The non-ferrous metals industry will continue to operate steadily in the first quarter.
February 24, 2026
Chen Xuesen, the vice president of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, recently stated that the operation of the nonferrous metals industry in the first quarter will continue the favorable situation observed at the end of 2025 and remain in a stable state. This year, it will maintain a steady growth trend.
Specifically, this year, production has continued to operate steadily. It is expected that the added value of the non-ferrous metals industry will increase by around 5%; the industry's operating income and realized profits will maintain growth; investment will continue to increase, while import and export trade will face challenges.
In the investment field, the demand for nickel, cobalt, lithium and other metals in downstream sectors such as photovoltaics, wind power and lithium batteries continues to rise. Coupled with the implementation and effectiveness of the national consumption promotion policies, the fixed asset investment in the non-ferrous metals industry is expected to maintain growth.
"Domestically, the industry growth has a solid foundation," Chen Xuesen said. On one hand, a series of policies centered around the "Work Plan for Stable Growth in the Nonferrous Metals Industry (2025-2026)" and the high-quality development implementation plans for copper and aluminum industries are forming a systematic synergy, providing clear顶层设计 and path guidance for the industry to move from resource guarantee to green transformation. On the other hand， the internal driving force structure for growth is undergoing profound changes. The continuous expansion of the "new three things" and the rise of industries such as artificial intelligence have jointly constituted the core engine driving the industry to climb to the high end of the value chain， indicating a higher-quality structural growth.
