China’s power crunch is rapidly evolving from bull to bear influence on metals pricing.

A labor shortage and reluctance to open new mines has left US coal companies struggling to keep up with surging global demand.

Stockpiles have fallen to the lowest since November 2017, data from the Central Electricity Authority showed.

About 60% of the country’s $302 billion economy is reliant on energy produced from coal.

Nyrstar is curtailing production at a major zinc smelter in the Netherlands during peak times.

Boliden hasn’t yet been forced to curtail operations or output because of soaring energy prices, but costs are rising.

President Xi Jinping’s promise to end China’s financing of overseas coal-fired power plants should be seen as a first step rather than a major effort to mitigate climate change.

Hydrogen is widely touted as the best future option to decarbonize industries like steel, cement, fertilizers, shipping and aviation.