Shenwan Hongyuan Securities·2025-06-15 12:11Investment Rating - The report maintains a positive outlook on the petrochemical industry, indicating a favorable investment environment [3]. Core Insights - The escalation of conflicts in the Middle East has led to significant fluctuations in oil prices, with Brent crude reaching a peak of $78.5 per barrel on June 13, marking the largest single-day increase in nearly five years. The report outlines three potential scenarios for the impact of the Israel-Iran conflict on oil prices, ranging from limited upward pressure to a potential surge above $100 per barrel if the situation escalates further [6][7][14]. Summary by Sections Upstream Sector - As of June 13, 2025, Brent crude futures closed at $74.23 per barrel, up 11.67% from the previous week, while WTI futures rose 13.01% to $72.98 per barrel. The average prices for the week were $69.45 and $67.89 per barrel, respectively [6][21]. - U.S. commercial crude oil inventories decreased by 3.644 million barrels to 432 million barrels, which is 8% lower than the same period last year. Gasoline inventories increased by 1.504 million barrels, remaining 2% lower than the five-year average [21][23]. - The number of U.S. drilling rigs decreased by 4 to 555, which is a year-on-year decline of 35 rigs. The report anticipates a widening supply-demand trend in crude oil, with potential downward pressure on prices, but expects drilling day rates to continue rising due to ongoing capital expenditures in the global oil and gas upstream sector [6][21]. Refining Sector - The report notes a decline in overseas refined oil crack spreads, with Singapore's comprehensive product crack spread dropping to $5.40 per barrel, down $5.38 from the previous week. The gasoline crack spread in the U.S. also fell to $20.95 per barrel, below the historical average of $24.88 per barrel [6][54][56]. - Despite the decline in crack spreads, the report suggests that refining profitability may gradually improve as overseas refineries exit the market and domestic refining rates remain low [6]. Polyester Sector - PTA profitability has increased, while profits from polyester filament yarn have decreased. The report highlights that the overall performance of the polyester industry is average, with a need to monitor demand changes closely. However, it anticipates an upward trend in industry prosperity in the medium to long term due to a slowdown in new capacity additions [6][51]. Investment Recommendations - The report recommends focusing on high-quality refining companies such as Hengli Petrochemical, Rongsheng Petrochemical, and Sinopec, as well as companies in the upstream exploration and development sector like CNOOC and Haiyou Engineering. It also suggests monitoring polyester leaders like Tongkun Co. and Wankai New Materials for potential investment opportunities [6][15][16].