投资咨询业务资格：证监许可【2011】1778 号 运筹帷幄 决胜千里 燃料油维持偏弱运行 宝城期货 陈栋 国庆长假期间，海外市场发生一系列重大事件。美国联邦政府陷入停摆危机，OPEC+产油国继续扩大 11 月产能规模。在负面情绪不断发酵下，全球能源市场偏空氛围进一步增强，从而导致国际原油期货价格 遭遇重挫。其中，WTI 与布伦特原油双双跌至近五个月以来的低位。这一系列外部利空冲击不仅重塑了原 油市场的交易逻辑，而且也会迫使节后国内燃料油期货维持低开弱势运行的走势。 美国政府停摆 系统性风险出现 由于美国国会参议院在 10 月 3 日未能通过新的临时拨款法案，民主党和共和党的提案均再度遭到否 决，联邦政府"停摆"继续。据美国国会预算办公室估计，美国联邦政府在 2018 年底至 2019 年初为期 35 天的"停摆"给该国 GDP 造成 30 亿美元的损失。如若此次美国政府每"停摆"一周，经济增速将下降约 0.15 个百分点，如果算上私营机构受到的影响，经济增速可能下降 0.2 个百分点。不难看出，停摆对原油 等能源商品呈现偏负面影响。尽管地缘政治和 OPEC+的产量决策是油价的主要驱动因素，但政府停摆增加 了 ...

Core Viewpoint - OPEC+ announced a lower-than-expected production increase for November, leading to a rise in crude oil prices, but weak demand outlook may limit short-term price gains [2] Group 1: Price Movements - Brent crude futures rose by 80 cents, or 1.2%, to $65.33 per barrel [2] - West Texas Intermediate (WTI) increased by 76 cents, approximately 1.3% [2] Group 2: OPEC+ Production Decisions - OPEC+ decided to increase daily production by 137,000 barrels starting in November, maintaining the same increase level as October [2] - Despite Russia's support for the 137,000-barrel increase, Saudi Arabia preferred a larger increase to regain market share [2] Group 3: Market Sentiment and Outlook - Concerns over oversupply have led to a decline in the region's premium to a 22-month low [2] - Analysts expect that the upcoming refinery maintenance season in the Middle East will help suppress oil prices [2] - Weak demand fundamentals for the fourth quarter are another factor limiting market upside potential [2]

Group 1 - Oil futures prices have declined for the third consecutive day, reaching a four-month low due to ongoing concerns about potential OPEC+ production increases [1][2] - Official data indicates that U.S. crude oil inventories rose by nearly 1.8 million barrels last week, significantly exceeding analyst expectations of a 300,000 barrel increase [1] - BOK Financial analyst Dennis Kissler stated that any increase in global oil supply would be viewed as a major bearish signal by traders [1] Group 2 - Predictions suggest that due to increased production leading to a supply surplus, oil prices may fall to the $50 range in the coming quarters, with Macquarie forecasting an average WTI crude price of $57 per barrel in 2026, down from a previous estimate of $60 [1] - The price of light crude oil futures for November delivery fell by 0.9% to $61.78 per barrel, marking the lowest closing price since May 30 [2] - In contrast, natural gas futures for November delivery rose by 5.2% to $3.476 per million British thermal units, the highest closing price since July 18, driven by increased heating degree days [2]

Core Viewpoint - The global oil market is facing potential oversupply risks, yet benchmark oil prices have remained stable, contrary to predictions of a significant drop to the $40-50 per barrel range, due to a discrepancy between actual supply-demand dynamics and market sentiment [1][2] Group 1: Supply and Demand Dynamics - Major economies are continuing to push energy sanctions, disrupting the export balance of some oil-producing countries, complicating the global supply-demand structure [1] - Despite expectations of weak demand, oil imports from major Asian economies have been increasing since spring, supporting prices even if some are for strategic reserves rather than direct refining [1][2] Group 2: Inventory and Consumption Data - Current floating oil storage levels are below the highs of 2022, and OECD country inventories are below the five-year average, indicating relatively healthy overall consumption [2] - A decline in fuel exports from Asia suggests that domestic demand remains strong, contradicting the narrative of demand peaking [2] Group 3: Market Predictions and Influences - Over-reliance on electric vehicle sales forecasts and GDP slowdown trends to predict oil prices does not fully capture market dynamics [2] - OPEC+ has limited capacity for production adjustments, and some U.S. shale oil companies are slowing their production growth due to low profit expectations, which restricts downward pressure on oil prices [2] - Geopolitical factors and resilient demand are expected to continue supporting oil price stability in the near term, making a rapid formation of a "bear market" unlikely without sudden shocks [2]

Core Insights - The Chilean Copper Commission (COCHILCO) released a lithium market forecast report for 2025-2026, indicating a projected global lithium supply of 1.443 million tons (lithium carbonate equivalent) in 2025, with demand at 1.34 million tons, resulting in a surplus of 103,000 tons [1] - The report anticipates growth in both lithium supply and demand in 2026, with a forecasted surplus of 60,000 tons [1] - Lithium prices have significantly declined since 2023 due to oversupply, despite increasing demand from the electric vehicle (EV) battery sector [1] Supply and Demand Dynamics - In 2024, Chile's lithium production is expected to reach 296,908 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent, with a slight increase to 300,000 tons in 2025 and further to 300,500 tons in 2026 [2] - The report highlights that geopolitical uncertainties, the cessation of U.S. EV subsidies, and the emergence of new supply countries in Africa contribute to the oversupply situation [1] Price Projections - COCHILCO forecasts that by 2026, the CIF price for lithium carbonate in Asia will reach $10,327 per ton, and for lithium hydroxide, it will be $10,927 per ton, both exceeding the highest prices recorded on August 27 [1] - The sustainability of the recent price increase is contingent upon the duration and scale of production halts [1] Future Outlook - The electric vehicle sector is expected to remain the primary driver of the lithium market, with global EV sales projected to grow by 23.9% year-on-year in 2023 and by 14.7% in 2026 [1] - The report also warns that tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, batteries, and raw materials could increase costs and slow the adoption of electric vehicles [1]

