有色金属行业年度策略：烈火烹油，牛市仍在途

Group 1: Overall Industry Insights - The non-ferrous metals industry is experiencing a significant transformation due to geopolitical shifts and economic changes, leading to a re-evaluation of resource values and pricing mechanisms [18][24][25] - The year 2025 marked a historic bull market for precious metals, particularly gold and silver, which redefined their financial and hedging attributes [18][27] - The non-ferrous metals sector has shown remarkable performance, with the Shenwan Non-ferrous Metals Index achieving an annual increase of 87.05%, outperforming major market indices [20] Group 2: Gold Market Analysis - The long-term bullish logic supporting gold remains intact, with expectations for a structured upward trend in gold prices through 2026, driven by a weakening US dollar and rising debt risks [3][34] - The anticipated transition in US Federal Reserve leadership is expected to create short-term trading opportunities around gold prices, influenced by market uncertainties [4][34] - The demand for gold from central banks is expected to slow down, impacting the overall market dynamics for gold in the near term [3][34] Group 3: Copper Market Dynamics - The copper supply is entering a long-term structural bottleneck, with a significant decrease in new mine production expected by 2026, enhancing the bargaining power of core mines [5][9] - The smelting sector is facing a "zero processing fee" era, leading to accelerated industry consolidation as high-cost smelting enterprises exit the market [9][10] - The fundamental support for copper prices is strong, with an expected widening supply-demand gap in 2026, indicating a trend of rising prices [9][10] Group 4: Aluminum Market Trends - The aluminum industry is witnessing a shift in value dynamics, with a focus on structural premiums due to increased reliance on imported resources [10][11] - The market for alumina is expected to face challenges due to oversupply and pressure on profitability, while the electrolytic aluminum sector is poised for growth driven by energy value [10][11] - The profitability within the aluminum industry is anticipated to concentrate further towards the downstream smelting segment, presenting investment opportunities [10][11] Group 5: Lithium Market Outlook - The lithium market is projected to experience a dual increase in supply and demand in 2026, although there are risks of mismatched release rhythms [11][12] - The recovery in lithium prices is expected to be supported by a rebound in demand from the energy storage sector, despite uncertainties in the electric vehicle market [11][13] - Investors are advised to monitor the construction and installation pace of domestic energy storage projects to better capture investment opportunities in the lithium sector [11][13]