铜铝价格高位震荡，等待突破上行

Group 1: Copper - Copper prices experienced fluctuations with LME copper up by 0.36%, SHFE copper down by 0.96%, and COMEX copper up by 2.33% [1] - The U.S. unemployment rate for November was 4.6%, exceeding expectations, while the CPI was below expectations, leading to increased expectations for Fed rate cuts, which supports copper prices [1] - A long-term processing fee benchmark for copper concentrate was set at $0/ton and $0/lb for 2026, indicating a tight supply situation in the copper mining sector [1] - Copper inventories increased, with LME copper at 160,000 tons, COMEX copper at 462,000 short tons, and SHFE copper at 96,000 tons, showing changes of -3.32%, +2.57%, and +7.18% respectively [1] - The operating rate for electrolytic copper rods was 63.06%, a decrease of 1.48 percentage points [1] - Long-term, insufficient capital expenditure in copper mining and frequent supply disruptions may shift the copper supply-demand balance from tight equilibrium to shortage, with potential price increases as the Fed enters a rate-cutting cycle [1] Group 2: Aluminum - Domestic aluminum inventories saw a slight increase, while aluminum prices remained high, with SHFE aluminum down by 0.54% to 22,000 yuan/ton [2] - The price of alumina fell by 1.08% to 2,750 yuan/ton, with metallurgical-grade alumina production capacity at 88.085 million tons/year and a weekly operating rate of 79.85% [2] - The aluminum market is expected to experience a shortage next year due to stable demand growth and limited supply, as domestic electrolytic aluminum production capacity approaches its ceiling [2] Group 3: Lithium - Lithium prices are entering an upward cycle, with lithium carbonate prices rising by 3.33% to 97,700 yuan/ton and spodumene concentrate up by 8.03% to $1,318/ton [3] - Lithium carbonate production increased to 22,000 tons, with SMM weekly inventory down by 0.9%, marking 18 consecutive weeks of inventory reduction [3] - The demand for lithium battery materials remains strong, with phosphate iron lithium production in November at 413,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 44% [3] - The lithium sector is expected to see a profit turning point as demand growth exceeds expectations and supply-demand dynamics shift [3] Group 4: Cobalt - Cobalt prices are expected to continue rising, with MB cobalt up by 0.51% to $24.45/lb and domestic cobalt prices up by 1.93% to 422,000 yuan/ton [4] - The Democratic Republic of Congo lifted its cobalt export ban on October 16, implementing a quota system instead, but the export process for many companies remains slow [4] - Structural tightness in cobalt raw materials is expected to persist, with domestic supplies likely arriving only after March next year due to shipping delays and holiday impacts [4]