Report Industry Investment Rating There is no information provided in the report regarding the industry investment rating. Core Views of the Report - Global crude oil supply is expected to be abundant, with the surplus continuously expanding. In the fourth quarter, global crude oil demand will first decline and then rebound. Given the overall loose supply, the short - term decline in demand may have a more significant negative impact on crude oil prices. Even if demand rises in December, global crude oil supply will still be in a surplus state [9]. - In the polyester industry chain, both the cost side and industrial demand will face downward pressure in the fourth quarter, but supply is also expected to decline accordingly, resulting in a pattern of weak supply and demand. The decline in supply may be more obvious than that in demand. The spot production profits of various polyester industry chain products are generally low. Therefore, during the traditional off - season of demand, the price performance of the polyester industry chain may not be poor, and it is expected to show a trend of being low at first and then high in the fourth quarter [9]. Summary According to the Table of Contents 1. Polyester Industry Chain Market Review - In the third quarter, international crude oil prices first rebounded and then declined, with a slight cumulative decrease and a weak trend. The prices of the polyester industry chain generally followed crude oil. In July, prices generally rebounded, and from August to September, they declined. In August - September, the demand of the polyester industry increased slightly, and the operating rates of PX and PTA rose in September, showing a pattern of double - growth in supply and demand. Coupled with the weak operation of the cost side, prices continued to fall in the first half of September. In late September, due to the rebound of international oil prices, the prices of related products in the polyester industry chain generally rebounded from low levels, while the price of ethylene glycol was weak [15]. - **PX**: The operating rate was low in July but showed a continuous upward trend from August to September, reaching the highest level this year in mid - September. In late August, the planned maintenance of Zhejiang Petrochemical's 2 million tons/year PX unit was postponed, and other maintenance units restarted, causing the operating rate to rise instead of fall. In August, PX imports increased month - on - month, reaching the highest single - month level this year. From June to August, new PTA units were put into operation, but the new PTA units had limited short - term impact on boosting PX consumption. In September, the PTA operating rate increased slightly, but the operating level was lower than the same period last year, and the change in PX demand was not obvious [16]. - **PTA**: The operating rate was generally stable in July, significantly declined in August due to many unit overhauls, and increased slightly in September. The spot processing fee of PTA was continuously low in the third quarter, and the enthusiasm of factories for production was not high. In September, multiple overhauled PTA units restarted, and the operating rate increased month - on - month compared with August. In July, PTA supply was stable, but demand weakened due to the continuous decline of the polyester operating rate, and social inventory increased. In August, due to the decline of the PTA operating rate, although the polyester operating rate was at a low level, PTA social inventory decreased slightly. In September, with the increase of both the PTA operating rate and the polyester operating rate, the overall situation was a double - growth pattern of supply and demand, and the change in PTA social inventory was not significant [20][21]. - **MEG**: The comprehensive operating rate of ethylene glycol increased steadily in the third quarter. In mid - August, the operating rate decreased significantly but quickly recovered. The domestic ethylene glycol output was generally stable at a high level in the third quarter. The consumption of ethylene glycol was relatively stable. The port inventory of ethylene glycol in Jiangsu and Zhejiang only increased slightly in early August. At the beginning of September, the inventory in Jiangsu and Zhejiang fell below 400,000 tons, reaching a new low this year and lower than the same period in previous years. The price of ethylene glycol rose continuously in July, fluctuated narrowly in August, and declined continuously in September [24]. - **Short Fiber**: The operating rate of short fiber was relatively stable in the third quarter, and the monthly output from July to August was basically the same. The operating rate of pure polyester yarn decreased less than last year in the third quarter, but the increase during the recovery stage was also weak, and the current operating level was lower than the same period last year. The short - fiber market showed a pattern of weak supply and demand in the first eight months, with weaker demand being more obvious. The spot processing fee of short fiber fluctuated repeatedly in the third quarter, generally rising in July, falling in August, and rising again in September [25]. - **Bottle Chip**: The operating rate of polyester bottle chips began to decline in late May, remained at a low level from early July to the end of August, and then increased slightly but was still relatively low. From a seasonal perspective, the domestic demand for bottle chips was generally stable from July to August, and bottle - chip exports decreased month - on - month in August, reaching the lowest single - month level since March. The spot processing fee of bottle chips increased slightly continuously in July and then fluctuated narrowly at a low level. The spot price of bottle chips generally oscillated downward in the third quarter, and the closing price of the main contract fluctuated. The basis of bottle chips decreased continuously from July to August and increased slightly in September, with the futures and spot prices at par [30]. 