Zhongyuan Securities·2026-01-29 08:42Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Outperform" rating for the new materials industry [1][8]. Core Insights - The new materials sector outperformed the CSI 300 index in January 2026, with the new materials index rising by 10.54%, surpassing the CSI 300's increase of 1.90% by 8.64 percentage points [8][12]. - Basic metal prices saw a general increase in January 2026, with notable price changes including copper (1.23%), aluminum (2.79%), zinc (4.74%), and tin (34.93%) [8][37]. - Global semiconductor sales continued to grow, with November 2025 figures showing a 29.8% year-on-year increase, marking the 25th consecutive month of growth [8][42]. - The new materials sector is expected to benefit from the ongoing recovery in downstream demand and the push for domestic alternatives, indicating a potential growth cycle ahead [8][21]. Summary by Sections Industry Performance Review - The new materials index showed strong performance in January 2026, ranking 7th among 30 major industry sectors [12][16]. - A total of 170 stocks in the new materials sector were analyzed, with 141 stocks rising and 25 falling in January [17][20]. - The sector's valuation increased, with the new materials index PE (TTM) at 31.72, reflecting a 4.21% month-on-month increase [21][24]. Important Industry Data Tracking - In December 2025, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.2% month-on-month, while the Producer Price Index (PPI) increased by 0.2% [30][31]. - Basic metal prices and inventory changes were tracked, showing significant fluctuations in January 2026 [37][40]. - The export volume of superhard materials increased by 3.39% in December 2025, although the export value saw a slight decline [50][50]. Industry Dynamics - The establishment of the humanoid robot standard committee in Beijing and the introduction of the first group standard for functional diamonds highlight ongoing developments in the new materials sector [2]. - The implementation of the action plan for upgrading the non-ferrous metal industry in Henan province indicates regional efforts to enhance industry standards [2].