Changjiang Securities·2025-12-22 09:44Investment Rating - The industry investment rating is "Positive" and maintained [8] Core Viewpoints - Recent coal prices have been declining, raising concerns about future price trends. The supply side is expected to remain tight due to year-end production cuts and the imposition of export taxes by Indonesia, while demand may improve with the new year's long-term contracts and seasonal increases in consumption [2][7] - The coal price is anticipated to stabilize and recover in the short term due to supply constraints and seasonal demand increases, suggesting a favorable investment opportunity in the coal sector [6][7] Summary by Sections Market Performance - The coal index (Yangtze) increased by 0.36%, outperforming the CSI 300 index by 0.64 percentage points, ranking 19th out of 32 industries [6][22] - As of December 19, the market price for Qinhuangdao thermal coal was 703 CNY/ton, down 42 CNY/ton week-on-week, while the price for coking coal at Jingtang Port was 1740 CNY/ton, up 110 CNY/ton week-on-week [6][16] Supply and Demand Analysis - As of December 18, the daily coal consumption across 25 provinces was 580.2 million tons, a decrease of 2.0% week-on-week and 9.8% year-on-year. The inventory at power plants was 134 million tons, with a usable days count of 23.2 days, an increase of 0.3 days week-on-week [17][36] - The supply side is influenced by production cuts at coal mines and the impact of export taxes from Indonesia, which could tighten supply further [7][17] Price Trends - The price of thermal coal has seen a significant decline, with a monthly drop of 105 CNY/ton (-13%), nearly erasing gains from October [7][43] - The report suggests that while coal prices are currently under pressure, improvements in supply and demand dynamics could provide a floor for prices in the near term [6][7] Investment Recommendations - The report recommends focusing on coal sector investments, particularly as the first quarter is typically a period of increased insurance capital inflow, which may enhance the attractiveness of coal stocks [7][12]