2. OPEC+ Continues to Increase Crude Oil Production, Intensifying the Expectation of Supply Surplus - **EIA Keeps Raising Crude Oil Supply Forecasts, and the Expectation of Supply Growth Continues**: In the third quarter, international crude oil prices first rose and then fell. In July, supported by the expectation of the peak demand season, international crude oil prices were strong. However, due to OPEC+'s continuous decisions to increase crude oil production at each monthly meeting, the global crude oil supply surplus is expected to intensify. Since April, OPEC+ has gradually lifted the voluntary production - cut plan and made monthly decisions to increase crude oil production. From July to September, OPEC meetings continued the production - increase policy. Affected by OPEC+'s continuous production increase, EIA raised the global crude oil production forecast for three consecutive months from June to September, with the largest increase in the August EIA report [32]. - **Seasonal Fluctuation of Demand, with Overall Loose Supply**: The supply and demand of international crude oil are relatively loose, but from the statistical data of the US crude oil, the supply surplus is not obvious. The number of US oil and gas rigs is still hovering at the bottom. As of September 26, 2025, the number of US oil and gas rigs was 549, including 424 crude oil rigs, which rebounded from a low level but was still low. The latest weekly US crude oil production data showed that as of the week of September 19, US crude oil production was 13.501 million barrels per day, which generally increased slightly from August to September and was at a relatively high level, but significant growth was difficult. The consumption of crude oil has two peak seasons due to the US summer travel peak and winter heating demand. The seasonal changes in global crude oil demand are basically synchronized with those in the US. In the third quarter, the capacity utilization rate of US refineries first increased and then decreased, and was higher than the same period last year for most of the time. After mid - September, the refinery operating rate showed a downward trend, and October is usually a period when the refinery operating rate performs poorly. The EIA commercial crude oil inventory fluctuated repeatedly in the third quarter, with no obvious trend, and is currently near the annual low. It is expected to continue to rise in October. The strategic reserve inventory has been gradually increasing slightly since November 2023. The US gasoline inventory decreased rapidly from July to August, generally higher than the same period last year, and the decline rate slowed down in September. With the continuous decline of the capacity utilization rate of US refineries, the US gasoline inventory will resume the continuous decline trend in October [38][40][41]. 3. Supply of Mid - upstream Products in the Industry Chain is Stable, and Low Profits Still Affect the Supply Side - **PX and PTA Operating Rates Fluctuate Repeatedly, and PTA New Units are Gradually Put into Production**: As of now, there are no new PX production units this year. From June to August, two new PTA units were put into production, and in May, a new ethylene glycol unit was put into production. There are still plans to put new PTA and ethylene glycol units into production by the end of the year. The PX operating rate was relatively low in July due to unit overhauls, and increased continuously from August to September. In the fourth quarter, Zhejiang Petrochemical's 2 million - ton and Sinochem Quanzhou's 800,000 - ton PX units are planned for maintenance. The PTA operating rate increased slightly in July and then was generally stable, but there were still many overhauls in August. In September, some PTA units restarted, and the operating rate increased slightly. In the fourth quarter, there are plans to overhaul multiple PTA units. From January to August 2025, China's PX production decreased year - on - year, imports increased, and the supply decreased slightly year - on - year. PX consumption increased year - on - year. PTA exports decreased year - on - year, and the spot processing fee was poor in the third quarter [49][50][53]. - **Ethylene Glycol Operating Rate Increases Steadily, and the Operating Condition of Coal - based Ethylene Glycol is Better than Expected**: In May 2025, the first - phase 600,000 - ton/year ethylene glycol unit of Sichuan Zhengdakai was successfully commissioned, and the ethylene glycol capacity increased slightly. According to the new unit commissioning plan, Shandong Yulong Petrochemical's 1 million - ton/year ethylene glycol unit may be put into production in October. The coal - based ethylene glycol operating rate increased steadily in the third quarter, with only a short - term decline in mid - August. From January to August 2025, China's ethylene glycol production and imports increased, and the supply increased significantly year - on - year. The profit of oil - based ethylene glycol was better than last year, showing a narrow - range fluctuation, and the theoretical calculation of oil - based ethylene glycol production was still in a loss state. The profit of coal - based ethylene glycol was generally good but declined significantly in the third quarter [62][64][67]. 4. The Demand of the Industry Chain in the Fourth Quarter is High at First and then Low, with Overall Insipid Demand - **The Demand for Textile Raw Materials in the Traditional Peak Season is Weak, and the Demand for Bottle Chips will Continue to Weaken**: Since 2025, new units of filament, bottle chips, and film have been put into production. The polyester capacity has increased slightly this year, with bottle - chip capacity accounting for the majority. In the third quarter, the demand for textile raw materials was in the stage of turning from off - season to peak season, showing the characteristics of an off - season that is not off and a peak season that is not peak. From January to August 2025, China's polyester production increased year - on - year, mainly driven by bottle - chip production. The increase in polyester production drove up the consumption of PTA and ethylene glycol [70][71][76]. - **PTA and Ethylene Glycol May Accumulate Inventory, and the Supply Side will Determine Inventory Changes**: The PTA social inventory reached a phased high in late February this year and then gradually declined from March to early July. In the third quarter, the overall change was not significant. In September, it changed from continuous inventory reduction in August to slight inventory accumulation. The ethylene glycol port inventory in the third quarter generally showed a downward - oscillating trend. In October - November, the demand for polyester raw materials is expected to weaken, and ethylene glycol may accumulate inventory [81][82]. - **Polyester Profits are Weak, and the Profit Situation is Still under Pressure in the Demand