Hua Yuan Zheng Quan·2025-06-15 12:42Investment Rating - The investment rating for the non-ferrous metals industry is "Positive" (maintained) [5] Core Views - The report highlights that copper prices are expected to remain volatile in the short term due to mixed economic indicators from the US, with a recent decline in copper prices following lower-than-expected CPI data [5] - Aluminum prices are supported by continuous inventory depletion and tight spot supply, while alumina prices have seen a slight decline [5] - Lithium prices are under pressure at the bottom, with a slight increase in carbonate lithium prices, but the market is awaiting further production cuts from mining sources [5] - Cobalt prices have seen a slight increase, with attention on potential policy changes in the Democratic Republic of Congo that could impact supply [5] Summary by Sections 1. Industry Overview 1.1 Important Information - US May CPI was reported at 2.4%, slightly below expectations, indicating potential economic impacts [9] - Recent geopolitical tensions, including Israeli airstrikes on Iran, may affect market stability [9] 1.2 Market Performance - The non-ferrous metals sector outperformed the Shanghai Composite Index, with a weekly increase of 3.79% [11] - The sector's performance was led by magnetic materials, gold, and cobalt, while copper, lithium, and aluminum lagged [11] 1.3 Valuation Changes - The PE_TTM for the non-ferrous metals sector is 19.13, with a slight increase of 0.59 [18] - The PB_LF for the sector is 2.21, reflecting a 0.07 increase [18] 2. Industrial Metals 2.1 Copper - Copper prices saw a decline of 1.44% in London and 1.17% in Shanghai, with significant inventory reductions [23] - The copper smelting profit margin has worsened, indicating financial pressures on producers [23] 2.2 Aluminum - Aluminum prices increased by 1.88% in London and 1.79% in Shanghai, supported by inventory depletion [34] - The profit margin for aluminum producers improved significantly due to rising prices [34] 2.3 Lead and Zinc - Lead prices increased slightly, while zinc prices saw a decline, with mining profits narrowing [48] 2.4 Tin and Nickel - Tin prices remained stable, while nickel prices experienced a slight decline, with profitability for domestic nickel enterprises shrinking [61] 3. Energy Metals 3.1 Lithium - Lithium carbonate prices increased by 0.75%, while lithium hydroxide prices decreased [72] - The profitability of lithium refining remains negative, indicating challenges in the sector [72] 3.2 Cobalt - Cobalt prices have seen a slight increase, with domestic refining margins improving [84]