Core Insights - The report maintains a bullish outlook on the banking sector, with a strong market rating, driven by dividend yields and ROE recovery [1][2][3] - The banking sector saw a 13.1% increase in the first half of 2025, ranking second among major industries, indicating both absolute and relative returns [3][6] - The report emphasizes the increasing demand for bank stocks from various institutional investors, including insurance funds and public funds, which is expected to continue driving inflows [3][16][24] Market Review - In the first half of 2025, the banking sector's performance was led by shareholding banks, which rose by 17.4%, while state-owned banks lagged with a 5.9% increase [6][10] - The top-performing stocks included浦发银行 (Shanghai Pudong Development Bank), 青岛银行 (Qingdao Bank), and 兴业银行 (Industrial Bank), reflecting strong market interest in these institutions [10][25] Fundamental Outlook - The report forecasts a gradual recovery in the banking sector's ROE, with expectations of a bottoming out and subsequent improvement as negative factors dissipate [3][31] - The median dividend yield for A-share listed banks is around 4%, which remains attractive compared to risk-free rates, suggesting further potential for yield compression [31][36] - The report anticipates that the net interest margin (NIM) will stabilize in 2026, following a period of decline, as banks manage their funding costs more effectively [36][42] Subsector Ranking - The report ranks the banking subsectors as follows: shareholding banks > city commercial banks = state-owned banks > rural commercial banks, highlighting the relative strength of shareholding banks due to their financial health and valuation recovery potential [3][74][76] - Specific recommendations include关注兴业银行 (Industrial Bank), 中信银行 (CITIC Bank), and 浦发银行 (Shanghai Pudong Development Bank) within the shareholding bank category [3][76] Asset Quality - The report notes that the asset quality of listed banks is stabilizing, with many banks showing improvements in non-performing loan ratios as of Q1 2025 [50][56] - The overall credit cost for banks is expected to decline, contributing positively to profitability [65][70]