Downturn Stage**: The processing fees of various polyester products are affected by capacity growth, supply - demand contradictions, and seasonal demand changes. In the third quarter, the profit situation of major polyester products was not ideal. In the fourth quarter, the demand of the industry chain will face the pressure of weakening again, and it is difficult for the production profits of filament and other products to continue to improve [83][85]. - **The Inventory Pressure of Filament is Not High, and There is a Downward Pressure on Bottle - Chip Exports**: In 2025, the exports of major polyester products such as filament, bottle chips, and short fiber increased year - on - year, with bottle chips and short fiber having higher export growth rates. The export volume of bottle chips increased the most in absolute terms. However, in the fourth quarter, the domestic demand for bottle chips is in the traditional off - season, and exports are expected to decline month - on - month, and the trend of bottle - chip processing fees is still not optimistic. The filament inventory fluctuated greatly this year, and there is still inventory accumulation pressure in October - November. The short - fiber inventory has generally shown a downward trend since mid - February, and the inventory accumulation pressure in the fourth quarter is not large [91][93][97]. - **The Seasonal Change in Demand Weakens, and the Off - Season May Not Be Off**: Filament and short fiber in polyester products are greatly affected by the off - peak seasons of textile raw material demand. From August to September, the operating rates of filament and short fiber did not increase significantly, showing the characteristics of a peak season that is not peak. In October, demand will turn weak, and there may be a situation where the off - season is not off. The operating rates of pure polyester yarn and Jiangsu - Zhejiang looms can reflect the demand changes of short fiber and filament. The operating rate of looms increased to near the highest level this year as of September 26, but it will decline again in late October. The production of yarn and grey cloth is still weak this year, and there is inventory accumulation pressure in October - November [102][104][107]. 5. Domestic Demand for Textile and Apparel will Gradually Improve, but Exports are under Downward Pressure - **Domestic Demand for Textile and Apparel Enters the Peak Season, but the Overall Performance is Not Ideal**: In 2025, China's total retail sales of consumer goods increased, but the year - on - year growth rate gradually declined from June to August, and the recovery of domestic consumption was unstable. In August 2025, the domestic retail sales of textile and apparel increased year - on - year, but the growth rate was lower than that of the overall retail market from June to July. Domestic textile and apparel consumption shows obvious seasonal fluctuations, and the peak season is mainly in the second half of the year. It is necessary to pay attention to the domestic textile and apparel consumption in the fourth quarter [108][113]. - **Textile and Apparel Exports are under Downward Pressure, and the Decline in Apparel Exports is More Obvious**: From January to August 2025, China's cumulative export amount increased year - on - year. However, the US tariff policy adjustment is still increasing, and the Sino - US trade environment is difficult to improve substantially. From January to August 2025, China's cumulative export of textile and apparel decreased slightly year - on - year, with textile exports increasing and apparel exports decreasing. In July - August, China's apparel exports decreased both month - on - month and year - on - year, and the peak export volume this year occurred in June instead of August as in previous years [114][115][117]. 6. Summary and Outlook - **Summary**: In the third quarter, OPEC+ decided to increase crude oil production at monthly meetings, and EIA continuously raised the global crude oil production forecasts for 2025 and 2026, with the supply surplus scale expanding. International crude oil prices oscillated downward during the peak consumption season in the third quarter, with a small cumulative decline. The prices of the polyester industry chain generally followed crude oil, and the overall performance was weaker than that of crude oil. The profits of the industry chain were still not ideal, with the profits of PX, PTA, and ethylene glycol declining significantly in the third quarter, and the profits of filament, short fiber, and bottle chips rebounding from a low level but still remaining low [118]. - **Outlook**: In the fourth quarter, the international crude oil market will face a transformation where demand first drops rapidly and then rebounds. Under the expectation of supply surplus, the market may be more sensitive to the decline in demand. If OPEC+ continues the policy of continuous production increase, the international crude oil supply surplus situation will further intensify. The Fed is expected to continue to cut interest rates in the fourth quarter, but the effect of interest - rate cuts on boosting the expectation of crude oil demand is limited. In the polyester industry chain, the demand will be generally weak in the fourth quarter, especially in October when it enters the off - season of textile raw material demand, and there may be a situation where the off - season is not off. Due to the low profits across the entire industry chain, supply is also expected to decline when demand falls. In October, both crude oil and the polyester industry chain demand are expected to weaken, and the prices of industry - chain products will face downward pressure, but it is expected that the supply side will also make adjustments, entering a state of double - reduction in supply and demand. In December, as crude oil demand gradually recovers, the downward pressure on oil prices will ease, and the prices of the polyester industry chain are expected to rebound, showing a trend of being low at first and then high in the fourth quarter. In terms of industry - chain profits, the profits of mid - upstream products PX, PTA, and ethylene glycol declined in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, industry - chain profits are expected to shift from downstream to mid - upstream products [119][120].

