Investment Rating - The industry rating is "Outperform the Market" indicating that the overall return of the industry is expected to exceed the market benchmark index by more than 5% in the next 6 months [61]. Core Insights - The report emphasizes that stabilizing coal prices is crucial for stabilizing the Producer Price Index (PPI), as coal price fluctuations significantly impact PPI through various industrial channels [4][52]. - The report outlines a shift towards "anti-involution" policies aimed at reversing the downward trend in PPI, which has been negative for 34 consecutive months as of July 2025 [5][13]. - The relationship between coal prices and PPI is highlighted, with coal mining and washing industries having a PPI weight of 2.3% but a disproportionate influence on PPI due to their role in the supply chain [4][33]. Summary by Sections Section 1: Anti-Involution and Coal Production - The report discusses the initiation of coal production checks to combat excessive competition and stabilize the market, as outlined in government notifications [3][12]. - It notes that the anti-involution measures are part of a broader strategy to enhance industry self-regulation and improve product quality [11][14]. Section 2: PPI and Its Historical Context - The report provides a historical review of PPI trends, indicating that external shocks and supply-demand imbalances have historically led to negative PPI periods [15][18]. - It emphasizes the need for coordinated supply-side and demand-side policies to effectively reverse the current negative PPI trend [14][15]. Section 3: The Importance of Coal Prices - The report details how coal prices directly and indirectly affect PPI, with coal being a key industrial raw material [33][44]. - It highlights the strong volatility of coal prices compared to other industries, which have much lower PPI volatility [41][44]. Section 4: Investment Recommendations - The report suggests focusing on high-quality core stocks in the coal sector, including China Shenhua, China Coal Energy, and Yancoal, as potential investment opportunities [5][54]. - It anticipates that coal prices may experience fluctuations but could trend upwards if demand-side improvements occur alongside supportive supply-side policies [5][54].

Global Economic Trends - Global economic growth is expected to be 2.8% in 2025, which is 0.4 percentage points lower than the average growth rate from 2010 to 2019[14] - The World Bank predicts a global economic growth of only 2.3% in 2025, down from earlier forecasts[15] - International trade growth is anticipated to decline, with a projected decrease of 0.2% in global merchandise trade volume in 2025[16] China's Economic Outlook - China's GDP is projected to grow by approximately 4.7% in the second half of 2025, with a nominal GDP growth of 4.3% in the first half[27][28] - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) may turn negative in the second half of 2025, while the Producer Price Index (PPI) is expected to decline by around 3.0% for the year[30] - The unemployment rate for urban areas averaged 5.2% in the first half of 2025, reflecting a slight increase from the previous year[27] A-Share Market Performance - A-share companies' overall market value creation ability decreased by nearly 40 basis points in 2024 compared to 2023[40] - The performance of A-share companies is increasingly diverging from nominal GDP growth, particularly in the manufacturing sector[40] - The return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) for A-share companies continued to decline in 2024[40] Sector-Specific Insights - The first industry saw a significant recovery in asset returns due to rising pork prices, while the second and third industries experienced declines[10] - R&D investment in some sectors continued to rise in 2024, although some industries began to see a decrease[10] - The manufacturing sector is facing severe "involution" competition, impacting profitability and pricing power[30]

Group 1 - The core point of the article is that South Korea's Producer Price Index (PPI) increased by 0.5% year-on-year and 0.4% month-on-month in July [1]

Group 1 - The central bank announced a reverse repurchase operation of 500 billion yuan for 6 months on August 15, following a previous operation of 700 billion yuan for 3 months on August 8, resulting in a total of over 300 billion yuan in mid-term liquidity injection this month [1] - The market anticipates that the central bank may increase the amount of MLF (Medium-term Lending Facility) after 300 billion yuan matures this month [1] - The expectation for a rate cut by the Federal Reserve in September has cooled, with the US Producer Price Index (PPI) for July rising to 3.3% year-on-year, exceeding the expected 2.5%, and marking the highest level since February [1] Group 2 - The initial jobless claims in the US decreased by 3,000 to 224,000, remaining below expectations and at the lowest level since November 2021 [1] - The continuing jobless claims fell to 1.953 million, slightly below expectations, but still hovering at high levels since 2021 [1]

