths used in electric vehicles and wind ?turbines. Arafura announced that Hatch, an engineering contractor, has been hired to support the development. Site works and early contractor mobilization are expected in advance of a construction start planned for September. The final investment decision comes after a multiyear financing and offtake plan that secured binding agreements from institutions backed by sovereigns in four countries along with supply agreements with global manufactures. The package of financing includes an equity raise of A$481million ($343.87million), A$230million in equity subscriptions by?Germany’s state-owned Development Bank Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau and Export Finance Australia, and a A$200million convertible notes term sheet with the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation. The funding is part of a 'Western push' to develop rare earth supply chains outside the top producer China with international partners. The Australian government’s Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve, administered in partnership by?EFA has issued a nonbinding letter to support the potential rights to receive up to 500 tonne per year of ndPr from the project, according to the firm. The CMSR ensures that Australia and its key international partners are supplied with critical minerals.
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SpaceX IPO filing lays bare its losses and Musk's control as it stakes its future on AI
SpaceX released its IPO on Wednesday. It revealed to investors how much Elon Musk loses on?artificial Intelligence, while betting on the future of the company by transforming it into a rocket maker that is a powerhouse in AI. SpaceX's future depends on dominating markets and technologies that don't yet exist, from AI data centers to Mars missions. Musk's track record of turning Tesla into the world's most valuable automaker, developing the first reusable rocket and the largest satellite network and making it the most valuable company in the industry is enough for many to justify investing. Musk has tightened his grip on SpaceX with this filing, while shareholders have little influence over his decisions. The filing shows how important AI has become since the purchase of xAI in February, which was the main driver of spending by the company and the majority of its losses during the first quarter. This listing could be the first U.S. debut over $1 trillion, and immediately make SpaceX the most valuable public company in the world. In the first quarter of this year, only one division of SpaceX, the connectivity segment powered through satellite internet unit Starlink, was profitable. Starlink's operating profit was $1.19 Billion, but that wasn't good enough to stop the company from recording a total loss of 1.94 Billion in the first quarter. The revenue for the quarter was $4.69 Billion. The AI division alone accounted for a loss of $2.47 billion on revenue of $818 million. Musk's acquisition of his AI and social media company xAI has given SpaceX new capabilities, but also a staggering amount in spending. It accounted for 76% in its first-quarter capital expenditure of $10.1 billion, and it led to fresh losses. According to the filing, the company relies on technologies that have not been developed for much of its revenue stream in future. This includes operating data centers powered with solar power from space to reach a market worth $28.5 trillion. The filing confirmed recent reports about the IPO. The IPO was the subject of a number of reports. SpaceX, founded in 2002, has become the largest space company by launching thousands Starlink internet satellites. SpaceX's use of reusable launchers has revolutionized the economics of space and forced competitors such as Jeff Bezos Blue Origin to catch up. A successful sale of shares could put the company's value at $1.75 trillion, a record. This would make its founder the first billionaire in history. Musk will retain 85.1% combined voting power for the company. The disclosure by the company comes at a crucial time for the rocket maker. It is about to launch its next-generation Starship rocket, and it's a very important week. Musk has been given control of the company by the board, which has also tied Musk's compensation to the audacious goals of building a permanent colony of humans on Mars, and space data centers powered by 100 terawatts or 100,000 1-gigawatt nuclear power reactors. SpaceX aims to list its shares by June 12. A roadshow is planned for June 4, and the sale of shares could begin as soon as June 11. 