Economic Indicators - July manufacturing PMI recorded at 49.3%, down from 49.7% in June, indicating a significant contraction and falling below market expectations of 49.6%[2] - Non-manufacturing PMI decreased to 50.1% from 50.5%, while the composite PMI output index fell to 50.2%[2] Demand and Supply Dynamics - New orders fell below the expansion threshold, with new export orders declining by 0.6 percentage points, marking a four-month low[5] - The production index showed a notable decline but remained in the expansion zone, indicating ongoing production activity despite weakening demand[3] Price and Cost Pressures - Major raw material purchase prices surged, leading to a significant increase in factory prices, although the increase in factory prices lagged behind raw material costs, creating a record price gap for the year[7] - The supply chain faced pressures as the supplier delivery time index slightly increased, indicating stable logistics efficiency amidst rising costs[3] Inventory and Procurement Trends - Finished goods inventory saw a substantial decrease, reflecting a shift from passive to active inventory reduction strategies by companies due to high costs and weak demand[8] - Procurement volumes dropped significantly, entering a contraction phase as companies adjusted their purchasing strategies in response to declining orders[5] Sector Performance - Equipment manufacturing PMI fell to 50.3%, while consumer goods PMI dropped to 49.5%, indicating a contraction in consumer demand[4] - Large enterprises experienced a decline in PMI, while medium-sized enterprises showed a slight recovery, highlighting a growing disparity among different business sizes[4] Future Outlook - The July PMI data reversed the optimistic expectations from June, indicating a retreat in demand, inventory cycles, and industry dynamics[10] - The bond market is expected to reflect these economic realities, with the ten-year government bond yield showing an upward trend despite the contraction in manufacturing PMI[12]

Summary of Key Points Core Viewpoint - The commodity market in the first half of 2025 is significantly driven by macroeconomic factors, reflecting weak demand from China and the U.S., as well as changes in overseas policies and geopolitical situations. The second half of the year will continue to focus on economic and policy trends, with domestic "anti-involution" movements influencing market perceptions of capacity adjustments and commodity value reassessment [3][6]. Group 1: Market Overview - In the first half of 2025, the commodity market experienced notable macro-driven changes, with geopolitical tensions pushing precious metals to new highs while domestic supply conditions pressured many commodities to near historical lows [6][20]. - The market can be divided into three phases: pre-February with concerns over U.S. policy uncertainty, March to mid-May with rising commodity risk sentiment, and post-mid-May following the Geneva agreement between China and the U.S. that led to a rebound in previously low-priced commodities [8][9][10]. - The market's basic reflection of policy environments and past economic changes indicates that spot prices for some assets are relatively effective, but intuitive trading based on insufficient analysis poses risks [3][19]. Group 2: U.S.-China Economic Cycle - The economic conditions of China and the U.S. significantly influence commodity pricing, with both countries experiencing a phase of weak demand, leading to overall market pressure [28][30]. - The cyclical relationship between China and the U.S. suggests that while there are opportunities for commodity rebounds, the overall adjustment cycle has not yet concluded [27][28]. - The "anti-involution" policies in China are interpreted as a direction to help industries escape competitive dilemmas, leading to a potential revaluation of commodity prices [26][43]. Group 3: Potential Trading Logic - Energy prices are sensitive to supply expectations, with OPEC+ decisions impacting market trends. The recent increase in production by OPEC+ has created a bearish trend, while U.S. policy shocks have further depressed prices [53][55]. - In the non-ferrous metals sector, U.S. trade policies, particularly regarding copper, are crucial for pricing dynamics, with inventory shifts affecting market conditions [60][61]. - The renewable energy sector is undergoing adjustments due to low-price competition, necessitating industry self-discipline and policy regulation to restore balance [66][70]. Group 4: Agricultural Commodities - Weather conditions and trade flows are critical for agricultural commodities, with the summer season being pivotal for crop growth. Predictions indicate that extreme weather may not significantly impact yields this year [71][74]. - Changes in trade policies are likely to alter pricing logic, with potential shifts in trade flows affecting domestic pricing strategies for agricultural products [77].

Overall Inventory Cycle - In April, the total inventory in the U.S. increased by 3.37% year-on-year, compared to a previous value of 3.43%[1] - The total sales in April rose by 3.74% year-on-year, down from 4.04% previously[1] - The data indicates a preliminary shift towards active destocking in the U.S. inventory cycle[1] Industry Inventory Cycle - Among 14 major industries in April, 10 were in passive restocking, including construction materials, metals, and consumer goods[12] - The historical percentile for overall inventory in April was 39.2%, with chemical products at 85.7% and construction materials at 83.2%[12] - Oil and chemical sectors are likely transitioning to active destocking, while construction and metal inventories remain high[12] Future Outlook - Despite uncertainties regarding tariffs, the U.S. inventory cycle is expected to lean towards active destocking in Q2 due to previous overstocking[1] - The "panic import" demand has extended the passive restocking cycle for downstream industries[14] - Active destocking is anticipated for automotive and automotive parts as of December 2024, with a continued trend into April 2025[14]

Profit Trends - In May, the profit growth rate of industrial enterprises fell to -9.1%, a decrease of 12.1 percentage points from April[3] - Cumulative profit growth from January to May was -1.1%, down from 3.2% in the previous four months[4] - The profit margin for May was 5.3%, slightly down from April, indicating a significant year-on-year decline due to high profit margins last year[5] Industry Performance - The share of profits from midstream industries dropped from 54% to 49%, reflecting weaker demand compared to upstream and downstream sectors[6] - Upstream industries faced profit declines primarily due to falling prices and volumes, while midstream sectors, particularly export-oriented ones, struggled to pass costs downstream[10] - Specific sectors like specialized equipment and electrical machinery saw profit growth rates drop by over 20 percentage points due to changing export dynamics[10] Economic Outlook - Active inventory reduction has continued for two months, with finished goods inventory growth at 3.5%[16] - Future profit recovery for enterprises will depend on the effectiveness of domestic demand policies amid ongoing external uncertainties[16] - The report anticipates that proactive policies will support domestic demand improvement, aiding in profit recovery for businesses[3]

