The main lithium carbonate futures contract continued to decline, currently down more than 3% to 136,100 yuan/ton, a new low for the period.

Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ryomasa Akazawa: Even if we conservatively estimate that we can only maintain the procurement level of 75% of the same period in previous years, the use of national reserves will be sufficient to ensure oil supply until the end of March 2028.

[Key Events and Data Preview for This Week: US Non-Farm Payrolls, China's July Foreign Exchange Reserves, CPI, and Trade Balance, SpaceX Earnings Report] 1. Monday: ① Data: China's July RatingDog Manufacturing PMI; Switzerland's July CPI (MoM); France's July Manufacturing PMI (Final); Germany's July Manufacturing PMI (Final); Eurozone's July Manufacturing PMI (Final); UK's July Manufacturing PMI (Final); US July S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (Final); US July ISM Manufacturing PMI; US June Construction Spending (MoM). ② Holiday: Toronto Stock Exchange closed. 2. Tuesday: ① Data: US June Trade Balance; US June JOLTs Job Openings; US June Factory Orders (MoM). ② Event: FMS 2026 Flash Memory Summit held August 4-6, attended by storage giants such as Samsung and SK. 3. Wednesday ① Data: US API crude oil inventories for the week ending July 31; China's July RatingDog Services PMI; France's June industrial production month-on-month; France's final July Services PMI; Germany's final July Services PMI; Eurozone's final July Services PMI; UK's final July Services PMI; Eurozone's June PPI month-on-month; US July ADP employment change; US July S&P Global Services PMI final; US July ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI; US EIA crude oil inventories for the week ending July 31; US EIA Cushing, Oklahoma crude oil inventories for the week ending July 31; US EIA Strategic Petroleum Reserves for the week ending July 31. ② Events: Saudi Aramco releases its official crude oil prices around the 5th of each month. ③ Earnings Reports: AMD, SpaceX (Tuesday after US stock market close). 4. Thursday ① Data: Switzerland July seasonally adjusted unemployment rate; Eurozone June retail sales month-on-month; US July Challenger job cuts; US initial jobless claims for the week ending August 1; US July global supply chain stress index; US June wholesale sales month-on-month; US EIA natural gas storage for the week ending July 31. ② Event: SoftBank Group releases its Q1 2026 earnings report. 5. Friday ① Data: France Q2 ILO unemployment rate; Germany June seasonally adjusted industrial production month-on-month; Germany June seasonally adjusted trade balance; UK July Halifax seasonally adjusted house price index month-on-month; France June trade balance; Switzerland July consumer confidence index; Canada July employment change; US July unemployment rate; US July seasonally adjusted non-farm payrolls; US July average hourly earnings year-on-year; US July average hourly earnings month-on-month; US July New York Fed 1-year inflation expectations; China July trade balance in US dollars; China July foreign exchange reserves; China July trade balance. ② Events: 2028 FOMC voting member and St. Louis Fed President Musaleem speaks on the US economy and monetary policy; 2027 FOMC voting member and Richmond Fed President Barkin speaks. 6. Saturday: ① Data: Total number of US oil rigs for the week ending August 7. 7. Sunday: ① Data: China's July CPI year-on-year rate.