Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Positive" investment rating for the oil and petrochemical industry [1] Core Insights - Domestic LNG ex-factory prices have decreased month-on-month, with a notable drop in natural gas production in China for July [3][8] - As of August 8, 2025, the domestic LNG ex-factory price was 4220.00 CNY per ton, down by 205 CNY per ton, a decrease of 4.63% [1][8] - The report highlights significant changes in natural gas inventory levels in the US and Europe, with US LNG/LPG inventory increasing and European natural gas inventory showing a month-on-month rise [3][17][22] Summary by Sections 1. Natural Gas Prices - Domestic LNG ex-factory prices have decreased month-on-month and year-on-year, with a current price of 4220.00 CNY per ton, reflecting a month-on-month decrease of 4.63% and a year-on-year decrease of 14.38% [8] - US NYMEX natural gas futures closed at 3.00 USD per million BTU, down 6.55% month-on-month but up 39.15% year-on-year [8][11] 2. Supply and Demand - China's natural gas production in July was 537720.00 tons, showing a month-on-month decrease of 10.89% [16] - The apparent consumption of natural gas in China for June was 348.89 billion cubic meters, reflecting a month-on-month decrease of 1.33% but a year-on-year increase of 3.33% [16] 3. Inventory - As of August 8, 2025, US LNG/LPG inventory was 190026 thousand barrels, with a month-on-month increase of 6.13% [17] - European natural gas inventory reached 809.07 billion kWh, showing a month-on-month increase of 15.90% but a year-on-year decrease of 18.20% [22] 4. Imports and Exports - In June, Europe’s cumulative natural gas imports were 175158.71 million cubic meters, reflecting a month-on-month decrease of 0.23% but a year-on-year increase of 13.81% [24] - China's natural gas imports in July were 1063.18 million tons, with a month-on-month increase of 0.82% but a year-on-year decrease of 2.09% [29]

Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Accumulate" rating for the gas industry, specifically recommending New World Energy for its stable profits and high dividend yield [1]. Core Insights - The report highlights the upward trend in European gas prices due to ongoing storage developments, while high temperatures have led to a decline in U.S. gas prices. Domestic gas prices are showing weak performance [5][10]. - The supply-demand analysis indicates that U.S. natural gas prices decreased by 3.5% week-on-week, with total supply down by 0.7% and total demand up by 0.8% as of July 9, 2025. In Europe, gas prices increased by 4.6% week-on-week, with a total consumption of 192 billion cubic meters in the first four months of 2025, up 7.4% year-on-year [5][17][19]. - The report emphasizes the importance of the recent reduction in U.S. LNG import tariffs from 140% to 25%, which enhances the economic viability of U.S. gas imports [45][51]. Price Tracking - As of July 11, 2025, the week-on-week price changes for various gas prices are as follows: U.S. HH gas price decreased by 3.5%, European TTF increased by 4.6%, and domestic LNG prices increased by 1.1% [10][15]. - The average total supply of natural gas in the U.S. was 1,125 billion cubic feet per day, with a year-on-year increase of 3.4% [17]. Supply and Demand Analysis - The report notes that the average total demand for natural gas in the U.S. increased by 2% year-on-year, with residential and commercial consumption rising by 2.3% week-on-week [17]. - In Europe, the gas supply decreased by 6% week-on-week, with significant contributions from inventory consumption and LNG receiving stations [19]. Investment Recommendations - The report recommends focusing on companies with stable profit structures and high dividend yields, such as New World Energy (2025 dividend yield of 5.3%), China Gas (2025 dividend yield of 6.4%), and Blue Sky Gas (TTM dividend yield of 8.9%) [51][52]. - It suggests monitoring companies with quality long-term contracts and cost advantages, such as New World Holdings and Jiufeng Energy [52]. Important Events - The report mentions that the European Parliament and EU member states have agreed to provide greater flexibility regarding gas storage targets, allowing for a deviation of 10 percentage points from the 90% storage target [50].