1. Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant information provided. 2. Core Views of the Report - The ferroalloy price in the third quarter was mainly affected by the coking coal price showing a volatile trend after a rapid increase. In the fourth quarter, the ferroalloy futures are expected to be volatile, with the price at the stage when the "anti - involution" was proposed at the beginning of July regarded as the policy bottom and the high price at the end of July as the resistance level. The downstream products like rebar are the core variables affecting the ferroalloy price, and coking coal affects its cost. Ferroalloy mainly follows their prices but with lower elasticity. Policy expectations will dominate the rhythm, the fundamentals of coking coal and ferroalloy will determine the direction and space, and market sentiment may amplify short - term fluctuations. If the ferroalloy production remains at a medium - high level, the supply - demand pressure will rise and the effectiveness of cost support may be challenged when the downstream enters the off - season or the peak season fails to meet expectations [1][4]. - The price range of the Si - Fe 2601 contract is predicted to be between 5300 - 6400, and that of the Si - Mn 2601 contract between 5500 - 6500. The supply - demand of ferroalloy is relatively loose but easily affected by the anti - involution policy. Buying when the price reaches the level at the beginning of July has a high cost - performance ratio and safety margin, i.e., around 5300 for the Si - Fe 2601 contract and around 5500 for the Si - Mn 2601 contract [1]. 3. Summary According to the Table of Contents 3.1 Chapter 2: Market Review - In the third quarter, the ferroalloy price was mainly affected by the coking coal price. In July, driven by macro - sentiment and the "anti - involution" policy expectation, coking coal rose rapidly, leading the rise of the entire black sector, and ferroalloy followed the price increase of coking coal and rebar. In August, due to the exchange's policy of restricting positions and raising handling fees for coking coal futures and the increase in production stimulated by the profit recovery of ferroalloy in July while the downstream demand was less than expected, the increase of ferroalloy gradually declined with a larger decline than the finished products. In September, supported by the steel mills' restocking of coke, ferroalloy rebounded slightly due to cost support (the increase in the prices of semi - coke and manganese ore), but the downstream consumption remained weak, and ferroalloy showed a narrow - range volatile trend [2]. - In 2025, the price of Si - Fe futures had a strong negative correlation with its total position. In most cases, the increase in price was accompanied by a decrease in position, and vice versa, which may be related to the participation of hedging funds. The price of Si - Mn futures had a strong positive correlation and a characteristic of periodic divergence with its total position, i.e., in most cases, the increase in position was accompanied by a price rebound, and vice versa, which may be related to the participation of speculative funds [2]. 3.2 Chapter 3: Core Focus Points 3.2.1 Anti - Involution Policy Expectation - In the third quarter, the main factors affecting the ferroalloy price were the anti - involution policy expectation and market sentiment. The anti - involution started in July, but it mainly affected the photovoltaic sector at first. After July 18, relevant policies gradually began to affect the black sector, especially coking coal, which had multiple daily limit up. Ferroalloy also rose rapidly under the drive of coking coal but with a smaller increase. On July 25, after the news that large manganese - based ferroalloy producers reached a consensus on a 30% reduction in ferromanganese and a 40% reduction in Si - Mn production was spread, ferroalloy hit the daily limit and reached the peak of this round of market [15]. - In the fourth quarter, the price fluctuation of ferroalloy futures will be dominated by policy expectations in terms of rhythm, and the fundamentals of coking coal and ferroalloy will determine the direction and space. Policies mainly affect the market by changing industry expectations, and market sentiment may amplify short - term fluctuations [15]. 3.2.2 Downstream Steel Mill Demand Rhythm Realization - In the first three quarters of this year, the hot metal production has been maintained at a high level, with only a short - term decline in late September due to the military parade and then returning to normal. The high - level hot metal production is mainly due to the strong export demand in the first half of the year. From January to August 2025, the net export of steel products was 73.54 million tons, a year - on - year increase of 11.29%, and the net export of billets was 8.65 million tons, a year - on - year increase of 975%. Another reason is the high profit of steel mills, which is supported by strong exports and the price reduction of coking coal and iron ore in the first half of the year. However, since the third quarter, the cost has rebounded, and the profit of steel mills has gradually declined, which poses a challenge to maintaining high - level hot metal production [16]. - In the fourth quarter, the "Golden September and Silver October" is the peak demand season in China, but the demand for the five major steel products has been weak, with the apparent consumption remaining at the lowest level in the same period in the past five years and the production also at a low level. Since August, the production of the five major steel products has been significantly higher than that of last year, but the apparent consumption has not increased synchronously and is still lower than that of last year, resulting in inventory accumulation instead of the seasonal inventory reduction in the peak season [16]. - In the fourth quarter, it is necessary to pay attention to the realization of the downstream steel mill demand rhythm. If the construction rush in the fourth quarter fails to meet expectations, the inventory accumulation of steel mills will suppress the price rebound space, and the off - season may come earlier. If the winter storage is postponed, the situation of "no peak season in the peak season and no off - season in the off - season" may occur, leading to a price rhythm contrary to expectations [17]. 