Report Industry Investment Rating No information provided in the report. Core Viewpoints of the Report - Last week, the price of the main contract of domestic natural rubber futures fluctuated upward with a relatively large increase. Looking ahead, from a macro perspective, the data released last week showed that the US CPI increased year-on-year in June, the PPI was flat month-on-month, and the number of initial jobless claims decreased for the fifth consecutive week, increasing market expectations for a Fed rate cut in September. China's GDP grew by 5.3% year-on-year in the first half of the year. Fundamentally, on the supply side, recent weather disturbances in major producing areas have led to a shortage of raw material supply, supporting rubber prices, but there is still a strong expectation of increased supply. Imports increased year-on-year in June. On the demand side, the operating rates of tire enterprises rebounded last week, and finished product inventories remained at a historical high. In the terminal automobile market, automobile production and sales and heavy truck sales improved in June, and continuous consumption stimulus policies in China boosted demand. China's tire exports increased slightly year-on-year in the first half of the year. In terms of inventory, the inventory of the Shanghai Futures Exchange continued to decline slightly last week; China's natural rubber social inventory and the total inventory in Qingdao both increased slightly. In summary, weather disturbances in major producing areas support raw material prices to remain firm, terminal demand has improved, China's macro sentiment is positive, and the commodity market atmosphere has warmed up, driving the rubber market to continue to strengthen. It is expected that the market may maintain a slightly stronger oscillatory trend in the short term [8][85]. Summary by Relevant Catalogs Price Analysis - **Futures Price**: Last week, the price of the main contract of natural rubber, RU2509, fluctuated between 14,225 - 14,980 yuan/ton, with a relatively large overall increase. As of the close on the afternoon of July 18, 2025, the main contract of natural rubber, RU2509, closed at 14,810 yuan/ton, rising 450 points for the week, a 3.13% increase [6][15]. - **Spot Price**: As of July 18, 2025, the spot price of Yunnan state-owned whole latex (SCRWF) was 14,800 yuan/ton, up 450 yuan/ton from the previous week; the spot price of Thai three smoked sheets (RSS3) was 19,800 yuan/ton, up 300 yuan/ton from the previous week; the spot price of Vietnamese 3L (SVR3L) was 14,750 yuan/ton, up 150 yuan/ton from the previous week. The arrival price of natural rubber in Qingdao was 2,290 US dollars/ton, up 10 US dollars/ton from the previous week [20][22]. - **Basis and Spread**: Taking the spot quotation of Shanghai Yunnan state-owned whole latex (SCRWF) as the spot reference price and the futures price of the main contract of natural rubber as the futures reference price, the basis between the two was flat compared with the previous week. As of July 18, 2025, the basis remained at -10 yuan/ton, the same as the previous week. The domestic and foreign prices of natural rubber both increased significantly compared with the previous week [26][29]. Important Market Information - **US Economic Data**: The number of initial jobless claims in the US decreased by 7,000 to 221,000 last week, dropping to the lowest level since mid - April, indicating the resilience of the job market. The US CPI increased by 2.7% year-on-year in June, the highest since February. The core CPI increased by 2.9% year-on-year and 0.2% month-on-month, both lower than market expectations. After the data was released, traders predicted that the Fed would start cutting interest rates in September, with a cumulative nearly two - time rate cut by the end of the year. The US PPI was flat month-on-month in June, and the core PPI was also flat, with the smallest year - on - year increase since the end of 2023. The preliminary value of the University of Michigan Consumer Confidence Index in the US in July was 61.8, a five - month high, and the 5 - year inflation expectation was at a five - month low. The Fed's "Beige Book" showed that economic activity increased slightly from late May to early July, but uncertainty remained high [30][31]. - **China's Economic Data**: Foreign institutions collectively raised their GDP growth forecasts for China in 2025. China's GDP in the first half of the year was 66.05 trillion yuan, a 5.3% year - on - year increase. The added value of industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 6.8% year-on-year in June, and social consumer goods retail总额 increased by 4.8%. In the first half of the year, China's total social financing scale increased by 22.83 trillion yuan, and RMB loans increased by 12.92 trillion yuan. China's total goods trade import and export value in the first half of the year was 21.79 trillion yuan, a record high for the same period, with exports increasing by 7.2% and imports increasing by 2.3%. The prices of new and second - hand houses in 70 large and medium - sized cities decreased month - on - month in June, but the year - on - year decline continued to narrow. From July 1 - 13, the retail sales of the national passenger car market increased by 7% year-on-year, and the retail sales of