'HALO EFFECT' Analysts and academics have said that Musk's celebrity as a CEO may be more important to some investors than SpaceX’s fundamental business, since there are no comparable companies to compare its valuation to. Reena Aggarwal is a finance professor from Georgetown University. She said that there was a "halo" effect surrounding Musk and his unconventional views. It is hard to value companies of this nature because there are no comparables. If achieved, the $1.75 trillion target would surpass Saudi Aramco’s 2019 offering. It set a world record as the largest IPO at $1.7 trillion when it was launched on Riyadh’s exchange. SpaceX was reported to have planned to raise $75 billion or more in the offering. The prospectus revealed that SpaceX would use a dual share structure, giving Class B shareholders a total of 10 votes, which will concentrate control with Musk and a few other insiders. Class A shares will be sold to the public, but will only have one vote. The company adopted a number of provisions which, when taken together, severely restrict'shareholder rights. They include forcing legal claims to be resolved through arbitration, limiting where cases can be filed, and protecting Musk against being fired by anyone but Musk. The size of the offering brought attention to Musk's increasingly interconnected business empire. This includes the leading electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla as well as his businesses for AI and brain-chip implant. SpaceX merged into Musk's AI company?xAI as part of a deal valued at $1 trillion. The developer of Grok, the chatbot developed by SpaceX, was valued at $250 billion. SpaceX signed deals with Anthropic, paying $1.25 billion per month for the use of its Colossus II and Colossus data center clusters located in Memphis, Tennessee, through May 2029. The company revealed that it was named as a defendant to multiple lawsuits stemming from the image generation and editing features of its AI chatbot Grok. SPACE RACE INTENSIFYING As private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin vie to reduce launch costs, deploy satellite networks, and win government contracts, the race to commercialize outer space has intensified. Starlink is the largest satellite operator in the world. The network of about 10,000 satellites provides broadband internet for consumers, government and enterprise customers. The company's growing footprint in aviation, maritime, and enterprise markets helps turn capital-intensive projects into a revenue generator. SpaceX will allocate a large portion of its shares to retail investors, and it plans to host 1,500 at an event scheduled for June. This was reported in April. The company will be listed on Nasdaq, Nasdaq Texas and the Nasdaq Global under the ticker "SPCX." Bookrunners include Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley as well as Bank of America, Citigroup, Citigroup, and J.P. Morgan.
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McGeever: Trump blinks at the bond market's teeth as it grows bigger and worse.
Donald Trump, the president of the United States, is learning - again - how powerful and unforgiving bond markets can be. The sovereign debt markets have been hit by a global selloff, with rising inflation driving yields on bonds of long duration to the highest level in decades. The yield on the 30-year U.S. Treasury hit 5.20% on Wednesday, its highest since 2007. BNP Paribas' analysts predict a "deanchored rise" to 5.50% or even higher. The Federal Reserve's response function has changed dramatically, and traders are now predicting a rate increase by December with a 80% probability. They were preparing for two to three rate cuts in this year before the Iran war. The U.S. doesn't stand alone. Monday, the 30-year gilt yield climbed to 5.90% - its highest level since 1998. The UK bond sale has been fuelled not only by inflation concerns but also by increasing alarm about the country's financial outlook. It's already having political consequences. Andy Burnham, mayor of Manchester and widely considered the frontrunner for replacing embattled PM Keir starmer in a leadership race, reneged on a pledge made earlier to ease fiscal rules by the government if he won. Trump might seem to share little with a leftist mayor from the northern?of England. The rate drop and inflationary spike have been so extreme that Trump now seems to be backing off some of his previous pledges. In recent days, Trump has toned down his expectations that the incoming Fed chair Kevin Warsh would preside over rapid and aggressive rate reductions. Trump said in an interview published by Fortune magazine on Monday that he might have to wait for the war against Iran to be over before lowering interest rates. "You can't look at the numbers until the war ends," he said. Trump continued his comments on Tuesday by telling the Washington Examiner that he would let Warsh do what he wanted to do in regards to interest rates. He's very talented, and he will be fine. REALITY CHECK Uncertainty surrounds whether Trump's softening of his stance on interest rates was a result of his own assessment or that of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Bessent is a former hedge-fund manager and former George Soros colleague who has been familiar with bond market sentiments for a long time. Trump seems to accept the fact that rates will not be reduced any time soon. The energy supply shock caused by the Iran War and the closing of the Strait of Hormuz has led to a surge in price