Core Viewpoint - The domestic methanol futures market shows a mixed performance, with a slight increase in prices, while supply and demand dynamics indicate a potential for increased production and marginally improved demand [1] Supply - Recent recovery in domestic methanol production capacity exceeds the impact of maintenance and production cuts, leading to a slight overall increase in output [1] - Planned maintenance and production cuts next week will involve less capacity than the planned recovery, suggesting continued improvement in capacity utilization [1] Demand - The restart and increased load of port olefin facilities have returned operations to high levels, with traditional demand also showing signs of recovery, although profit margins remain low [1] Inventory - As of September 25, methanol inventory at East China ports stood at 824,000 tons, down from 851,800 tons the previous week, reflecting a decrease of 27,800 tons [1] Market Outlook - Short-term domestic and import declines, along with the restart of port MTO, have prevented further inventory increases, but high inventory levels continue to suppress prices [1] - The recent maintenance issues at Iranian facilities have raised speculation about gas supply limits, making October a critical month for methanol supply-demand dynamics [1] - There is a potential opportunity for long positions in the medium to long term as the market adjusts [1]

Core Viewpoints - Aluminum oxide futures are experiencing downward pressure due to high operational capacity and accumulating inventories, leading to a supply surplus [1][2] - The market is expected to maintain low-level fluctuations influenced by weak demand and high supply [1][2] - Short-term strategies suggest a wait-and-see approach, monitoring macroeconomic sentiments and supply-side policies [2] Group 1: Market Conditions - The operational capacity for aluminum oxide is at a historical high, nearing 98 million tons per year, contributing to a clear supply surplus [1] - Social and factory inventories are continuously accumulating, indicating a persistent oversupply situation [1] - Downstream electrolytic aluminum plants are maintaining high operating rates due to strong profits, but overall demand is underperforming expectations [1] Group 2: Price Outlook - The price of aluminum oxide is currently reported at 2922.0 yuan, with a slight decline of 0.17% [1] - Future price movements may be constrained by cost support, limiting the extent of potential declines [1] - The market is likely to remain under pressure from inventory accumulation, supply expansion, and weak demand, with potential price stabilization if production cuts are triggered by cost line breaches [1][2] Group 3: Strategic Recommendations - Companies are advised to adopt a cautious stance in the short term, awaiting further developments in macroeconomic conditions and supply-side policies [2] - The reference operational range for the main contract AO2601 is suggested to be between 2800-3100 yuan per ton [2] - Continuous monitoring of geopolitical events, particularly in Guinea, and U.S. Federal Reserve monetary policy is recommended as they may impact market dynamics [2]

1. Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant content provided. 2. Core Viewpoints - For the nickel market, after the impact of macro - events ends, nickel prices will return to the fundamental logic. With high inventories and an unchanged supply surplus pattern, nickel prices are expected to remain in a low - level oscillation. For the stainless - steel market, although inventory has decreased for eleven consecutive weeks and material costs have risen, the overall demand recovery is not obvious, so stainless - steel prices are expected to mainly show an interval oscillation trend [3][5]. 3. Summary by Related Catalogs Nickel Variety Market Analysis - **Futures**: On September 24, 2025, the main contract 2511 of Shanghai nickel opened at 121,150 yuan/ton and closed at 121,450 yuan/ton, a change of 0.23% from the previous trading day's closing. The trading volume was 107,755 (+54,856) lots, and the open interest was 85,526 (+1,266) lots. The main contract price showed a slight upward trend, with strong night - session performance, morning - session oscillation, and slight afternoon fluctuations. Fed Chairman Powell's speech may support nickel prices [1]. - **Nickel Ore**: A new round of quotes was released. The FOB price of the 1.3% nickel ore from the Philippines' CNC mine was 31 dollars, and the CIF prices of the 1.4% nickel ore from the Philippines to Indonesia were 50.5 and 51.5 dollars respectively. Typhoon weather affected nickel ore unloading in some coastal areas. Philippine mine quotes remained firm, and shipments from areas like Surigao were not affected. Downstream iron plants still had losses and were cautious in purchasing nickel ore. In Indonesia, the nickel ore market supply remained in a loose pattern, with the September (Phase II) domestic trade benchmark price rising by 0.2 - 0.3 dollars, and the domestic trade premium remaining at +24, with a premium range of +23 - 24 [1]. - **Spot**: The sales price of Jinchuan Group in the Shanghai market was 123,700 yuan/ton, up 700 yuan/ton from the previous trading day. Spot trading cooled slightly, and the spot premiums and discounts of each brand remained stable. The premium of Jinchuan nickel was 2,350 yuan/ton, the premium of imported nickel was 300 yuan/ton, and the premium of nickel beans was 2,450 yuan/ton. The previous trading day's Shanghai nickel warehouse receipt volume was 24,971 (-493) tons, and the LME nickel inventory was 230,586 (+132) tons [2]. Strategy - **Unilateral**: Mainly conduct range operations. There are no strategies for inter - period, inter - variety, spot - futures, and options [3]. Stainless - Steel Variety Market Analysis - **Futures**: On September 24, 2025, the main contract 2511 of stainless steel opened at 12,905 yuan/ton and closed at 12,895 yuan/ton. The trading volume was 122,330 (-16,687) lots, and the open interest was 116,704 (-4,171) lots. The opening price was the same as the previous day's settlement price. The night - session continued the previous day's strong trend, but the day - session weakened rapidly after opening, with the lowest point reaching 12,870 yuan/ton. In the afternoon, it oscillated in the range of 12,890 - 12,900 yuan/ton. The closing price was 10 yuan lower than the previous trading day, and the fluctuation range was only 80 yuan, indicating little difference between long and short in the market. Typhoon "Huajiaisha" led to the suspension of pick - up in Foshan, resulting in a significant decrease in trading volume [3][4]. - **Spot**: Downstream remained in a wait - and - see state, and market confidence was insufficient, resulting in light spot trading. The pre - National Day holiday stocking demand was not obvious, which was also affected by the typhoon weather to some extent. The stainless - steel price in the Wuxi market was 13,200 (+0) yuan/ton, and that in the Foshan market was 13,200 (+0) yuan/ton. The premium and discount of 304/2B were 315 - 615 yuan/ton. The ex - factory tax - included average price of high - nickel pig iron remained unchanged at 955.0 yuan/nickel point [4]. Strategy - **Unilateral**: Neutral. There are no strategies for inter - period, inter - variety, spot - futures, and options [5].

