Overnight the USD index rose 0.02% to 99.22 while AUD/USD gained 0.24% to 0.7181, producing a mildly supportive currency backdrop that failed to lift most critical minerals except copper which closed 2.33% higher at 6.676 USD/lb. Lithium carbonate fell 1.82% to 25897.38 USD/t and spodumene SC6 dropped 2.36% to 2527 USD/t as the absence of fresh demand data from China kept buying interest subdued. ASX names Pilbara Minerals and Allkem remain most directly exposed to the lithium price weakness while Glencore and BHP face negligible equity impact given the lack of overnight operational or policy moves at their nickel and copper assets.