pressures. This is because a fifth of all global oil and LNG supplies pass through this sea route. Inflation has also been higher than the Fed's target of 2% for over five years, and it is now on course to exceed 4%. According to a survey by the Philadelphia Fed of professional forecasters, CPI inflation is expected to average 6% in this quarter. Be Rational This backdrop is causing the pressure on the bond markets to increase rates. The spread between the two-year and the fed funds target is the largest in more than three decades. Investors are clearly saying that the Fed needs to tighten its policy. Tim Duy, SGH Macro Advisors, argues that the Fed will raise rates in September if it is "rational". It would still be less than two month before the midterms, which is a time that Trump will not like. Duy says that inflation is a "clear political liability" for Trump as he enters these elections. This complicates the president's calculations. Even though Trump may no longer be as fervent about lower rates, that doesn't mean he's now open to higher rates. Trump told CNBC about a month back that he'd be disappointed if Warsh did not?cut interest rates immediately. He posted on his Truth Social platform only two weeks ago: "Interest rates too high!" Reality, as reflected in the $30 trillion U.S. Bond Market, is beginning to bite for the moment. You like this column? Open Interest (ROI) is your new essential source of global financial commentary. Follow ROI on LinkedIn and X. Listen to the Morning Bid podcast daily on Apple, Spotify or the app. Subscribe to the Morning Bid podcast and hear journalists discussing the latest news in finance and markets seven days a weeks.
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UN supports world court climate opinion, U.S. is among few who oppose
The United Nations General Assembly voted on Wednesday, 141-8, to support a 'world court opinion' that states have a legal duty to address climate change. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres stated that the vote in which 28 countries abstained underscored the fact that governments must protect citizens from an "escalating crisis of climate change." He said that he welcomed the adoption of a resolution by the General Assembly on the ICJ advisory opinion on Climate Change. It was a powerful affirmation of international law, climate justice and science, as well as the responsibility of governments to protect their citizens from the escalating crisis. The resolution brought forward by Vanuatu affirms a July 20, 2025 advisory opinion of the 'International Court of Justice' (ICJ), that states are obligated by law to reduce their fossil fuel usage and combat global warming. The opinion, while not legally binding is expected to be used in legal cases involving climate change around the world. The United States, along with Saudi Arabia, Russia and Israel, Yemen, Liberia, Belarus, and Iran, joined Saudi Arabia in opposing the resolution. Turkey, India and oil producers Qatar, Nigeria and Qatar, who hosted the COP31 climate conference, were also abstaining. The Trump?administration removed the U.S.from the Paris Climate Agreement?and other?major?environmental accords and has pursued a policy to boost fossil fuel production. The resolution contains inappropriate political demands relating to fossil?fuels, said U.S. deputy ambassador to the?UN Tammy Bruce. Washington did not see any basis to require the secretary-general?to report on the legal questions raised. Vishal 'Prasad is the director of Pacific 'Islands Students Against Climate Change. The group that led the campaign to get an ICJ opinion called the vote a "commitment" to make it a reality. (Reporting and editing by Sanjeev?Miglani; Reporting by Valerie Volcovici)
Chile's Codelco dismisses a senior executive following an internal audit of its 2025 production report
Codelco, the largest copper miner in the world, announced on Wednesday that it had fired one executive and taken disciplinary action against others after an audit of the incorrect reporting of the 2025 production report. Codelco reported that it found a group of 7 executives and 1 former executive responsible for the incorrect reporting. It also reported the incident to the public prosecutor's office to determine if there was any criminality. Codelco's internal audit found no?reasons for modifying its 2025 financial statement. Codelco reported that the?audit was a result of a complaint filed in March regarding the reporting by its Chuquicamata Division of 20,000 tons of ore and 6,875 tonnes of ore at its Ministro Hales Mine.
The materials were still undergoing processing and therefore should not be reported as finished goods.
Chile's mining minister?Daniel Mas said on X that "Codelco has gotten out of control." "In the Government of President Jose Antonio Kast, we have the Duty?to Bring Back Transparency and Tell Chileans the Truth."
He said, "That's the?mandate for the new _directors." The Chilean newspaper "Diario Financiero" reported the irregularities last week.
(source: Reuters)