“反内卷”发力 化工品价格有望回暖

Core Viewpoint - The chemical industry has experienced a decline in profitability for three consecutive years since 2022, with some sectors facing intense competition and overall losses. However, there is a shift towards industry self-regulation to restore product supply-demand balance and improve profitability [1] Industry Overview - The agricultural chemicals, refrigerants, bioenergy, tires, and metal chromium sectors are currently in an upward cycle of prosperity [1] Market Trends - According to GGII statistics, domestic energy storage lithium battery shipments are expected to reach 430 GWh in the first three quarters of 2025, exceeding 30% of the total for 2024, with an anticipated annual total of 580 GWh, representing a 67% year-on-year growth. This surge in storage demand, coupled with pre-subsidy rushes, has led to strong demand for upstream lithium battery materials, resulting in a supply shortage and a continuous price recovery [1] - Nutrien forecasts that global potash demand may further increase to 74-77 million tons by 2026, with global potash prices expected to maintain high levels and potential for further increases due to major companies delaying capacity expansions [1] Investment Focus - CITIC Securities indicates that the chemical sector is currently trading around three main themes: 1. The rise in energy storage demand is enhancing the prosperity of the supply chain, with a reshaping of the supply-demand dynamics for upstream lithium battery materials, recommending a focus on new energy-related materials [1] 2. The ongoing "anti-involution" efforts in the chemical industry are leading to self-regulation across multiple sectors, which is likely to support a bottoming out and recovery in chemical product prices [1] 3. The chemical sector itself is experiencing high prosperity, with core businesses expected to maintain robust growth [1]