Overall Inventory Cycle - In March 2025, the total inventory in the U.S. increased by 3.47% year-on-year, compared to a previous value of 2.54%[1] - Sales in March 2025 rose by 4.05% year-on-year, up from 3.21% previously[1] - The U.S. was expected to enter an active destocking phase by late 2024, but tariff expectations led to a surge in imports, particularly in industrial and consumer goods, exceeding seasonal norms and potentially overextending future demand[1] Industry Inventory Cycle - As of March 2025, 10 out of 14 major industries were in a passive restocking phase, including chemicals, building materials, and metals[19] - The historical percentile for overall inventory growth in March was 40.8%, with chemicals at 87.1%, building materials at 68.9%, and automotive parts at 55.1%, indicating high inventory levels relative to historical data[19] - The oil and gas sector has been in an active destocking phase since March 2025, while other sectors remain in passive restocking[20] - The transportation sector is currently in an active destocking phase, while machinery manufacturing is in a passive destocking phase[21] - Consumer goods, including durable goods and textiles, are also in a passive restocking phase as of March 2025[22]

Core Viewpoint - The overall inventory cycle in the U.S. is likely transitioning towards an active destocking phase by 2025, with significant implications for various industries [1][2][3]. Overall Inventory Cycle - In February, U.S. total inventory increased by 2.45% year-on-year, compared to a previous value of 2.25%. Sales increased by 3.45% year-on-year, down from 3.69% [2][3]. - The inventory cycle remains in a passive restocking phase due to "import grabbing," with Q1 net imports increasing by $359.26 billion year-on-year, of which over one-third ($129.71 billion) converted into inventory [2][3]. Industry Inventory Cycle - Among 14 major industry categories, 8 are in a passive restocking phase, including upstream chemical products, building materials, midstream electrical equipment, and downstream durable consumer goods [4]. - Historical inventory percentiles show that total inventory is at a historical percentile of 30.5%, with building materials at 71.5%, automotive parts at 67.8%, and paper and forestry products at 53.8% [4]. Upstream Inventory Status - Half of the upstream industries are in passive restocking, while the other half are in active destocking [5][6][7][8]. - Specific sectors like oil, natural gas, and consumer fuels are in active destocking as of February 2025 [5]. Midstream Inventory Status - Inventory status is mixed, with paper and forestry products in active restocking, while electrical equipment and transportation are in passive restocking [9][10]. - Mechanical manufacturing is currently in passive destocking [9]. Downstream Inventory Status - The current passive restocking phase is prolonged, indicating potential "import grabbing" demand [11]. - Automotive parts are transitioning to active destocking as of February 2025, while other sectors like household durable goods and textiles remain in passive restocking [11].

Core Viewpoint - The April PMI data reflects the impact of tariff shocks, indicating that the previous "export rush" has come to an end, with significant declines in both manufacturing PMI and new export orders, surpassing the declines seen in 2018 [1] Dimension 1: Direct Impact - The new export orders index for April PMI dropped by 4.3 percentage points to 44.7%, marking a decline much steeper than the -2.7 percentage points seen during the lowest growth rates between 2018-2019 [5] - High-frequency data also shows a clear decline in export container freight rates to regions such as the U.S. West Coast, East Coast, and South America in April, signaling the end of the "export rush" [5] Dimension 2: Indirect Impact - The PMI new orders index, representing domestic demand, fell to 49.2% (down 2.6 percentage points), while the PMI production index dropped to 49.8% (down 2.8 percentage points), both falling below the growth threshold and contributing to the overall decline in manufacturing PMI [11] Dimension 3: Corporate Behavior Impact - As demand weakens, companies are more inclined to reduce prices to clear inventory, with the PMI finished goods inventory index decreasing by 0.7 percentage points to 47.3% and the PMI production expectations index falling by 1.7 percentage points [13] - The PMI ex-factory price index also declined by 3.1 percentage points to 44.8%, indicating ongoing downward pressure on inflation [13] Dimension 4: Employment and Expectations Impact - The negative impact of U.S. tariffs on the PMI employment index and production expectations index may be more significant and longer-lasting than the direct effects on exports [16] - The PMI employment index fell by 0.3 percentage points to 47.9%, aligning with the political bureau's emphasis on "stabilizing employment," "stabilizing enterprises," and "stabilizing expectations" [16] Dimension 5: Impact by Enterprise Type - In April, the PMIs for large, medium, and small enterprises were 49.2%, 48.8%, and 48.7% respectively, with declines of 2.0 percentage points, 1.1 percentage points, and 0.9 percentage points, indicating a downturn in business sentiment across all sizes, particularly among small enterprises [17] Non-Manufacturing Sector - The non-manufacturing sector also experienced a decline, with the construction PMI at 51.9% (down 1.5 percentage points) and the services PMI at 50.1% (down 0.2 percentage points), both at historically low levels [20] Policy Implications - The tariff shocks reflected in the PMI data suggest that policy measures may need to prioritize "stabilizing livelihoods" over "total countermeasures," with a focus on targeted structural policies for affected enterprises expected to be accelerated [22]