Investment Rating - The investment rating for the banking industry is "Outperform the Market" (maintained) [3][30]. Core Insights - The expansion of the deposit-loan gap (存差) reflects the natural mapping of the economic transformation phase, characterized by a decline in credit demand and increased fiscal efforts. This phenomenon has deeply impacted the profitability and balance of the banking sector. The core drivers of high credit growth over the past decade were industrialization and urbanization, but the natural decline in traditional credit demand is an inevitable result of the economy's shift from "investment-driven" to "consumption and innovation-driven" [4][7]. - The banking sector's response to the expanding deposit-loan gap is to enhance intermediary business development. Due to significant differences in resource endowments and customer structures between large and small banks, small banks should focus on wealth management, while large banks should enhance their comprehensive service capabilities to adapt to high-quality economic development [5][19]. Summary by Sections Industry Overview - The banking sector is currently experiencing a transition towards high-quality development, with fiscal policy becoming a key support for stabilizing growth and promoting transformation. The new landscape of "weak credit, strong fiscal" has led to a continuous expansion of the deposit-loan gap, which is projected to reach approximately 58 trillion yuan by 2025, up from about 40 trillion yuan in 2019 [4][7]. Impact of Deposit-Loan Gap - The trend of expanding deposit-loan gaps is not merely a signal of liquidity accumulation but has deeply penetrated the operational and systemic balance of the banking industry. This is primarily reflected in two aspects: low bond yields dragging down overall profitability and an imbalanced distribution of deposit-loan gaps between large and small banks, with small banks facing greater pressure [11][12]. Strategies for Addressing the Gap - The core strategy for large banks is to shift their business focus from the bank's balance sheet to the client's balance sheet, providing diversified and comprehensive services. This shift is essential for reducing reliance on credit and addressing the expanding deposit-loan gap. For small banks, the focus should be on wealth management to meet the strong demand for wealth preservation among their primary clientele, which consists of county residents and small enterprises [22][19]. Investment Recommendations - It is anticipated that the decline in net interest margins will significantly converge by 2026, marking the likely end of the current downtrend cycle. The fundamental stabilization of the banking sector is expected to drive a valuation premium for quality stocks. Long-term investment strategies should focus on nationwide banks with strong comprehensive capabilities and small banks with significant wealth management business potential. Recommended stocks include China Merchants Bank, CITIC Bank, Ningbo Bank, Changsha Bank, and Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank [6][24].