3.2.3 Effectiveness of Cost Support - Since July, the raw material prices of the ferroalloy cost side have changed. The electricity price has been relatively stable, but the price of semi - coke has risen, increasing the production cost of Si - Fe by about 300 yuan/ton from the bottom and providing some support for the Si - Fe price. For Si - Mn, supported by the high operating rate of downstream factories, the manganese ore price has risen slightly, and the chemical coke price has also increased under the drive of coking coal, moving the cost center of Si - Mn upward and providing some support for the Si - Mn price [24]. - In the long run, the production area of Si - Mn is concentrating in the northern regions with low electricity prices, new production capacity is constantly being released, and affected by factors such as the decline of the real estate market, the effectiveness of the cost support for Si - Mn may gradually weaken. The cost support of Si - Mn is affected not only by its own over - capacity but also by manganese ore, and its price elasticity basically depends on event - driven factors. In the short term, the supply pattern of manganese ore is relatively loose, the manganese ore price maintains a low - level volatile trend, and the market pricing may be anchored to the Inner Mongolia production area with the lowest cost [25]. - In the short term, before the National Day, the cost support of ferroalloy is relatively strong due to the release of raw material restocking demand. But in the medium - to - long term, if the ferroalloy production remains at a medium - high level, when the downstream enters the off - season or the peak season fails to meet expectations, the supply - demand pressure will rise, and the effectiveness of cost support may be challenged [25]. 3.2.4 Short - Term Disturbance at the Manganese Ore Shipping End - From January to August 2025, the cumulative import of manganese ore was 20.68 million tons, a year - on - year increase of 9.59%, and the cumulative shipping volume was 25.51 million tons, a year - on - year increase of 9.91%. The main reason is that the Australian manganese ore has gradually resumed production this year after the shutdown last year, and the supply of manganese ore is relatively sufficient with the price maintaining a low - level volatile trend. The spread between semi - coke and manganese ore has gradually widened, and the cost - performance ratio of going long on the spread between the two types of ferroalloys is relatively high [29]. - Although the supply of manganese ore is sufficient, it is necessary to pay attention to short - term disturbances. There are rumors that the shipping volume of Gabonese manganese ore will decrease in October, but it has not been confirmed. Currently, the inventory of manganese ore at ports is low, and the market is likely to hype if there are disturbances at the shipping end [29]. 3.3 Chapter 4: Valuation Feedback and Supply - Demand Outlook 3.3.1 Ferroalloy Valuation - Currently, the valuation of ferroalloy is relatively neutral and on the low side. In the short term, it is supported by the downstream restocking demand, but in the medium - to - long term, attention should be paid to the inventory pressure after the demand declines. The profit of ferroalloy has been continuously declining. The production of Si - Fe remains at a high level, and there is not much motivation for Si - Fe enterprises to increase production. The production of Si - Mn enterprises has begun to decline as the southern production areas enter the dry season. If the downstream demand fails to meet expectations and the inventory pressure increases, it will put pressure on the ferroalloy price, and the enterprise inventory and warehouse receipt inventory are not low at present [45]. 3.3.2 Ferroalloy Supply - Side Outlook - From January to August 2025, the cumulative production of Si - Mn was 6.62 million tons, a year - on - year decrease of 3.8%, and the cumulative production of Si - Fe was 3.58 million tons, a year - on - year increase of 1.1%. Looking forward to the fourth quarter, according to the seasonal law, there is an expectation of an increase in production due to the arrival of the "Golden September and Silver October" peak season, but the continuous decline of the alloy production profit does not support the further increase of ferroalloy production. Instead, the possibility of producers reducing production is increasing. With the arrival of the normal water season, the production in the southern Si - Mn production areas may also decline. Especially, the production profit of Si - Fe has declined significantly, and there is a greater motivation to reduce production, with the production expected to decline slightly. The production profit of Si - Mn is relatively stable, and the production is expected to remain stable or decline following the Si - Fe production but with a smaller decline. It is expected that the ferroalloy production in the fourth quarter will decline slightly compared with the third quarter [50]. 3.3.3 Ferroalloy Demand - Side Outlook - From January to August 2025, the cumulative crude steel production in China was 671.81 million tons, a year - on - year decrease of 2.8%, the cumulative production of the five major steel products was 295.31 million tons, a year - on - year decrease of 6%, and the cumulative production of rebar was 73.52 million tons, a year - on - year decrease of 2.2%. Looking forward to the fourth quarter, according to the seasonal law, there is an expectation of an increase in demand due to the peak season, but currently, the profits of rebar and hot - rolled coils are declining, mainly because the inventory of the five major steel products is accumulating, while in previous years, the inventory should have decreased in the peak season. The inventory - to - sales ratio of the five major steel products has also increased seasonally, and the current warehouse receipt inventory of rebar is at the highest level in the same period in the past five years, which restricts the increase in demand for upstream ferroalloy [55]. - The hot metal production remains at a high - level volatile state, but the profitability of steel enterprises shows a downward trend, and it is difficult to maintain a high - level hot metal production for a long time, so the steel - making demand for ferroalloy may decline. In terms of non - steel - making demand, the decline of the Si - Fe export profit is expected to affect the Si - Fe export volume. In general, it is difficult for the ferroalloy demand to increase in the fourth quarter, and the demand is expected to remain weak [55]. 3.3.4 Ferroalloy Supply - Demand Balance Sheet - The supply - demand balance sheets of Si - Fe and Si - Mn from January 2024 to December 2025 are provided, including production, import, export, apparent consumption, inventory, and supply - demand difference, showing the changes in the supply - demand situation of ferroalloy over time [70].