Free Republic

On April 14, a Chinese battery startup backed by one of the world's largest automakers rolled the first A-sample all-solid-state battery cells off a production line in Guangzhou....The company is targeting GWh-scale output by the end of 2026, twelve to eighteen months ahead of where Toyota’s timeline stood at the start of this year. The silver market has not priced this in.... ...Greater Bay Technology’s A-Sample Changes the Timeline Greater Bay Technology (GBT) is a battery startup backed by GAC Group, China’s fourth-largest automaker by volume. On April 14, GBT confirmed that A-sample all-solid-state battery cells are now rolling off...

There were no neat rows of tanks or ballistic missile carriers rolling down the smooth cobbles of Moscow’s Red Square on Saturday, as Russia scaled back what is usually a grand militaristic Victory Day parade celebrating the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany. 'Victory has always been and will be ours,” Putin said, addressing columns of troops. He vowed to fight on in Ukraine North Korean troops marched in the parade for the first time, a visible sign of Moscow’s deepening partnership with Pyongyang that has resulted in the deployment of over 10,000 troops to fight the war in...

Asian economies are dramatically increasing imports of discounted Russian crude amid global supply disruptions. A temporary U.S. sanctions waiver is enabling more Russian oil to flow into global markets. The shift risks boosting Moscow’s war revenues while exposing the limits of Western energy sanctions. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, several major world powers introduced strict sanctions on trade with Moscow. .. However, some countries, such as India and China, have used these sanctions as an excuse to buy discounted crude and gas from Russia, in a bid to reduce costs and boost energy security. Imports of Russian...

China imported approximately 836 tonnes of silver in March, the highest monthly total ever recorded, as demand from the country’s solar manufacturing sector and retail investors simultaneously overwhelmed domestic supply, according to Chinese customs data reported by Bloomberg. The March figure is 78% above February’s 470 tonnes — itself a record for that month — and runs 173% above what March typically sees — the 10-year seasonal average for the month sits at around 306 tonnes. Year-to-date imports through March now stand at approximately 1,626 tonnes, the highest on record for the first quarter. Solar panel manufacturers — China dominates...