Group 1: Raw Materials and Spot Prices - As of May 13, cup rubber is priced at 53.34 THB/kg (down 0.20), while latex is at 60.25 THB/kg (up 0.50) [1] - Yunnan rubber water acquisition price is 13,900 CNY (up 100), and Hainan fresh latex is also 13,900 CNY (up 200) [1] - Full latex in the Shanghai market is priced at 14,900 CNY (down 50), while Qingdao bonded zone Thai standard is at 1,800 USD/ton (up 10) [1] Group 2: Tire Production Rates and Inventory - As of May 8, the capacity utilization rate for China's semi-steel tire sample enterprises is 46.71%, down 19.98 percentage points month-on-month and down 32.14 percentage points year-on-year [1] - The capacity utilization rate for China's all-steel tire sample enterprises is 41.69%, down 17.85 percentage points month-on-month and down 9.89 percentage points year-on-year [1] - Average inventory turnover days for semi-steel tire sample enterprises is 45.09 days, down 0.82 days month-on-month and up 14.84 days year-on-year [1] Group 3: Automotive Industry Insights - In the first four months of this year, China's automobile production and sales both exceeded 10 million units for the first time, reaching 10.175 million and 10.06 million respectively, with year-on-year growth of 12.9% and 10.8% [2] - New energy vehicle production and sales reached 4.429 million and 4.3 million respectively, with year-on-year growth of 48.3% and 46.2%, accounting for 42.7% of total new car sales [2] - In terms of exports, 1.937 million vehicles were exported in the first four months, a year-on-year increase of 6%, with new energy vehicle exports at 642,000 units, up 52.6% [2] Group 4: Market Outlook - The Thai Rubber Authority (RAOT) has announced a one-month delay in the opening season for 2025, maintaining high raw material prices [2] - Despite a shift to inventory reduction among tire companies, overall inventory levels remain high, indicating continued inventory pressure [2] - Short-term expectations for rubber prices are mixed, with potential fluctuations between 14,500 and 15,500, suggesting a strategy of clearing positions at the upper end of this range [3]

Group 1 - The Thai Rubber Authority (RAOT) has announced a one-month delay in the 2025 rubber tapping season, which is expected to impact production by approximately 200,000 tons [2] - The delay in the tapping season has led to a rebound in rubber prices, but there are concerns regarding the demand due to rising inventory levels in tire companies [2] - The average capacity utilization rates for semi-steel and all-steel tire manufacturers in China have decreased, indicating a potential slowdown in production [1] Group 2 - As of April 30, the capacity utilization rate for semi-steel tire manufacturers in China was 66.69%, down 5.67 percentage points month-on-month and 12.29 percentage points year-on-year [1] - The average inventory turnover days for semi-steel tires increased to 45.91 days, reflecting a rise in inventory pressure [1] - The expected price range for rubber is projected to be between 14,500 and 15,500 THB due to the conflicting supply and demand dynamics [2]