the new energy passenger car market increased by 26% year-on-year. In June, China's automobile production and sales increased by 11.4% and 13.8% year-on-year respectively, and heavy truck sales increased by about 29% year-on-year [32][33][34]. Supply - Side Situation - **Natural Rubber Production**: As of May 31, 2025, the production in Thailand's main producing area increased significantly compared with the previous month, and the production in China's and Vietnam's main producing areas increased significantly. The production in Indonesia, Malaysia, and India increased slightly compared with the previous month. The total production of major natural rubber producing countries in May 2025 was 722,700 tons, a 43.05% increase from the previous month [40]. - **Synthetic Rubber Production**: As of June 30, 2025, China's monthly synthetic rubber production was 703,000 tons, a 3.7% year - on - year increase, and the cumulative production was 4.231 million tons, a 5.4% year - on - year increase [44][48]. - **Import of New Pneumatic Rubber Tires**: As of June 30, 2025, China's import of new pneumatic rubber tires was 9,400 tons, a 3.3% month - on - month increase [52]. Demand - Side Situation - **Tire Enterprise Operating Rates**: As of July 17, 2025, the operating rate of semi - steel tire enterprises was 75.99%, up 3.07% from the previous week, and the operating rate of all - steel tire enterprises was 65.1%, up 0.54% from the previous week [54]. - **Automobile Production and Sales**: As of June 30, 2025, China's monthly automobile production was 2.7941 million vehicles, a 11.43% year - on - year increase and a 5.5% month - on - month increase; monthly sales were 2.9045 million vehicles, a 13.83% year - on - year increase and an 8.12% month - on - month increase. The monthly sales of heavy trucks were 97,864 vehicles, a 37.14% year - on - year increase and a 10.25% month - on - month increase [57][60][66]. - **Tire Production and Export**: As of June 30, 2025, China's monthly tire outer - tube production was 102.749 million pieces, a 1.1% year - on - year decrease. The export volume of new pneumatic rubber tires was 60.31 million pieces, a 2.44% month - on - month decrease [69][74]. Inventory - Side Situation - As of July 18, 2025, the natural rubber futures inventory on the Shanghai Futures Exchange was 186,640 tons, a decrease of 2,050 tons from the previous week. As of July 13, 2025, China's natural rubber social inventory was 1.295 million tons, a 0.14% increase. The total inventory of dark - colored rubber in China was 797,000 tons, a 0.8% increase; the total inventory of light - colored rubber was 498,000 tons, a 0.9% decrease. The total inventory of natural rubber in the bonded and general trade in Qingdao was 636,400 tons, a 0.63% increase [83]. Fundamental Analysis - **Supply**: Currently, the global natural rubber supply has entered an increasing period. Recently, major domestic and foreign producing areas have been affected by weather, with firm raw material prices. There are also expectations of production cuts in Hainan and the Leizhou Peninsula in China due to typhoon threats, boosting rubber prices. However, there is still a strong expectation of increased supply. In June 2025, China's total imports of natural and synthetic rubber were 599,000 tons, a 27.2% increase from the same period in 2024 [84]. - **Demand**: Last week, the operating rates of tire enterprises rebounded, and downstream buyers mainly waited and watched while making appropriate replenishments. The finished product inventory of semi - steel tires remained at a historical high. In the terminal automobile market, China's automobile production and sales in June were 2.794 million and 2.904 million vehicles respectively, a 11.4% and 13.8% year - on - year increase. Heavy truck sales increased by 10.25% month - on - month and 37.14% year - on - year in June. China's rubber tire exports in the first half of 2025 were 4.71 million tons, a 4.5% year - on - year increase. Consumption stimulus policies have been continuously introduced in various regions of China [84]. - **Inventory**: Last week, the inventory on the Shanghai Futures Exchange continued to decline slightly, while China's natural rubber social inventory and the total inventory in Qingdao both increased slightly [84]. 后市展望 - The price of the main contract of domestic natural rubber futures fluctuated upward last week with a relatively large increase. Looking ahead, due to weather disturbances in major producing areas supporting raw material prices, improved terminal demand, positive domestic macro sentiment, and a warming commodity market atmosphere, the rubber market is expected to maintain a slightly stronger oscillatory trend in the short term. Key factors to focus on in the future include changes in China's macro sentiment, weather disturbances in major rubber producing areas, changes in terminal demand, the progress of zero - tariff policies, the latest progress of EU anti - dumping investigations, and changes in Sino - US tariffs [85]. Operation Strategy - It is expected that the main contract of natural rubber futures will fluctuate with a slightly stronger trend in the short term. Attention should be paid to the resistance around 15,000 yuan/ton. In operation, it is recommended to maintain an oscillatory and bullish mindset [9][86].