Report Industry Investment Ratings No relevant information provided. Core Views Copper - In the macro - aspect, the path of interest rate cuts in the second half of the year is unclear. Inflation has not slowed down due to tariffs, and employment is still weakening. Powell is taking a wait - and - see attitude. The decision of the September FOMC meeting will depend on two employment and inflation reports. The suspension of Sino - US tariffs is due to expire on August 12, with different statements from China and the US. - Fundamentally, during the traditional off - season, there is a stage of weak supply and demand, and inventories are accumulating. However, after the decline in copper prices, spot trading has improved marginally, and downstream buyers are purchasing at low prices. The tight supply at the mine end and the resilience at the demand end support prices. Copper pricing has returned to macro trading. The US economy is still weakening, capping the upside of copper prices, but the downside is also limited. In the short term, copper prices are likely to fluctuate within a range, with the main contract referring to 78,000 - 79,500 [1]. Aluminum - Recently, as the warehouse receipt volume has gradually recovered, the center of the alumina futures price has moved down, and the spot - futures arbitrage space has narrowed. Traders are expected to be relatively cautious in inquiring and purchasing. Sellers' quotes remain firm, but downstream acceptance of high - priced alumina is average. - Fundamentally, the supply of bauxite in Guinea is expected to tighten due to the rainy - season barge transportation pressure. However, alumina plants' profitability is acceptable, and there is no strong intention to cut production. The recovery of production capacity and new capacity additions will increase spot supply. The market will remain slightly oversupplied, and the future core driver lies in the game between cost support and over - capacity. It is expected that the main contract price of alumina will fluctuate widely in the range of 3,000 - 3,400 this week. - The aluminum price was fluctuating at a high level yesterday. There was a lot of selling in the market, but downstream purchasing willingness was low during the off - season, resulting in a large discount. The macro - environment in China is positive for consumption, and the "anti - involution" sentiment supports the aluminum price. However, the repeated changes in the Fed's interest rate cut expectations and tariff events bring great uncertainty. The domestic electrolytic aluminum production capacity is stable, and the decrease in the proportion of molten aluminum has led to an increase in inventory. On the demand side, the real - estate completion is weak, home - appliance exports are declining, and orders are weakening after the end of the PV installation rush. Only the new - energy vehicle lightweight demand remains resilient. In the short term, the aluminum price is expected to be under pressure at a high level, with the main contract price referring to 20,000 - 21,000 this month [4]. Aluminum Alloy - Yesterday, the aluminum alloy futures price fluctuated with the aluminum price. Most of the market transactions were for spot - futures arbitrageurs to hedge with SHFE aluminum futures, and terminal transactions were sluggish. Social inventories in major consumption areas increased significantly, approaching full capacity in some places. - On the supply side, affected by the off - season, the output of new scrap aluminum is limited. The import of scrap aluminum is restricted due to the price inversion and Thailand's policy. The supply of scrap aluminum is tight, providing some cost support for recycled aluminum. - On the demand side, the traditional off - season has suppressed demand. Orders from the terminal automotive industry are weak. Downstream die - casting enterprises are bearish on the market outlook, maintain a low - inventory rigid - procurement strategy, and have a strong willingness to bargain, resulting in a light trading volume. The weak demand will continue to suppress the upward momentum of prices. It is expected that the futures price will fluctuate widely, with the main contract referring to 19,200 - 20,200 [6]. Zinc - Overseas zinc mines are in an up - cycle of production resumption, and the zinc concentrate treatment charge (TC) has risen to 3,900 yuan/ton. However, the global mine production in May and the domestic mine production growth in July were both lower than expected. - Smelters are highly motivated to resume production, and the smelter operating rate is stronger than the seasonal average. The loose supply at the mine end has gradually spread to the smelting end, and domestic refined zinc production in July exceeded expectations. - The demand side has entered the seasonal off - season, with average terminal consumption. Downstream buyers are reluctant to buy at high prices, and the spot premium has weakened. The operating rates of the three primary processing industries remain at a seasonal low. - The absolute inventory level is low, and LME zinc inventories are still being depleted. Fundamentally, the combination of loose supply and weak demand is insufficient to support a continuous upward movement of zinc prices, but the low inventory provides price support. For