It is reported that China has released the new Special Management Measures for Foreign Investment Access (Negative List) (2018 version), which greatly opens the market to foreign investment and released measures in 22 areas totally. One of which is: ‘Cancellation of the smelting and separation of rare earths being restricted to equity and contractual joint ventures , and the restrictions on foreign investment in tungsten smelting are eliminated.’ I believe that this news is a big deal for the non-ferrous metals industry in all aspects.

The White House issued a statement that in order to boycott China's acquisition of US technology, The US “will impose a 25 % tariff on $50 billion of goods imported from China containing industrially significant technology, including those related to ‘Made in China 2025’,” the White House said, referring to the Chinese government’s policy to support domestic development of strategic technologies. The list of specific commodities was then announced on June 15, and tariffs will be implemented shortly thereafter.

At the just-ended Automotive Engineering Exhibition Yokohama 2018, Toshiba Materials exhibited an ultra-fast charging lithium-ion battery with a negative electrode material using purple tungsten oxide. Applications of the battery range from automotive, elevators, micro/mild hybrid vehicles, trains, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), large current sources, to power supply stabilizer. It has an excellent and broad application prospects. As a leader in the field of lithium-ion battery technology, It is likely that Toshiba could probably put this new material into commercial use, which may further expand the demand for tungsten oxide.

A lithium-ion battery or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery in which lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode during discharge and back when charging. With the development of technology, the application of lithium-ion batteries are everywhere in our lives, such as smart phones, tablets, laptops, game controllers, cordless power tools, beauty products, digital cameras, video cameras, cars, etc.

Analysis of latest tungsten market from ChinaTungsten Online

Chinese tungsten prices continue to be unchanged on deadlocked supply and demand, uncertain fundamental and macroscopic sides. Unusually quiet trading activity in tungsten market appears to press prices down. At present, weakness in terminal demand affects the market greatly, further lowering transaction prices. In the short term, tungsten price changes slightly.

Rare earth market quotation in China: domestic rare earth price maintains stability earlier in this week. Although sellers have strong rised mentality, market prices are hard to rise in the short term without supports from the supply and policy side. At present, the off season and Sino-US trade friction make traders deadlocked in trading.

Opening this week, Chinese molybdenum price is unchanged from last week owing to increasing stop production in mines in major molybdenum production areas. 

Analysis of latest tungsten market from ChinaTungsten Online

Trading in the raw material market continues to be thin and thus consumption for tungsten primary products is weak. Before the release of guide prices from large tungsten enterprises and institutions, businesses are generally negative about the outlook. 

Chinese rare earth price remains weak adjustment this week because rigid demand fails to meet market expectation and sellers do not benefit from purchasing and storage policy. 

Molybdenum price in China is unchanged from the previous trading day as trading activity remains quiet in the market. Although operating rate increases, enterprises’ consumption for molybdenum raw materials is low. With the stabilization of international molybdenum prices, Chinese insiders hold different views on the outlook. In the short term, molybdenum price will still be stable.