TradingKey - Lithium giant Albemarle released its first-quarter 2026 financial results during the U.S. after-market session. As the world’s largest lithium producer, the company’s operating performance is regarded not only as its own financial data but also as a leading indicator for the entire industry. During the period, Albemarle recorded sales of $1.429 billion, up 33% year-on-year, slightly above average market expectations. Adjusted EBITDA reached $664 million, a 148% increase from $267 million in the same period last year, significantly exceeding the market forecast of $468 million.

A market recap of Monday’s 0.12% S&P 500 gain, highlighting Qualcomm’s AI surge, the Organon acquisition, and Middle East tensions. It also covers the BoJ carry trade risk, Microsoft’s OpenAI unbundling, and Meta’s 1GW space-solar deal for AI data centers.

TradingKey - Gold mining giant Newmont (NEM) reported Q1 2026 financial results that exceeded market expectations. While revenue and profits were significantly amplified by high gold prices, production saw a marked decline, and future cost pressures are mounting.

TradingKey - After the market close on April 16, streaming giant Netflix delivered a seemingly impressive Q1 earnings report: revenue grew 16% year-over-year to $12.25 billion, exceeding the market expectation of $12.17 billion; earnings per share (EPS) reached $1.23, nearly doubling from $0.66 in t

TradingKey - Overnight, U.S. lithium mining stocks were among the top gainers. Sigma Lithium (SGML) led the sector, closing up 17.1%; Lithium Americas (LAC) rose 7.62%; Albemarle (ALB) climbed 6.79%; and SQM closed 6.71% higher. Looking back at the past year, the lithium battery sector has maintained a sustained rally. Albemarle (ALB) surged from its post-U.S.-China trade war low of $48.57 to a high of $205 this year. The key driver behind this move was better-than-expected energy storage demand triggered by the rise in AI computing power requirements. During this period, lithium carbonate futures rebounded from a mid-year low of 59,000 RMB/ton to the 150,000 RMB/ton level. However, judging by recent performance, the sector appears to have shifted from its previous unilateral upward trend toward a period of range-bound volatility.

TradingKey - During the US pre-market session, the three major index futures are all under pressure. As of press time (5:00 PM Beijing time), Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell 0.48% to 47,895 points; Nasdaq 100 Index futures dropped 0.65% to 25,117 points; and S&P 500 Index futures declined 0.57% to 6,816.15 points.
