Zhi Tong Cai Jing·2025-10-14 03:21Core Viewpoint - The steel industry is expected to gradually bottom out in demand, with supply-side market clearing beginning to appear, leading to a potential recovery in the industry's fundamentals. If supply policies are implemented, the contraction of supply may accelerate, facilitating quicker industry recovery [1]. Demand and Supply Analysis - Steel consumption for the week of October 6-10, 2025, was 7.5143 million tons, a decrease of 1.5339 million tons week-on-week. Construction steel consumption was 2.2262 million tons, down 1.0846 million tons, while plate steel consumption was 5.2881 million tons, down 0.4493 million tons. Steel production was 8.6331 million tons, a decrease of 0.0376 million tons, and total inventory rose to 16.0072 million tons, an increase of 1.2786 million tons [2]. - The operating rate of blast furnaces at 247 steel mills was 84.27%, down 0.02 percentage points week-on-week, while electric furnace operating rates were 60.26%, down 1.28 percentage points. Despite a marginal decline in demand due to the National Day holiday, the industry remains in a traditional peak season, with expectations for gradual recovery in steel demand and inventory reduction [2]. Profitability Trends - The average gross profit per ton for rebar was 167.1 CNY, an increase of 24.3 CNY week-on-week, while hot-rolled coil gross profit was 112.1 CNY, up 29.3 CNY. The profitability rate for 247 steel companies was 56.28%, a decrease of 0.43% [3]. - The expectation is for iron ore production to accelerate while demand remains limited, leading to a gradual easing of iron ore prices and improvement in cost constraints for the steel industry, with a potential recovery in profitability levels [3]. Future Outlook - The negative impact of the real estate sector on steel demand is expected to diminish, with stable growth anticipated in demand from infrastructure and manufacturing sectors. Steel exports maintained a year-on-year increase from January to August [4]. - Over 40% of steel companies are currently experiencing losses, but market clearing is beginning to occur. Recent policies aim to reduce production and promote a balance between supply and demand, supporting the expectation of supply contraction and gradual recovery in the steel industry's fundamentals [4]. Recommended Companies - Key recommendations include Baosteel (600019) for its technological and product structure leadership, Hualing Steel (000932) for its product structure upgrades, and Fangda Special Steel (600507) for its low-cost advantages. Other recommendations include CITIC Special Steel (000708) for its competitive advantages and high dividend yield, as well as upstream resource companies like Hebei Steel Resources (000923) and Dazhong Mining (001203) due to their long-term growth potential [5].