Report Industry Investment Ratings No relevant content provided. Core Views Polyolefin - LLDPE and PP: Recently, PP production has declined due to significant losses in PDH and externally - sourced propylene routes, leading to increased unplanned maintenance and decreased inventory. PE maintenance has reached a peak, and the start - up rate is gradually rising. This week, the inventory of the upper and middle reaches has decreased, and there are more import offers from North America. Currently, there is a large inventory accumulation pressure on the 01 contract, which limits the upside space [2]. Methanol - The market is trading high inventory and fast loading in Iran. Coastal inventory has reached a record high, market sentiment has deteriorated, prices have weakened, and the basis has slightly weakened. In terms of supply and demand, inland supply is at a high level year - on - year. Although unplanned maintenance has increased recently, some devices are expected to resume production in mid - September. The inland inventory pattern is relatively healthy, which supports prices. On the demand side, affected by the off - season of traditional downstream industries, demand is weak. Port arrivals are still high, inventory accumulation is significant, and trading has weakened. In terms of valuation, upstream profits are neutral, MTO profits are strengthening, and traditional downstream profits are slightly strengthening, with the overall valuation being neutral. The port is continuously accumulating inventory significantly, and the import volume in September remains high. The futures price fluctuates between trading the current high inventory and weak basis and the expected overseas gas restriction in the distant future. Attention should be paid to the inventory inflection point [5]. Pure Benzene and Styrene - Pure Benzene: Recently, some pure benzene devices have restarted or produced products, and some maintenance plans have been postponed, so the supply is expected to remain at a relatively high level. On the demand side, most downstream products of pure benzene are still in a loss state, and some second - tier downstream products have high inventory. In September and October, both planned and unplanned production cuts in downstream styrene devices have reduced the demand support. The supply - demand expectation for pure benzene in September is still relatively loose, and the price driving force is weak. In the short term, the price is affected by geopolitical and macro - factors. - Styrene: Driven by the peak - season demand and pre - National - Day stocking of some factories, the overall demand for styrene downstream is okay, but the increase is limited. On the supply side, under the pressure of inventory and industry profits, more devices have shut down or reduced production. Some devices have reduced production due to accidents, and the export expectation of styrene has increased due to overseas device maintenance, so the supply is expected to decrease. Port inventory has accumulated, which may put pressure on the styrene price. In the short term, styrene may be affected by the oil price, geopolitical situation, and the alleviation of concerns about marginal supply increase [10]. Crude Oil - Overnight oil prices rose. The main trading logic is that the market's concerns about the current supply surplus have eased, and the geopolitical risk premium has resurfaced. Specifically, the oil export agreement of the Iraqi Kurds has reached a deadlock, eliminating about 230,000 barrels per day of new supply, which is the key trigger for the rebound after the previous continuous decline in oil prices and also provides support for the near - month spread. At the same time, Ukraine's attack on Russian refineries and the tough stance of NATO have magnified the supply interruption risk of refined oil products, pushed up the cracking spread, and affected the oil price from the sentiment and cost aspects. Overall, although the IEA report and other macro - factors still point to a supply surplus, in the short term, geopolitical factors have become the main pricing factor in the market, temporarily overriding the bearish expectation of potential inventory increase. In the short term, oil prices are expected to move within a range. It is recommended to mainly conduct high - selling and low - buying operations, with the operating range of WTI at [60, 66], Brent at [64, 69], and SC at [471, 502]. For options, wait for opportunities to widen the spread after the volatility increases [21][22]. Urea - The urea futures price has been weakly oscillating recently. The main logic is sufficient supply and insufficient demand support. Specifically, the daily industry output remains at a high level of over 200,000 tons, and new production capacity is about to be released, increasing the supply pressure. At the same time, agricultural demand has entered the off - season, and industrial demand has weakened due to the decline in the compound fertilizer start - up rate. Although there are some export port - collection orders, the overall impact is limited. The lack of market confidence and continuous inventory accumulation further suppress the futures price, and there is a lack