Fed's FOMC said the unemployment rate was little changed.

CPCA manufacturer forecast team says that, provided policy and the environment do not change unexpectedly, China’s auto market is likely to bottom and begin to recover in 2027. They project 2027 domestic retail growth of 0–5% (mean 2%) and expect market divergence to intensify. The panel attributes the deep 2026 decline to reversible short-term factors—policy front‑loading, oil‑price shocks, AI‑related cost spillovers and weak consumer demand—and calls the 2026 retail level of 18.5 mln units abnormally low. For 2027 they flag demand and cost-side recovery from a vehicle purchase‑tax carryover effect, a strong Lunar New Year, lower oil prices and easing lithium‑carbonate costs; supply support should come from reduced destocking and a recovery in the new‑car supply cycle.

Most-active lithium carbonate futures contract fell more than 5% to 91,620 yuan/ton.