钢铁行业行业周报：行业持续去库，供需格局有望改善

Industry Overview - The steel sector index fell by 1.11% this week, with sub-sectors such as plates, pipes, and special steel declining by 0.15%, 2.38%, and 2.43% respectively [63][93] - Year-to-date, the plates sector has risen by 10.16%, while special steel and pipes sectors have fallen by 3.60% and 7.88% respectively [63][93] - Among steel sector stocks, 22.22% rose, 4.44% remained unchanged, and 73.33% declined this week [63][110] Key Events - The "Accelerating AI Empowerment in the Steel Industry" seminar was held, emphasizing the integration of AI with steel production to enhance efficiency and quality [53][84] - Henan Steel Group's Anyang base successfully produced high-end 9Ni and 7Ni steel, marking a significant step in the transformation and upgrading of the special steel industry [37][115] - Shandong Iron and Steel Group signed a cooperation agreement with Tai'an City to promote green and intelligent mining construction [114][55] Market Analysis - Domestic steel prices weakened this week, with rebar, wire rod, hot-rolled coil, and large and medium-sized sections declining by 0.33%, 0.53%, 0.92%, and 1.22% respectively [91][88] - Iron ore import prices fell by 3.53% to $101.5/ton, while domestic iron ore prices dropped by 1.70% to 716.6 yuan/ton [45][88] - Steel inventories decreased significantly, with rebar, hot-rolled coil, and cold-rolled coil inventories down by 1.60%, 1.26%, and 0.50% respectively [88][117] Company Performance - Fangda Special Steel was awarded the 2024 "ESG Pioneer Award" for its sustainable development efforts and social responsibility initiatives [56][90] - Xiangtan Iron and Steel, in collaboration with Huawei, explored new paradigms for intelligent steel production, developing over 100 innovative application scenarios [89][95] - Key steel companies such as Baosteel, Angang, and Shougang announced upcoming shareholder meetings to discuss various operational and financial matters [130][150] Investment Recommendations - Policy support is expected to boost market confidence, with leading companies in the ordinary steel sector likely to benefit from improved supply-demand dynamics [138][64] - The demand for mid-to-high-end special steel is anticipated to grow rapidly, driven by the transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing sector [138][64]