zinc prices to continue to rebound, continuous inventory depletion and a continuous expectation of interest rate cuts without an overseas recession are needed. A downward breakthrough requires a stronger - than - expected TC and refined zinc inventory accumulation. In the short term, zinc prices are likely to fluctuate, with the main contract referring to 22,000 - 23,000 [7][8]. Tin - On the supply side, the supply of tin ore remains tight, and smelters' processing fees remain low. In June, domestic tin ore imports remained at a low level. Although the resumption of production in Myanmar is progressing, due to the rainy season, earthquakes, and mine preparations, actual ore output is expected to be postponed until the fourth quarter. - On the demand side, after the end of the PV installation rush, PV tin - bar orders in East China have declined, and the operating rates of some producers have decreased. In South China, the electronics consumption has entered the off - season, and the operating rates of solder enterprises have declined significantly. Considering the impact of future US tariff policies on trade and the weakening influence of domestic consumption - stimulus policies, future demand is expected to be weak. - Overall, the tin price is expected to fluctuate at a high level. Attention should be paid to the import situation of Burmese tin ore. If the supply recovers smoothly, a short - selling strategy is recommended; if the supply recovery is less than expected, the tin price may be supported [12]. Nickel - Yesterday, the nickel futures on the SHFE maintained a relatively strong trend, and the overall sentiment in the commodity market warmed slightly. - In the macro - aspect, the weak US employment and factory order data have increased the market's expectation of the Fed accelerating interest rate cuts. In China, it is the policy window period of the meeting, and seven departments including the central bank have jointly issued guidelines on financial support for new - type industrialization. - On the industrial side, the spot price of nickel rose yesterday, and the premium of Jinchuan nickel decreased slightly. Recently, the price of nickel ore has been stable. Mines in the Philippines are in the shipping stage, and the domestic trade benchmark price of Indonesian nickel ore in August (phase one) is expected to rise. The nickel - iron market is calm, with supply expected to be loose. The mainstream nickel - iron quotation has risen to 940 - 950 yuan/nickel (including tax at the hatch bottom), waiting for transaction confirmation. Domestic iron plants are mostly operating at reduced loads, but the oversupply pressure of nickel - iron still exists, with short - term cost support. - The demand for stainless steel remains weak, and steel mills are cautious in raw - material procurement. Terminal demand is weak. In the new - energy sector, downstream ternary material producers have low acceptance of high - priced nickel sulfate. Overseas inventories remain high, and domestic social and bonded - area inventories have decreased. - Overall, the sentiment and fundamentals have changed little, and the supply is expected to be loose in the medium term, capping the upside of the nickel price. In the short term, the futures is expected to adjust within a range, with the main contract referring to 118,000 - 126,000. Attention should be paid to macro - expectation changes [14]. Stainless Steel - Yesterday, the stainless - steel futures price rose overall. The expectation of the peak season has strengthened support, and spot agents and traders have raised prices, driving up terminal purchasing sentiment and improving market transactions. - In the macro - aspect, the weak US employment and factory order data have increased the market's expectation of the Fed accelerating interest rate cuts. In China, it is the policy window period of the meeting, and seven departments including the central bank have jointly issued guidelines on financial support for new - type industrialization. - The price of nickel ore has been stable. Mines in the Philippines are in the shipping stage, and the domestic trade benchmark price of Indonesian nickel ore in August (phase one) is expected to rise. The nickel - iron price is strong, with the mainstream quotation rising to 940 - 950 yuan/nickel (including tax at the hatch bottom), waiting for transaction confirmation. Iron plants are operating at reduced loads, and steel mills' profit improvement has weakened the pressure on raw - material prices. The chromium - iron price is weak, and the spot price may still decline slightly in the future. - Stainless - steel plants are actively reducing production to cope with insufficient demand, but the reduction is moderate and not sustainable, so the short - term supply pressure in the market is difficult to ease. The reality of weak terminal demand remains unchanged. In the traditional downstream sectors, it is the off - season, and the growth rate of emerging downstream sectors is expected to decline. Purchases are mainly for rigid replenishment, and although traders have more bargaining space, trading volume is still difficult to increase. The reduction of stainless - steel social inventory is slow, and warehouse receipts are stable with a slight increase. - Overall, the sentiment has