of substantial positive driving factors [25]. PX, PTA, Ethylene Glycol, Short - fiber, and Bottle - chip - PX: Recently, the short - process capacity utilization at home and abroad has increased, and the maintenance of some domestic PX devices has been postponed. In addition, multiple PTA devices have maintenance plans. The supply - demand expectation for PX in the fourth quarter is further weakened. However, it may be supported by oil prices in the short term. - PTA: Due to the continuously low processing fees of PTA, the commissioning of new PTA devices has been postponed, and multiple PTA devices have maintenance plans. The spot basis has been continuously weak. In terms of absolute price, it is affected by the situation in Ukraine's attack on Russian oil facilities. - Ethylene Glycol: The supply - demand situation is gradually weakening. In the short term, the import expectation in September is not high, and the basis is oscillating at a high level. In the long term, the supply - demand expectation for ethylene glycol in the fourth quarter is weak, mainly due to the start - up of new devices and the seasonal decline in demand in the fourth quarter, and ethylene glycol will enter an inventory accumulation cycle. - Short - fiber: The short - term supply - demand pattern is weak. Recently, the short - fiber supply has remained at a high level. On the demand side, although it is the peak season, new orders are limited, and the peak season this year is not very prosperous. The short - fiber price has support at the low level, and the processing fee oscillates between 800 - 1100, with limited upward and downward driving forces. - Bottle - chip: Recently, some bottle - chip devices have restarted while some have shut down, and the overall production reduction intensity remains basically unchanged. With the downstream's low - price replenishment demand, the absolute price and processing fee of bottle - chip are supported, and the inventory has decreased. However, the upward space is limited, and attention should be paid to whether the production reduction of bottle - chip devices will further increase and the downstream follow - up situation [28]. Chlor - alkali (Caustic Soda and PVC) - Caustic Soda: The futures price continued to weaken yesterday. This week, the supply has increased, and the start - up rate of sample enterprises has increased. On the downstream side, the continuous decline in domestic and overseas alumina prices has continuously narrowed the profit margin of domestic alumina enterprises, and the support for the spot price is weak. Affected by the decline in the purchase price of the main downstream in Shandong and the cautious downstream purchasing, the inventory in the North China region has increased. In the East China region, the enterprises under maintenance and load - reduction have not resumed, the supply is tight, and the non - aluminum demand has followed up as a rigid demand, so the inventory has decreased. This week, in the Shandong market, due to the approaching National Day holiday, the short - term local caustic soda inventory needs time to be released. With the current high supply and the poor unloading of the main downstream, there is a possibility of further price cuts. It was previously recommended to take short positions, and the short positions can be held. - PVC: The futures price weakened yesterday, and the fundamental supply - demand contradiction is still difficult to resolve. On the supply side, many enterprises will end their maintenance next week, and the production is expected to increase. On the demand side, the start - up rate of downstream products has increased limitedly, and some have completed their inventory replenishment, so they are resistant to high prices and have average purchasing enthusiasm. On the cost side, the price of raw material calcium carbide continues to rise, and the ethylene price remains stable, providing bottom - line support for costs. It is expected that PVC will stop falling and stabilize during the peak season from September to October. Attention should be paid to the downstream demand performance [36]. Summary by Directory Polyolefin - **Prices and Spreads**: On September 23, compared with September 22, L2601 and L2509 closed down 0.35% and 0.50% respectively; PP2601 and PP2509 closed down 0.45% and 0.35% respectively. The spread between L2509 - 2601 decreased by 11.11%, and the spread between PP2509 - 2601 increased by 17.95%. The spot price of East China PP fiber decreased by 0.44%, and the spot price of North China LDPE film decreased by 0.28% [2]. - **Start - up Rates**: The PE device start - up rate increased by 2.97% to 80.4%, and the downstream weighted start - up rate increased by 1.78% to 42.9%. The PP device start - up rate decreased by 2.5% to 74.9%, the PP powder start - up rate increased by 4.1% to 37.5%, and the downstream weighted start - up rate increased by 1.2% to 51.5% [2]. - **Inventory**: PE enterprise inventory increased by 5.57% to 45.1 (unit not specified), and social inventory decreased by 2.45% to 54.7 million tons. PP enterprise inventory increased by 8.06% to 58.2 (unit not specified), and trader inventory increased by 14.74% to 19.3 million