The rare earth market has shown significant improvement recently, with core product prices returning to an upward trajectory. Related products such as the Huatai-PineBridge Rare Earth ETF (516780) also experienced net capital inflows on April 9, 2026. Wind data indicates that after a period of weakened supply and demand in March, which created price pressure, the prices of core rare earth varieties like praseodymium-neodymium oxide have risen again since April. As of April 6, the price of praseodymium-neodymium oxide reached 729,400 yuan per ton, marking a 2.3% month-on-month increase and a 20.13% rise compared to the end of last year.

The tightening supply-demand balance is the primary driver behind the price increase. On the supply side, the growth rate of domestic rare earth mining quotas has slowed, while the suspension of mining in Myanmar and Vietnam's ban on raw ore exports have exacerbated tightness in overseas supply. On the demand side, sustained growth in sectors such as new energy vehicles, wind power, and robotics continues to drive incremental demand for rare earths. Additionally, downstream magnet manufacturers began purchasing at low prices and actively building inventories in April, further pushing up rare earth prices.

Regarding recent developments, at a press conference held by the Ministry of Commerce on April 9, when asked whether China would continue to delay export controls on rare earths, a spokesperson stated that China and the U.S. would maintain communication through economic and trade consultation mechanisms to address each other's concerns. China remains committed to ensuring the security and stability of the global industrial and supply chains, fully considering the reasonable demands and concerns of the global civilian sector, including those of the United States. The country actively promotes convenient and compliant trade, and export applications that meet the criteria for civilian use will be approved in accordance with the law.

As rare earth prices climb, market attention on the sector has increased, and the Huatai-PineBridge Rare Earth ETF (516780) is expected to benefit. It is reported that the ETF closely tracks the CSI Rare Earth Industry Index, which selects listed company securities involved in rare earth mining, processing, trade, and application to reflect the overall performance of the rare earth industry. The top five constituent stocks are China Northern Rare Earth, Goldwind Science & Technology, Xiamen Tungsten, China Rare Earth, and GEM Co., all of which are competitive leading enterprises in the industry.

According to the product’s 2025 annual report, as of December 31, 2025, the Huatai-PineBridge Rare Earth ETF (516780) had 60,300 holders, making it the only rare earth-themed ETF in the market at that time with over 50,000 holders.

The fund manager of the Huatai-PineBridge Rare Earth ETF (516780) and its feeder funds (Class A 014331 / Class C 014332), Huatai-PineBridge Fund Management, is one of China's first ETF managers and ranks among the top in the industry in terms of ETF management scale. "Huatai-PineBridge ETF" is a common choice for many investors. Based on the latest annual fund report data, Huatai-PineBridge Fund generated a cumulative profit of 111.14 billion yuan for investors in 2025, making it one of only seven fund companies in the market that achieved profits exceeding 100 billion yuan during the same period. Its popular product, the Huatai-PineBridge CSI 300 ETF (510300), recorded a fund profit of 78.516 billion yuan in 2025, becoming the only fund product in the market with profits exceeding 60 billion yuan for the period.