Zinc expected to retreat in 2026 as weak demand offsets supply fears

Zinc prices are expected to retreat from recent highs over the rest of the year as lacklustre demand offsets supply disruptions, analysts say. The metal used to galvanise steel is up more than 13% on the London Metal Exchange in 2026 due to tight ore supply and smelter production losses. Outperforming copper, aluminium, lead and nickel, zinc last month climbed to its highest in almost four years at $3 658 per metric …

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Goldman Sachs Says Central Bank Gold Buying Provides Price Floor

Gold prices remain under pressure from elevated US bond yields, but Goldman Sachs believes robust central bank demand should prevent any sustained sell-off, providing a solid floor for the precious metal despite near-term headwinds. The Gold price in US Dollars (XAU/USD) traded around $4,300 on Tuesday after retreating from recent highs, as stronger US economic data and higher Treasury yields weighed on …

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Geopolitical tensions keep aluminium prices volatile, while long-term demand outlook remains firm

For much of 2026, aluminium prices have been driven more by geopolitics than by underlying demand. As tensions between the US and Iran intensified, fears of disrupted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz pushed LME aluminium higher, with prices rising to around a four-year high and reaching an intraday peak above USD 3,700 per tonne. The ceasefire eased those concerns, …

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China lithium prices hit five-month low on expectations of oversupply in 2027

China‘s lithium futures prices sank to a five-month low on Tuesday on expectations of oversupply of the electric vehicle battery metal in 2027, even as near-term demand remained strong, according to analysts. The most active lithium carbonate contract on the Guangzhou Futures Exchange hit its lowest since February 10 at 136 800 yuan ($20 216.95) a ton, before erasing some losses to trade down …

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US dollar loosens grip on central bank reserves worldwide as gold takes over

ECB data shows gold now tops US Treasuries in reserves as dollar holdings gradually ease. The US dollar remains the world’s dominant currency for trade and finance. Yet central banks are steadily buying more gold and reducing the share of dollar assets in their reserve portfolios. Here’s what the latest data shows — and why it matters. The US dollar …

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Copper price rises as key China gauge hits one-year high, Chile output losses mount

Copper climbed on Monday as fresh evidence of physical tightness in China and a growing tally of weather-hit output in Chile outweighed jitters over the US-Iran conflict. Comex copper for September delivery rose 1.3% to $6.35 a pound (just under $14,000 a tonne) by early afternoon in New York, bringing the red metal within 5% of the record set in early …

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Australia should narrow its critical-minerals focus – starting with antimony

Australia needs to talk less about critical-mineral supply chains and more about specific minerals. Generic discussions about supply-chain resilience have become a substitute for strategic thinking. They encourage governments to speak in broad concepts while avoiding harder questions about where vulnerabilities actually sit. Supply chains don’t fail in theory but rather in specific minerals, facilities, ports and processing plants. Antimony …

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Gold Purchases Accelerate as Dollar Confidence Wanes

Central banks are scaling back on the dollar as institutional bullion buying climbs to record highs. In the World Gold Council’s (WGC) latest annual survey of central banks, 83% of respondents expect to increase their gold holdings over the next year. That’s up from 76% in 2025. This surge in demand is due to the U.S. dollar’s waning preeminence in global reserves …

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AI emerges as new driver of rare earth demand: Sprott

Artificial intelligence is emerging as an unexpected new source of demand for rare earth elements, adding to military and clean-energy consumption just as Western governments pour billions of dollars into rebuilding supply chains outside China, according to Sprott Asset Management. AI has joined defence and electrification as a third structural driver of rare earth demand, with the world’s five largest hyperscale …

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Bank of America Now Sees Platinum Hitting $3,000 an Ounce by Q4 2026

Bank of America’s $3,000 platinum call only makes sense if you look past the headline metal trade. The real story is a market where thin inventories, China jewelry demand and carmaker substitution are doing more work than investor fashion. Nobody’s talking about platinum the way they talk about gold. That’s sort of the point. Gold gets the central bank story. …

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