有色（镍、不锈钢）月报：低位盘整，沪镍有望探底回升-20250427

Group 1: Report Industry Investment Rating - No information provided Group 2: Core Views of the Report - On April 24, 2025, the main contract of Shanghai nickel, 2506, closed at 125,770 yuan/ton. The nickel price showed a trend of first falling and then oscillating upwards this month [2]. - In the US, the business activity in April dropped to a 16 - month low, while prices rose significantly. The market anticipates the Fed's next rate cut may be in June, depending on employment and inflation data [2]. - In China, the Q1 GDP grew by 5.4% year - on - year, and various economic indicators showed a good recovery trend. It is expected that the Politburo meeting may introduce a series of incremental policies [3]. - Due to the unexpectedly high US counter - tariffs at the beginning of the month, Shanghai nickel dropped with a gap and is in a low - level upward repair phase this month. The spot trading of refined nickel was good this week. Nickel ore supply is loose, and nickel - iron prices have decreased. Sulfuric acid nickel prices are weak, and downstream demand has not improved significantly. Stainless steel export orders are recovering, but orders for exports to the US are nearly stagnant. The medium - and long - term demand improvement needs further data verification [4][46]. - Before obvious favorable policies are introduced, Shanghai nickel and stainless steel are expected to show a range - bound trend, with limited downside space [47]. Group 3: Summary by Directory 1. Market Review - In April 2025, nickel showed an oscillating trend, first hitting the bottom and then rebounding. The nickel futures price opened lower with a gap due to US tariff shocks and then quickly recovered, with the lowest point around 115,000 [8]. 2. Fundamental Analysis 2.1 Supply - side Analysis - LME and SHFE nickel inventories have been rising steadily since the second half of 2023. As of late April 2025, SHFE inventory was 30,332 tons, and LME inventory was 203,850 tons. As of April 18, 2025, the nickel port inventory was 4.021 million tons [11][13]. - China's imports of nickel ore sand and concentrates from the Philippines fluctuate seasonally [13]. - The prices of domestic and imported electrolytic nickel have been weakly oscillating since the beginning of this year, and closed at around 126,310 yuan/ton in early April [18]. - As of April 18, 2025, the price of sulfuric acid nickel dropped to 29,280 yuan/ton [20]. - On April 24, 2025, the Fubao price of nickel - iron (8% - 12%) was 1,000 yuan/nickel [26]. 2.2 Demand - side Analysis - The stainless - steel futures price opened lower with a gap due to the tariff storm and is currently oscillating at a low level, with the oscillation range expected to be between 12,500 yuan/ton and 13,500 yuan/ton [30]. - As of April 18, 2025, the inventories of 300 - series stainless steel in Wuxi and Foshan were 501,600 tons and 190,400 tons respectively [32]. - The report also presented data on the production of power and energy - storage batteries, as well as new - energy vehicle production, but specific analysis of their impact on demand was not provided [37][42]. 3. Future Outlook - The market is in a low - level upward repair phase due to tariff impacts. Pay attention to the Politburo meeting. If strong stimulus policies are introduced, they may guide the short - and medium - term market trends [46]. - Before obvious favorable policies, Shanghai nickel and stainless steel will mainly show a range - bound trend with limited downside [47].