国泰海通｜金属新材料：流动性重回乐观，金属价格共振上行

Group 1: Precious Metals - The market is optimistic about liquidity returning, leading to a rise in precious metal prices, particularly silver, which has seen significant price increases due to tight balance and low inventory [1] - The prices of light rare earths have increased, while heavy rare earth prices have declined, with specific prices for praseodymium-neodymium oxide, dysprosium oxide, and terbium oxide reported at 567,000, 1,480,000, and 6,525,000 CNY per ton respectively, showing a mixed trend [1] Group 2: Copper - Copper prices are expected to perform strongly due to rising expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut in December and an improving supply-demand balance, with a notable increase in market risk appetite [2] - The ongoing negotiations for copper concentrate long-term contracts are intensifying, reinforcing the consensus on supply tightness, while the market anticipates upcoming economic data that could further influence copper prices [2] Group 3: Aluminum - The weekly operating rate for aluminum processing has increased by 0.3% to 62.3%, indicating a positive trend in production, with various segments showing improvement due to year-end demand releases [2] - The macroeconomic sentiment is favorable, contributing to the sustained high-level fluctuations in aluminum prices [2] Group 4: Energy Metals - Lithium production has decreased seasonally, with a reported output of 22,000 tons, down by 265 tons, while inventory has also declined by 2,452 tons, indicating a tightening supply [3] - Cobalt prices remain high due to tight upstream raw material supplies, while downstream demand is cautious, leading to a strategic shift towards integrated cost advantages in cobalt production [3]