Shanxi Securities·2025-05-20 05:05Investment Rating - The report maintains an investment rating of "Synchronize with the market - A" for the basic chemical industry [1] Core Views - The report highlights that cost and macroeconomic changes have driven a significant increase in polyester prices, with a long-term positive outlook for tire companies with global layouts [1][3] - The fire at the Kumho Tire factory in Gwangju is expected to negatively impact tire supply in South Korea [2][26] - The U.S. tire import dependency is projected to reach 68.8% in 2024, indicating a substantial supply gap that is unlikely to be filled in the short to medium term [5][27] Summary by Sections Chemical Market - The chemical market is experiencing dual boosts from cost and macroeconomic factors, with viscose and polyester leading in price increases, rising by 8.72% and 8.63% respectively [12][17] - The manufacturing PMI for April 2025 is reported at 49, a decrease of 1.5 percentage points month-on-month, while the PPI has decreased by 2.4% year-on-year [12][20] Tire Sector - The Kumho Tire factory fire has halted production and is expected to affect the supply chain, as the factory is a key manufacturing center [26][27] - The tire industry is facing challenges due to U.S. tariffs, with a high import dependency that complicates supply issues [27][28] - Tire operating rates have improved, with semi-steel tire operating rates at 78.33%, up 20.0 percentage points week-on-week [28] Investment Recommendations - The report recommends focusing on tire companies with global diversification strategies, such as Senki Lin, Sailun Tire, and Linglong Tire, due to their competitive advantages under current tariff conditions [5][31][33]