Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Positive" investment rating for the coal industry [9]. Core Viewpoints - The recent acceleration in coal price decline is primarily attributed to a post-holiday drop in demand (seasonal factors and reduced expectations for inventory replenishment) and increased supply (production and transportation volume) leading to a higher port inventory and a willingness to sell at lower prices. However, with the upcoming peak summer demand and relatively stable supply, the report suggests that the coal prices are likely to stabilize during the peak season [2][7]. Summary by Sections Market Performance - The coal index (Yangtze) increased by 1.40% this week, underperforming the CSI 300 index by 0.60 percentage points, ranking 24th out of 32 industries. The thermal coal market price as of May 9 is 630 CNY/ton, down 20 CNY/ton week-on-week [6][30]. Supply and Demand Analysis - As of May 8, the daily coal consumption across 25 provinces was 484.9 million tons, a week-on-week increase of 9.9% but a year-on-year decrease of 2.4%. The coal supply was 486.3 million tons, a decrease of 0.6% from May 1. The total inventory was 114.3 million tons, down 0.1% [48][49]. Price Trends - The market price for 5500 kcal thermal coal at Qinhuangdao port is 630 CNY/ton, reflecting a decrease of 20 CNY/ton (-3.08%) compared to April 30. The report indicates that the price support remains due to cost factors from production and imports, despite the high inventory levels [55][30]. Future Outlook - The report anticipates that the coal prices may continue to explore the bottom in the short term due to high inventory levels and the approaching rainy season. However, there is a potential for a moderate rebound in prices as the demand for coal is expected to improve during the peak summer season, with a projected 17% increase in daily consumption compared to the second quarter [7][8]. Investment Recommendations - The report suggests marginal allocation in the coal sector, recommending stable profit leaders such as China Shenhua (A+H) and Shaanxi Coal, as well as growth-oriented companies like Electric Power Investment Energy and Xinji Energy. It also highlights flexible growth stocks such as Yanzhou Coal (A+H), Shanxi Coking Coal, and Huabei Mining [8].