黄金平替，比黄金涨得还猛

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article is that platinum has entered a significant upward trend in prices, outperforming gold and silver, driven by supply-demand imbalances and increased investment interest [3][4][7]. - As of July 18, platinum prices exceeded $1480 per ounce, marking a year-to-date increase of over 57%, making it the best-performing asset class globally [4][6]. - The surge in platinum prices has led to increased consumer interest, with many jewelers in Shenzhen shifting focus from gold to platinum, resulting in a notable rise in trading volumes and price premiums [6][12]. Group 2 - The primary reason for the price increase is the supply-demand imbalance, with a decline in platinum production from South Africa, the largest producer, due to seasonal mining issues [9][11]. - Demand for platinum is rising, particularly in the automotive industry, where it is used in catalytic converters, accounting for over 48% of total demand [9][11]. - The global platinum market may be entering a structural shortage, as indicated by reports from the non-ferrous metals industry [11]. Group 3 - Companies like Mingpai Jewelry and Haotong Technology have seen significant stock price increases due to the platinum price surge, with Haotong's stock rising by 9.58% on July 18 and a 129.46% year-on-year revenue growth in Q1 [12][14][16]. - Haotong Technology has a current platinum catalyst recovery capacity of 6000 tons per year, expected to increase to 18000 tons by December 2025, benefiting from the rising platinum prices [14][16]. - The automotive industry's transition towards hybrid vehicles is expected to increase the demand for platinum, as these vehicles require more platinum for their catalytic converters compared to traditional gasoline vehicles [20][23]. Group 4 - The article discusses the potential for platinum to become an alternative investment to gold, especially as inflation hedges, given its recent strong market performance [33]. - Investors are advised to adopt a cautious strategy when investing in platinum, focusing on physical platinum bars or ETFs, especially during price corrections [33][35]. - The development of new technologies aimed at reducing platinum usage in fuel cells could pose future risks to platinum prices, necessitating careful risk management by investors [34].