智通财经网·2025-05-13 07:50Group 1 - The steel industry is rated "overweight" by Guotai Junan, with a long-term trend towards increased industry concentration and high-quality development, benefiting companies with product structure and cost advantages [1] - Last week, the apparent consumption of five major steel products was 8.452 million tons, a decrease of 1.2566 million tons week-on-week, while total inventory rose to 14.7607 million tons, an increase of 289,700 tons [1] - The operating rate of blast furnaces among 247 steel mills was 84.62%, up 0.29 percentage points week-on-week, indicating a slight recovery in production capacity [1] Group 2 - The average gross profit per ton for rebar was 192.3 CNY, down 39.7 CNY week-on-week, while the average gross profit for hot-rolled coil was 67.2 CNY, down 34.7 CNY [2] - The profitability rate of 247 steel companies was 58.87%, an increase of 2.59 percentage points week-on-week, suggesting a potential recovery in industry profitability [2] - Iron ore inventory at 45 ports was 142.39 million tons, a decrease of 640,000 tons week-on-week, indicating a potential easing of supply constraints [2] Group 3 - The negative impact of the real estate sector on steel demand is expected to diminish, while infrastructure investment will continue to support demand stability [3] - There is a possibility of further production cuts or even shutdowns in the supply side due to cash flow issues among smaller steel companies [3] - The National Development and Reform Commission has proposed continued regulation of crude steel production in 2025, aiming for industry consolidation and long-term profitability recovery [3]