tons [2]. Methanol - **Prices and Spreads**: On September 23, compared with September 22, MA2601 closed down 0.21%, MA2509 closed up 0.17%, the MA91 spread increased by 60.00%, the太仓 basis decreased by 16.37%, the spot price of Inner Mongolia's northern line increased by 0.73%, the spot price of Luoyang, Henan decreased by 0.22%, and the spot price of Taicang port decreased by 0.44% [4]. - **Inventory**: Methanol enterprise inventory decreased by 0.61% to 34.048%, port inventory increased by 0.48% to 155.8 million tons, and social inventory increased by 0.28% to 189.8% [4]. - **Start - up Rates**: The upstream domestic enterprise start - up rate decreased by 0.12% to 72.66%, the overseas enterprise start - up rate in Shanghai decreased by 4.94% to 68.6%, the northwest enterprise sales - to - production ratio increased by 13.46% to 116%, the downstream acetic acid start - up rate decreased by 3.41% to 82.3%, and the downstream MTBE start - up rate increased by 1.37% to 63.8% [4][5]. Pure Benzene and Styrene - **Upstream Prices and Spreads**: On September 23, compared with September 22, Brent crude oil (November) increased by 1.6% to 67.63 dollars/barrel, WTI crude oil (October) increased by 1.2% to 63.41 dollars/barrel, CFR Japan naphtha increased by 0.4% to 596 dollars/ton, CFR Northeast Asia ethylene remained unchanged at 845 dollars/ton, CFR China pure benzene decreased by 0.7% to 723 dollars/ton, the spread between pure benzene and naphtha decreased by 5.6% to 125 dollars/ton, and the spread between ethylene and naphtha decreased by 1.0% to 247 dollars/ton [9]. - **Styrene - related Prices and Spreads**: The spot price of styrene in East China decreased by 1.0% to 6860 dollars/ton, EB2511 futures decreased by 0.8% to 6870 dollars/ton, the EB basis (10) increased by 33.3% to 24 dollars/ton, the EB10 - EB11 spread decreased by 112.5% to - 34 dollars/ton, the EB cash flow (non - integrated) decreased by 20.3% to - 337 dollars/ton, and the EB cash flow (integrated) decreased by 19.0% to - 552 dollars/ton [9]. - **Downstream Cash Flows**: The cash flow of phenol decreased by 7.6% to - 272 dollars/ton, the cash flow of caprolactam (single product) decreased by 4.7% to - 1885 dollars/ton, the cash flow of aniline increased by 14.0% to 514 dollars/ton, the EPS cash flow decreased by 13.6% to 190 dollars/ton, the PS cash flow decreased by 100.0% to - 60 dollars/ton, and the ABS cash flow increased by 247.8% to 34 dollars/ton [10]. - **Inventory**: The pure benzene inventory in Jiangsu ports decreased by 20.1% to 10.70 million tons, and the styrene inventory in Jiangsu ports increased by 17.3% to 18.65 million tons [10]. - **Industrial Chain Start - up Rates**: The domestic pure benzene start - up rate decreased by 1.2% to 78.4%, the domestic hydro - benzene start - up rate increased by 9.1% to 59.6%, the phenol start - up rate increased by 3.0% to 71.0%, the caprolactam start - up rate increased by 2.8% to 88.7%, the aniline start - up rate increased by 9.9% to 72.0%, the styrene start - up rate decreased by 2.1% to 73.4%, the downstream PS start - up rate decreased by 1.1% to 61.2%, the downstream EPS start - up rate increased by 1.2% to 61.7%, and the downstream ABS start - up rate decreased by 0.3% to 69.8% [10]. Crude Oil - **Prices and Spreads**: On September 24, compared with September 23, Brent crude oil increased by 1.59% to 67.63 dollars/barrel, WTI crude oil increased by 0.54% to 63.75 dollars/barrel, SC crude oil decreased by 1.55% to 483.60 dollars/barrel. The Brent M1 - M3 spread decreased by 33.82% to 1.37 dollars, the WTI M1 - M3 spread decreased by 49.65% to 0.72 dollars, and the SC M1 - M3 spread decreased by 33.33% to 1.80 dollars [21]. - **Refined Oil Prices and Spreads**: NYM RBOB increased by 0.46% to 200.82 dollars, NYM ULSD increased by 0.85% to 234.78 dollars, ICE Gasoil increased by 2.43% to 705.75 dollars, the RBOB M1 - M3 spread decreased by 27.94% to 7.61 dollars, the ULSD M1 - M3 spread decreased by 130.40% to - 0.76 dollars, and the Gasoil M1 - M3 spread decreased by 44.95% to 15.00 dollars [21]. - **Refined Oil Cracking Spreads**: The cracking spread of US gasoline increased by 1.10% to 20.59 dollars/barrel, the cracking spread of European gasoline increased by 1.15% to 18.86 dollars/barrel, the cracking spread of Singapore gasoline increased by 6.11% to 11.12 dollars/barrel, the cracking spread of US diesel increased by 0.14% to 33.19 dollars/barrel, the cracking spread of Singapore diesel increased by 0.86% to 18.74 dollars/barrel, the cracking spread of US jet fuel decreased by 8.80% to 24.13 dollars/barrel, and the cracking spread of Singapore jet fuel increased by 0.85% to 17.74 dollars/barrel [21]. Urea - **Prices**: The synthetic ammonia (Shandong) price increased by 0.91% to 2220 dollars/ton. The spot prices of small - particle urea in Shandong, Shanxi, and Guangdong decreased by 0.62%, 0.67%, and 0.56% respectively [25]. - **Spreads**: The Shandong - Henan spread decreased by 10 dollars to - 10 dollars/ton, the Guangdong - Henan spread decreased by 6% to 160 dollars/ton, the Shandong basis decreased by 20.00% to - 48 dollars/ton [25]. - **Downstream Products**: The prices of melamine (Shandong), compound fertilizer