Group 1 - Since 2022, the chemical industry has faced price declines due to new capacity coming online and falling crude oil prices, leading to a decrease in overall profitability as companies adopt a price-for-volume strategy to capture market share [1] - In 2024, most chemical prices are stabilizing at low levels, with profitability still under pressure; however, the introduction of growth stabilization measures may lead to the elimination of some outdated capacities, improving the overall supply-demand balance and potentially enhancing product profitability [1] - According to Huatai Securities, by the second half of 2025, the profitability of bulk chemicals is expected to hit a ten-year low due to weak demand and the end of supply-side increases, with the current downturn resembling the bottom of the basic chemical sector in late 2015 [1] Group 2 - The chemical industry is characterized as a typical cyclical industry, usually experiencing a five-year cycle that includes phases of "profit upturn - capacity expansion - profit bottoming - capacity clearance/demand expectation improvement" [2] - With capital expenditure growth turning negative, anti-involution trends, global interest rate cuts, and domestic demand expansion, there is optimism for the chemical sector entering a "dawn" phase at the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan [2] - The chemical industry chain includes several Hong Kong-listed companies such as Sinopec (600028)(00386), Sinopec Oilfield Service (600871)(01033), and Shanghai Petrochemical (600688)(00338) [3]