光大期货：1月16日有色金属日报

Copper - Copper prices fluctuated overnight, with domestic refined copper imports remaining unprofitable. The macroeconomic context shows that initial jobless claims in the U.S. fell to 198,000, significantly below the market expectation of 215,000 and the previous value of 208,000, indicating a resilient labor market [2][12] - The U.S. Kansas City Fed President stated there is currently no reason to cut interest rates, as doing so could hinder progress in controlling inflation and would not benefit the labor market [2][12] - The People's Bank of China announced a 0.25 percentage point reduction in various structural monetary policy tool rates. Inventory levels showed a decrease in LME copper stocks by 500 tons to 141,125 tons, while Comex stocks increased by 4,653 tons to 488,720 tons [2][12] - Domestic copper prices rose again, but downstream enterprises are cautious in purchasing, focusing on essential needs. Additionally, import losses have widened, and the export window is gradually opening, which may benefit first-quarter export demand [2][12] - Trump indicated that there would be no temporary tariffs on key minerals like copper. The geopolitical situation between the U.S. and Iran, along with volatility in precious metals, has spilled over, causing instability in high copper prices [2][12] Nickel & Stainless Steel - LME nickel prices fell by 1.04% to $18,590 per ton, while SHFE nickel prices decreased by 0.24% to 146,880 yuan per ton. LME nickel inventory increased by 624 tons to 285,282 tons, and SHFE warehouse receipts rose by 1,700 tons to 41,972 tons [3][13] - The Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources announced a reduction in the nickel ore production target for 2026 from 364 million tons to approximately 250-260 million tons, which may create a global primary nickel supply-demand gap, potentially driving nickel prices higher [3][13][14] - The production of primary nickel increased significantly by 18.5% to 37,200 tons, indicating strong demand for hedging in the market [3][13] Aluminum & Aluminum Alloys - Aluminum oxide prices showed a weak trend, with AO2605 settling at 2,749 yuan per ton, down 1.33%. SHFE aluminum prices also declined, with AL2603 at 24,320 yuan per ton, down 0.59% [6][15] - The SMM aluminum oxide price fell to 2,650 yuan per ton, and aluminum ingot spot premiums expanded to 130 yuan per ton. The market is experiencing high inventory levels, leading to low premium purchasing sentiment and continued cost pressure [6][15] - The end of environmental controls and the cancellation of export tax rebates are expected to impact the market, with aluminum prices maintaining a high rhythm and spot premiums continuing to narrow [6][15] Industrial Silicon & Polysilicon - Industrial silicon prices showed a slight increase, with the main contract at 8,730 yuan per ton, up 0.46%. The inventory of industrial silicon is gradually shifting towards intermediate links, with hidden inventory increasing [7][16] - Polysilicon prices experienced a slight decline, with the main contract at 48,670 yuan per ton, down 0.38%. The market is facing pressures from logistics disruptions and speculative trading sentiment is cooling down [7][16] Lithium Carbonate - Lithium carbonate futures fell by 1.31% to 163,220 yuan per ton, with average prices for battery-grade lithium carbonate dropping by 4,000 yuan to 159,000 yuan per ton [8][17] - Supply-side production increased by 70 tons to 22,605 tons, while demand for lithium materials is expected to decline in January 2026, with a projected decrease in production for various battery types [8][17] - Despite current raw material price increases potentially suppressing terminal demand, the overall market sentiment remains bullish on lithium prices due to low inventory levels and speculative demand [8][17]