Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Positive" outlook for the banking sector as of Q4 2025 [5][21]. Core Viewpoints - The report highlights that the growth of social financing remains under pressure, with a year-on-year increase of 8.5% in October 2025, which is a decrease of 0.2 percentage points compared to August [8][9]. - Credit growth is weak, with a notable reliance on bill financing to compensate for the decline in traditional loans [13][14]. - The report suggests that the banking sector is expected to show relative strength due to stabilizing interest margins and positive fundamental changes [21][22]. Summary by Sections Social Financing and Credit - In October 2025, social financing increased by 8.5% year-on-year, with a total increment of 815 billion yuan, which is 597 billion yuan less than the previous year [9][10]. - The total amount of RMB loans decreased by 201 million yuan, with a year-on-year decline of 3.166 billion yuan, indicating a seasonal dip in credit [8][9]. - Government bond issuance saw a year-on-year decrease of 560.2 billion yuan, further weakening the support for social financing [10][11]. - Direct corporate financing increased by 189.4 billion yuan, with bond financing up by 148.2 billion yuan and stock financing up by 41.2 billion yuan [10][11]. Loan Structure - Total RMB loans grew by 6.5% year-on-year, with new loans amounting to 220 billion yuan, which is 280 billion yuan less than the previous year [13][14]. - Household loans saw a significant decline, with short-term and medium-to-long-term loans both under pressure, leading to a year-on-year decrease of 5.156 billion yuan [13][14]. - Corporate loans primarily relied on bill discounting, which increased by 331.2 billion yuan year-on-year, while general loans saw a notable decrease [14][15]. Monetary Supply - M1 and M2 growth rates showed marginal declines, with M1 growing by 6.2% and M2 by 8.2% year-on-year [18][19]. - In October 2025, new RMB deposits totaled 610 billion yuan, with a year-on-year increase of 100 billion yuan, despite a significant drop in household deposits [18][20]. - Non-bank deposits increased significantly, indicating a shift away from traditional household savings [18][20]. Investment Recommendations - The report recommends focusing on high-quality small and medium-sized banks, with specific buy ratings for Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank, Ningbo Bank, Nanjing Bank, and Hangzhou Bank [21][22]. - It also suggests considering state-owned banks with stable fundamentals, such as Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and Agricultural Bank of China, which are currently unrated [21][22].

Economic Indicators - The weekly ECI supply index is at 50.03%, down 0.02 percentage points from last week, while the demand index remains stable at 49.90%[6] - The monthly ECI supply index decreased by 0.04 percentage points from August, while the demand index increased by 0.01 percentage points[7] - The ECI investment index is at 49.90%, unchanged from last week, and the consumption index is at 49.71%, down 0.02 percentage points[6] Loan and Financing Trends - The ELI index is at -0.68%, up 0.01 percentage points from last week, indicating a potential decrease in new loans for August[11] - New loans in August are expected to be between 800 billion and 850 billion CNY, a year-on-year decrease of 100 billion to 50 billion CNY[15] - Government bond financing in August is projected at 1.33 trillion CNY, down 510 billion CNY year-on-year[15] Real Estate Market - As of September 6, the transaction area of commercial housing in 30 major cities has turned positive year-on-year, indicating a potential recovery in real estate sales[7] - Recent policy adjustments in major cities like Shenzhen, Beijing, and Shanghai aim to ease purchase restrictions, which may stabilize the real estate market[7] Industrial Production and Consumption - The operating rate for automotive tires has decreased, with full steel tires at 59.78%, down 4.06 percentage points from last week[16] - The average wholesale price of pork is 19.91 CNY/kg, down 0.05 CNY/kg from last week, while the price of key monitored vegetables is 5.08 CNY/kg, up 0.17 CNY/kg[40] Export and Shipping - The Shanghai export container freight index is at 1444.44 points, down 0.62 points from last week, indicating a slight decline in export shipping costs[34] - South Korea's export growth rate for August is 1.30%, down 4.60 percentage points from July, reflecting a slowdown in export performance[34]