Group 1 - In July, national general public budget revenue showed a significant recovery, with a year-on-year growth of 2.6%, marking the highest monthly growth rate of the year [1] - For the first seven months, the total general public budget revenue reached 135,839 billion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 0.1%, indicating a positive turnaround compared to the previous period [1] - Tax revenue in July increased by 5%, the highest growth rate of the year, contributing to a significant narrowing of the revenue decline in the first seven months [2] Group 2 - The corporate income tax decreased by 0.4% in the first seven months, but the decline was significantly narrowed by 1.5 percentage points compared to the first half of the year, which was a key factor in the growth of tax revenue in July [2] - The growth in tax revenue in July was supported by a narrowing decline in the Producer Price Index (PPI), highlighting the strong correlation between price factors and tax revenue [2] - The securities transaction stamp duty saw a remarkable year-on-year growth of 62.5% in the first seven months, reflecting a recovery in market confidence [2] Group 3 - The equipment manufacturing and modern service industries showed strong tax revenue performance, with specific sectors like railway, shipbuilding, and aerospace equipment seeing tax revenue growth of 33% [3] - General public budget expenditure for the first seven months reached 160,737 billion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 3.4%, maintaining a focus on social welfare spending [3] - Expenditure in social security and employment grew by 9.8%, indicating a continued emphasis on improving public welfare [3] Group 4 - Local government special bonds and other financial instruments contributed to a government fund budget expenditure growth of 31.7% in the first seven months, amounting to 2.89 trillion yuan [4] - With the reduction of disruptions from extreme weather, infrastructure investment growth is expected to rebound in the second half of the year due to sufficient project and funding support [4]

Group 1: Fiscal Revenue Overview - National general public budget revenue for the first seven months reached 135,839 billion yuan, showing a year-on-year growth of 0.1% [1] - The cumulative growth rate of national general public budget revenue turned positive for the first time this year, driven by a 2.6% increase in July, the highest monthly growth rate of the year [1] - Tax revenue for the first seven months was 110,933 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 0.3%, but the decline is narrowing [1][2] Group 2: Tax Revenue Analysis - Major tax categories showed improvement, with domestic value-added tax increasing by 3%, domestic consumption tax by 2.1%, and personal income tax by 8.8% in the first seven months [2] - The decline in corporate income tax was reduced to 0.4%, indicating a better performance compared to the first half of the year [2] - Securities transaction stamp tax saw a significant increase of 62.5%, nearing 100 billion yuan, due to active stock market transactions [2] Group 3: Sector-Specific Tax Performance - Equipment manufacturing and modern service industries performed well in tax revenue, with specific sectors like railway, shipbuilding, and aerospace equipment seeing a 33% increase [3] - Tax revenue from scientific research and technical services grew by 12.7%, while cultural and sports entertainment sectors increased by 4.1% [3] Group 4: Non-Tax Revenue and Government Fund Income - Non-tax revenue for the first seven months was 24,906 billion yuan, growing by 2%, significantly lower than the previous year's growth of 12% [4] - Government fund revenue, primarily from land sales, was 23,124 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 0.7%, with land use rights revenue dropping by 4.6% [5] Group 5: Fiscal Expenditure and Economic Support - National general public budget expenditure reached 160,737 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.4%, with significant support for social welfare, education, and health spending [6] - Expenditure growth in social security and employment, education, and health care exceeded the average growth rate, indicating a focus on maintaining economic stability [6]

Core Insights - The national narrow fiscal revenue growth has turned positive, reflecting a stable economic recovery [2][3] Fiscal Revenue Overview - From January to July, the national general public budget revenue reached 135,839 billion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 0.1% [3] - The revenue growth rate has shown a gradual decline this year, but the decrease is narrowing, with July's revenue growth rate reaching a new high of 2.6% [3] - Tax revenue, which is a major component of fiscal revenue, totaled 110,933 billion yuan, down 0.3% year-on-year, but the decline is also narrowing [3][5] Tax Revenue Analysis - In July, tax revenue was 18,018 billion yuan, showing a year-on-year increase of 5%, marking a continuous recovery since April [3][5] - The four major tax categories showed improvement, with domestic VAT increasing by 3%, domestic consumption tax by 2.1%, and personal income tax by 8.8% [5] - Despite a decline in corporate income tax by 0.4%, the reduction is significantly less than in the first half of the year [5] Non-Tax Revenue Insights - Non-tax revenue for the first seven months was 24,906 billion yuan, growing by 2%, which is significantly lower than the previous year's growth of 12% [6] - Government fund revenue, primarily from land sales, saw a decline, but the decrease is narrowing due to increased competition for quality land in core cities [6] Fiscal Expenditure Trends - General public budget expenditure reached 160,737 billion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 3.4%, supporting economic stability [7] - Social welfare, education, and health expenditures grew by 9.8%, 5.7%, and 5.3% respectively, surpassing the average growth rate [7] - Government fund budget expenditure increased significantly by 31.7% to 54,287 billion yuan, directed towards major project construction and new sectors [8]