improved, and cost support has strengthened, but the fundamentals are still constrained by weak spot demand. In the short term, the futures price is likely to fluctuate strongly, with the main contract referring to 13,000 - 13,500. Attention should be paid to policy trends and supply - demand rhythms [16]. Lithium Carbonate - Yesterday, all lithium - carbonate futures contracts hit the daily limit, mainly affected by the news that the Shixiawo mine in Jiangxi confirmed to be shut down over the weekend. The market sentiment continued to ferment, and the main contract LC2511 rose to 81,000. There is still speculation about whether other mines in Jiangxi will be affected, and short - term attention should be paid to the policy guidance on mine production. - Fundamentally, the current supply - demand balance is tight. The smelting end has short - term inventory support, and supply remains relatively sufficient. Last week's production data rebounded again, but the marginal growth rate of supply has slowed down recently. Demand is showing a steady and optimistic trend, gradually entering the peak season. Cell orders are acceptable, and material production - scheduling data is more optimistic than market expectations. However, due to the inventory pressure in the material industry chain, actual demand has not been significantly boosted. - Last week, inventories increased across the board. Upstream smelters continued to reduce inventories, while downstream replenishment increased significantly, and other trading links remained stable with a slight decrease. Overall, after the expectations at the mine end are realized, the upward space of the futures price is more determined by capital sentiment. Driven by continuous sentiment, the futures price is expected to remain strong in the short term, and the main contract may first test the range of 85,000 - 90,000. Recently, attention should be paid to the evolution of market sentiment and the actual adjustment of supply [19]. Summaries by Directory Price and Basis - Copper: SMM 1 electrolytic copper price was 79,150 yuan/ton, up 0.79% from the previous day. The premium of SMM 1 electrolytic copper was 150 yuan/ton, up 30 yuan from the previous day. Other copper - related prices and premiums also showed different changes [1]. - Aluminum: SMM A00 aluminum price was 20,630 yuan/ton, down 0.10% from the previous day. The premium of SMM A00 aluminum remained unchanged at - 50 yuan/ton [4]. - Aluminum Alloy: The price of SMM ADC12 aluminum alloy remained unchanged at 20,250 yuan/ton [6]. - Zinc: SMM 0 zinc ingot price was 22,530 yuan/ton, up 0.27% from the previous day. The premium of SMM 0 zinc ingot was - 45 yuan/ton, down 5 yuan from the previous day [7][8]. - Tin: SMM 1 tin price remained unchanged at 268,000 yuan/ton. The premium of SMM 1 tin remained unchanged at 0 yuan/ton [12]. - Nickel: The price of SMM 1 electrolytic nickel was 122,850 yuan/ton, up 0.74% from the previous day. The premium of 1 Jinchuan nickel was 2,200 yuan/ton, down 50 yuan from the previous day [14]. - Stainless Steel: The price of 304/2B (Wuxi Hongwang 2.0 coil) was 13,200 yuan/ton, up 0.38% from the previous day [16]. - Lithium Carbonate: The average price of SMM battery - grade lithium carbonate was 74,500 yuan/ton, up 3.62% from the previous day. The average price of SMM industrial - grade lithium carbonate was 72,300 yuan/ton, up 3.58% from the previous day [19]. Month - to - Month Spreads - Different metals showed different changes in month - to - month spreads, such as copper's 2508 - 2509 spread was 0 yuan/ton, up 30 yuan from the previous day; aluminum's 2508 - 2509 spread was 20 yuan/ton, up 10 yuan from the previous day [1][4]. Fundamental Data - Copper: In July, electrolytic copper production was 117.43 million tons, up 3.47% month - on - month; imports were 30.05 million tons, up 18.74% month - on - month [1]. - Aluminum: In July, alumina production was 765.02 million tons, up 5.40% month - on - month; electrolytic aluminum production was 372.14 million tons, up 3.11% month - on - month [4]. - Aluminum Alloy: In July, the production of recycled aluminum alloy ingots was 62.50 million tons, up 1.63% month - on - month; the production of primary aluminum alloy ingots was 25.50 million tons, down 2.30% month - on - month [6]. - Zinc: In July, refined zinc production was 60.28 million tons, up 3.03% month - on - month; in June, imports were 3.61 million tons, up 34.97% month - on - month [7][8]. - Tin: In June, tin ore imports were 11,911 tons, down 11.44% from the previous month; SMM refined tin production was 13,810 tons, down 6.94% from the previous month [12]. - Nickel: In July, China's refined nickel production was 31,800 tons, down 10.04% month - on - month; imports were 19,157 tons, up 116.90% month - on - month [14]. - Stainless Steel: In July, the production of 300 - series stainless - steel crude steel in China (43 enterprises) was 175.98 million tons, up 2.71% month - on - month; in Indonesia (Qinglong), it was 36.00 million tons, unchanged from the previous month [16]. - Lithium Carbonate: In July, lithium carbonate production was 81,530 tons, up 4.41% month - on - month; battery - grade lithium carbonate production was 61,320 tons, up 6.40% month - on - month [19].
广发期货《有色》日报-20250812
Guang Fa Qi Huo·2025-08-12 02:33