Investment Rating - The investment rating for the steel industry is Neutral, maintained [9] Core Insights - The report highlights a strong expectation for short-term production cuts as a "stopgap" measure against industry overcapacity, with a neutral assumption of a 30 million ton year-on-year reduction in crude steel production in 2025, potentially leading to a 229 CNY/ton increase in rebar prices and an 86 CNY/ton rise in profit per ton [2][7] - The report emphasizes the gradual advancement of medium-term capacity reduction, with the "2025 Steel Industry Normative Conditions" clarifying standards for "compliant capacity," indicating that about 20% of capacity, primarily from small private enterprises, may face exit pressure starting in 2026 [2][7] - Recent market sentiment has improved, with a slight increase in demand, as evidenced by a 0.68% week-on-week rise in average daily sales of construction steel to 106,800 tons [4][5] - The report notes a decrease in average daily pig iron production to 2.4085 million tons, reflecting a 1.44 million ton day-on-day drop, and a year-on-year decline of 4.09% in total steel production [4][5] Summary by Sections Section 1: Market Dynamics - The central financial committee's meeting has sparked optimism regarding supply-side optimization in the steel market, leading to a recovery in steel prices [4] - The report indicates that the total inventory of steel has decreased slightly, with a year-on-year decline of 30.61% for long products and 15.96% for sheet products [5] Section 2: Policy Implications - The report discusses the significance of the "anti-involution" policy, which aims to address overcapacity in the steel industry, suggesting that administrative measures could stabilize steel prices and improve profitability [6][30] - The report anticipates that the "anti-involution" policy could lead to a significant transformation in the industry, comparable to previous supply-side reforms [6][30] Section 3: Investment Opportunities - The report identifies four main investment lines: 1. Companies benefiting from cost reductions due to new capacities in iron ore and coke, such as Nanjing Steel and Baosteel [30] 2. Companies with low price-to-book ratios that may see significant performance and valuation recovery, such as New Steel and Fangda Special Steel [30] 3. Mergers and acquisitions under the state-owned enterprise reform initiative, which could enhance asset quality and valuation [31] 4. High-quality processing leaders and resource companies, particularly those in specialized fields or benefiting from macroeconomic recovery [31]

Investment Rating - The industry investment rating is "Positive" [1] Core Viewpoints - The report highlights a strong recovery in the steel sector driven by the "anti-involution" trend and emission reductions in Tangshan, suggesting that steel equities are undervalued [1] Summary by Sections Weekly Data - The SW Steel Index increased by 5.1% year-to-date, while the SW General Steel Index rose by 6.5% [3] - The price of rebar (HRB400 20mm) is at 3,180 CNY/ton, reflecting a weekly increase of 2.9% and a year-to-date increase of 6.7% [3] - Iron ore prices have shown a significant increase, with the Platts index at 96 USD/ton, up 20% year-to-date [3] Inventory - Total social inventory of five major steel products stands at 915 million tons, with a year-to-date increase of 20.7% [5] - Steel mill inventory is at 424 million tons, reflecting a year-to-date increase of 21.0% [5] - Port inventory of iron ore is at 13,882 million tons, with a year-to-date increase of 6.6% [5] Supply and Demand - The weekly output of five major steel products is projected to increase, indicating a potential rise in supply [10] - The average daily molten iron production is expected to remain stable, suggesting balanced demand [10] Profitability - The profitability rate of steel mills is currently at 18.6%, indicating a healthy margin for major players [14]