Core Insights - The continuous deepening of capital market reforms is leading to a decline in commission rates for public funds, posing challenges to traditional sell-side research models, prompting broker research departments to explore transformation opportunities [1] Group 1: Market Changes - Since the implementation of reduced trading commissions on July 1, 2024, the commission rate for public fund stock transactions has decreased from 0.073% in 2023 to 0.0515% in 2024, with a further decline expected to 0.0369% in the first half of 2025 [2] - In the first half of 2025, brokerage firms' commission income from public fund trading is projected to be 4.458 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year decrease of 25% [2] Group 2: External Expansion Strategies - To counteract the pressure from declining commissions, broker research departments are expanding their client base beyond public funds, targeting insurance asset management, private equity, QFII, and bank wealth management clients [2][3] - Insurance asset management institutions are highlighted as a key focus, with contributions to overall commission income reaching approximately 20% for broker research departments [2] Group 3: Internal Strategic Collaboration - Internally, broker research departments are enhancing their value creation by integrating research with investment and investment banking, aiming for efficient collaboration [4] - A dedicated industrial research team has been established to better serve local governments and other real industries, reflecting a broader trend among brokerages [4] Group 4: Professional Development - Analysts are encouraged to focus on in-depth research of industry supply chains and collaborate across sectors to provide more specialized services [5] - Institutional sales teams are urged to move beyond traditional roles and enhance their professional skills to better serve institutional clients [5] Group 5: Overall Strategy - The dual strategy of "internal and external expansion" is seen as a pathway to construct a diversified income structure and deepen professional capabilities, opening up broader development opportunities for sell-side research in the evolving market [5]