Ryan Cochrane, Head of Research, participating in the Financial Times Commodities Global Summit

It was an honor to be part of the Financial Times (FT Live) Commodities Global Summit this week!

Our Head of Research, Ryan Cochrane, shared some insightful perspectives on the dynamics of metals demand in China. “Last year witnessed robust demand for metals such as Cu, Ali, Zn, Ni, and others, driven by various factors including residential completions, infrastructure spending, and the surge in manufacturing activities, especially in electric vehicles, photovoltaic, and wind installations”.

This year, while construction-related demand looks weaker than anticipated, the momentum in FAI and manufacturing expenditure, particularly in photovoltaic and wind installations, along with steady growth in the auto sector, and strong export performance, is anticipated to sustain solid demand growth in China.

The expansion of Chinese manufacturing capacity for photovoltaic and auto industries, coupled with remarkable export growth, not only benefits consumers domestically and internationally but also serves as a mechanism for exporting deflation to the rest of the world."

One key takeaway is the energy transition is well underway.