Report Summary 1. Report Industry Investment Rating - Not provided in the given content 2. Core Viewpoint - Mid - stream construction starts have slightly increased. Upstream energy prices show a mixed trend with a slight decline in international crude oil and rising prices of certain non - ferrous metals. Mid - stream chemical and energy sectors see positive indicators, and downstream real estate and service industries show signs of recovery [1][3][4] 3. Summary by Related Catalogs A. Mid - stream and Upstream Industry Events - **Production Industry** - On January 8, Sinopec Group and China National Aviation Fuel Group were approved to restructure, which is expected to enhance the resilience of the aviation kerosene industry chain and improve competitiveness [1] - Four government departments held a symposium on the power and energy - storage battery industry to regulate competition order due to issues like blind construction and low - price competition [1] - **Service Industry** - OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health on January 8, indicating a large demand in the medical and health market as over 230 million people globally ask health - related questions weekly [2] B. Industry Overview - **Upstream** - **Energy**: International crude oil prices have slightly declined [3] - **Non - ferrous Metals**: Aluminum and nickel prices are rising [3] - **Mid - stream** - **Chemical**: PX and urea operating rates are at high levels [4] - **Energy**: Coal consumption of power plants has increased [4] - **Infrastructure**: Road asphalt construction starts are at a high level compared to the same period [4] - **Downstream** - **Real Estate**: The sales of commercial housing in first - and second - tier cities have increased [4] - **Service**: The number of domestic flights has increased [4] C. Key Industry Price Indicators | Industry | Indicator | Price (as of 1/8) | YoY Change | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Agriculture | Corn (spot price) | 2248.6 yuan/ton | 0.00% | | | Eggs (spot price) | 6.7 yuan/kg | 3.89% | | | Palm oil (spot price) | 8600.0 yuan/ton | 1.42% | | | Cotton (spot price) | 15995.0 yuan/ton | 2.51% | | | Pork (average wholesale price) | 17.9 yuan/kg | 0.73% | | | Copper (spot price) | 102418.3 yuan/ton | 4.86% | | | Zinc (spot price) | 24158.0 yuan/ton | 3.79% | | Non - ferrous Metals | Aluminum (spot price) | 24031.7 yuan/ton | 8.28% | | | Nickel (spot price) | 149350.0 yuan/ton | 8.43% | | | Aluminum (spot price) | 17400.0 yuan/ton | 1.05% | | Ferrous Metals | Rebar (spot price) | 3255.0 yuan/ton | 0.55% | | | Iron ore (spot price) | 834.4 yuan/ton | 1.24% | | | Wire rod (spot price) | 3500.0 yuan/ton | 0.07% | | | Glass (spot price) | 12.8 yuan/sq.m | 0.63% | | Non - Metals | Natural rubber (spot price) | 15850.0 yuan/ton | 1.77% | | | China Plastics City Price Index | 756.3 | 0.48% | | Energy | WTI crude oil (spot price) | 56.0 dollars/barrel | - 3.38% | | | Brent crude oil (spot price) | 60.0 dollars/barrel | - 2.23% | | | Liquefied natural gas (spot price) | 3256.0 yuan/ton | - 1.39% | | | Coal price | 796.0 yuan/ton | - 0.25% | | | PTA (spot price) | 5089.3 yuan/ton | 0.13% | | Chemical | Polyethylene (spot price) | 6573.3 yuan/ton | 2.47% | | | Urea (spot price) | 1730.0 yuan/ton | 0.29% | | | Soda ash (spot price) | 1218.6 yuan/ton | - 0.58% | | | National cement price index | 135.6 | - 0.04% | | Real Estate | Building materials composite index | 116.3 points | 0.63% | | | National concrete price index | 90.4 points | 0.00% | [39]

Core Viewpoint - The lithium carbonate prices are surging, reaching nearly 150,000 yuan per ton, driven by tightening supply expectations and industry dynamics [1][6]. Industry Developments - A meeting held on January 7 by multiple government agencies highlighted the rapid development of China's power and energy storage battery industry, which has gained a competitive edge globally [1][5]. - The meeting also pointed out issues such as irrational competition and blind construction within the industry, which disrupt market order and threaten sustainable development [1][5]. - Regulatory measures are being emphasized, including strengthening market supervision, enhancing product quality checks, and preventing overcapacity risks [1][5]. Market Dynamics - The chairman of Ganfeng Lithium indicated that if demand growth exceeds 30% to 40% in 2026, lithium carbonate prices could potentially exceed 150,000 yuan per ton, possibly reaching 200,000 yuan per ton due to supply constraints [6]. - Current market sentiment among dealers is cautious, with many adopting hedging strategies in the futures market, but the recent price spikes have led to increased margin requirements and potential risks of liquidation [7]. Impact on Electric Vehicles - The rising prices of lithium carbonate, a key raw material for power batteries, are expected to influence the costs of batteries and electric vehicles [7]. - Analysts suggest that in 2026, automakers are likely to prioritize maintaining market share through pricing strategies rather than passing all cost increases onto consumers, especially given ongoing government subsidy policies [8].