Group 1 - The central bank announced a reverse repurchase operation of 500 billion yuan with a six-month term on August 15, following a previous operation of 700 billion yuan for three months on August 8, resulting in a total of 300 billion yuan in excess liquidity injection this month [1] - The market anticipates that the central bank may increase the amount of medium-term lending facility (MLF) after the 300 billion yuan MLF matures this month [1] Group 2 - The expectation for a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in September has been dampened, as the U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) surged to 3.3% year-on-year in July, the highest level since February, significantly exceeding the expected 2.5% [1] - The PPI also increased by 0.9% month-on-month, marking the largest rise since June 2022 [1] - San Francisco Fed President Daly opposed a significant 50 basis point cut in the September meeting, while Chicago Fed President Goolsbee urged caution in rate cuts until inflation is controlled [1] Group 3 - Initial jobless claims in the U.S. decreased by 3,000 to 224,000, remaining below expectations and at the lowest level since November 2021 [1] - The previous week's continuing claims fell to 1.953 million, slightly below expectations but still hovering at high levels since 2021 [1]

Report Summary 1) Report Industry Investment Rating No investment rating information is provided in the report. 2) Core View of the Report The LME lead inventory has decreased, providing support for lead prices [1]. 3) Summary by Relevant Catalogs Fundamental Tracking - **Price**: The closing price of SHFE lead main contract was 16,775 yuan/ton, down 0.45%; the closing price of LME lead 3M electronic disk was 1,981 dollars/ton, also down 0.45% [1]. - **Volume**: The trading volume of SHFE lead main contract was 30,595 lots, a decrease of 2,006 lots; the trading volume of LME lead was 3,833 lots, a decrease of 1,426 lots [1]. - **Open Interest**: The open interest of SHFE lead main contract was 49,496 lots, a decrease of 1,711 lots; the open interest of LME lead was 159,114 lots, a decrease of 522 lots [1]. - **Premium and Discount**: The premium of Shanghai 1 lead was -25 yuan/ton, unchanged; the LME CASH - 3M premium was -43.24 dollars/ton, a decrease of 2.37 dollars/ton [1]. - **Inventory**: SHFE lead futures inventory was 62,225 tons, an increase of 441 tons; LME lead inventory was 260,475 tons, a decrease of 625 tons [1]. - **Scrap Battery and Refined Lead**: The price of scrap electric vehicle batteries was 10,175 yuan/ton, unchanged; the price of recycled refined lead was 16,675 yuan/ton, a decrease of 50 yuan/ton [1]. - **Profit and Loss**: The spot import profit and loss of lead ingots was -486.03 yuan/ton, an increase of 48.91 yuan/ton; the SHFE lead continuous third - month import profit and loss was -536.75 yuan/ton, a decrease of 11.92 yuan/ton [1]. News - The US PPI in July increased by 0.9% month - on - month, the highest monthly growth rate in three years, far exceeding the Wall Street expectation of 0.2%, indicating that enterprises are passing on the rising import costs related to tariffs [1]. - Trump told Zelensky that if everything goes well, a tri - lateral meeting between the US, Russia, and Ukraine will be held [1]. Lead Trend Intensity The lead trend intensity is 0, indicating a neutral view, with the value ranging from - 2 (most bearish) to 2 (most bullish) [1].

Group 1 - The Trump administration has announced an expansion of the 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, which will include hundreds of derivative products, effective August 18 [1] - The U.S. Department of Commerce has added 407 product codes to the tariff list due to their steel and aluminum content, with specific tariffs applicable to non-steel and aluminum components [1] - The tariffs on steel and aluminum are the highest since the 1930s, leading to increased production costs for manufacturers and potentially higher prices for consumers [2] Group 2 - U.S. Aluminum Company reported a $20 million increase in production costs in Q1 due to tariff policies, and a $115 million increase in Q2 as a result of tariffs on Canadian products [2] - Approximately 70% of aluminum produced by the U.S. Aluminum Company in Canada is sold to the U.S., where customers are now paying higher prices than in other global markets [2] - The Producer Price Index (PPI) for July rose by 0.9%, significantly higher than June's zero growth, indicating rising cost pressures for U.S. businesses [4] Group 3 - President Trump announced plans to impose semiconductor tariffs, potentially reaching up to 300%, within two weeks [3] - The PPI increase was primarily driven by the service sector, with a notable 1.1% rise in service producer prices, the largest since March 2022 [4] - Core PPI, excluding food and energy, also saw a 0.9% month-over-month increase, with a year-over-year rise of 3.7%, indicating persistent inflationary pressures [4]