In January, tin futures in the UK surged to over $44,000 per tonne, marking their highest level in almost four years. This increase is primarily driven by the ongoing expectation of limited supply. The Man Maw mine's operations have been notably sluggish following its closure for a resource audit in 2023. This issue has been further compounded by significant infrastructure damage caused by the recent earthquake. Likewise, supply challenges have been exacerbated in the aftermath of Indonesian President Subianto’s directive to shut down 1,000 illegal tin mines in Sumatra, negatively impacting production from the world's second-largest tin supplier. Concurrently, artificial intelligence companies have been increasing their commitments to datacenter investments across the United States, Asia, and Europe. This development has fueled speculative interest in tin, given its essential role in the production of circuit boards.