Report Industry Investment Rating There is no information provided regarding the report industry investment rating. Core Viewpoints of the Report - For Shanghai Nickel, the contradiction between smelting inventory accumulation and nickel ore concerns is in a game, and it is difficult to break the short - term narrow - range situation. The fundamental supply of refined nickel is increasing while demand is weakening, which restricts the upward flexibility. The key support lies in the cost of the pyrometallurgical path and the uncertainty of Indonesia's nickel ore supply governance policy. There is support at the bottom, and long - term volatility may increase [1]. - For stainless steel, the downward space is limited, and there is no effective upward driving force. It is recommended to focus on a conservative range - trading strategy, wait for low - level buying opportunities, and avoid chasing high prices. Demand is suppressed by tariff barriers and weak real - estate post - cycle consumption, and supply elasticity may limit the upward space [2]. Summary by Related Catalogs 1. Market Fundamentals Shanghai Nickel - The domestic and overseas visible inventory of refined nickel has returned to the accumulation stage. The market generally expects the slowdown of invisible restocking. The substitution ratio of nickel - iron for nickel plates in the nickel - alloy sector has increased, and there is an expectation of increased production of pure nickel and low - cost wet - process supply in the long - term, which restricts the upward flexibility of Shanghai Nickel [1]. - The core support for the bulls is the cost of the pyrometallurgical path and the uncertainty of Indonesia's nickel ore supply governance policy. Although the actual impact is controllable, short - term inspection results may increase market concerns and strengthen the bottom - support logic of nickel ore [1]. Stainless Steel - Demand is jointly suppressed by tariff barriers and weak real - estate post - cycle consumption, resulting in a weak consumption peak season. However, the over - drafting effect of early export rush has been basically digested, showing marginal low - level repair [2]. - The supply - side elasticity is relatively large, which may limit the upward space of stainless steel. The production schedule in October increased by 3% month - on - month to 3.45 million tons, with a cumulative year - on - year increase of 3.0%. The 300 - series is about 1.77 million tons, with a cumulative year - on - year/ month - on - month increase of 4.2%/3.5% [2]. - The overall inventory of factories and social warehouses has declined from the high level. Although the year - on - year inventory accumulation in the middle and upstream has basically converged, the absolute inventory is still at a relatively high historical level, and downstream procurement is still cautious, lacking an effective upward driving force [2]. 2. Inventory Tracking - Refined Nickel: The social inventory of refined nickel in China increased by 191 tons to 47,696 tons. Among them, the warehouse - receipt inventory decreased by 232 tons to 26,810 tons, the spot inventory increased by 243 tons to 16,816 tons (nickel plates increased by 243 tons, and nickel beans remained unchanged), and the bonded - area inventory increased by 180 tons to 4,070 tons. LME inventory increased by 324 tons to 250,854 tons [5]. - New Energy: On October 24th, the inventory days of the upstream, downstream, and integrated production lines of SMM nickel sulfate changed by - 1, - 1, and +1 month - on - month to 4, 8, and 7 days respectively. The precursor inventory on October 24th changed by - 1 month - on - month to 12.9 days, and the ternary material inventory on October 23rd remained flat month - on - month at 7.1 days [5]. - Nickel Ore - Nickel Iron - Stainless Steel: On October 15th, the SMM nickel - iron inventory was 29,062 tons, with a stable and slightly increasing month - on - month trend and a year - on - year increase of 41%. In September, the SMM stainless - steel factory inventory was 1.532 million tons, with a month - on - year/month - on - month increase/decrease of 4%/ - 1%. On October 23rd, the total social inventory of stainless steel in the Steel Union decreased by 1.33% week - on - week to 1,027,402 tons, and the inventory of the 300 - series stainless steel decreased by 0.89% week - on - week to 649,326 tons [5]. 3. Market News - On September 12th, the Indonesian Forestry Working Group took over a 148 - hectare nickel - ore mining area of PT Weda Bay Nickel due to violations of forestry license regulations, which is expected to affect the nickel - ore production by about 600 metal tons per month [6]. - China has suspended an unofficial subsidy for copper and nickel imports from Russia [7]. - On September 22nd, the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources imposed sanctions on 190 mining companies for failing to provide claim and refund guarantees. Once the companies submit claim plan documents and place claim guarantees until 2025, the sanctions will be automatically cancelled [7]. - On September 30th, the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources issued a ministerial order. The approval plan for the next year's mine RKAB is expected to be completed by November 15th this year. According to the transition clause, if the 2026 RKAB has been applied for through the online system but not approved by the end of this year, the 2026 RKAB approved by the minister or governor before the entry into force of this ministerial order can still be used as the basis for exploration or production operations until March 31st, 2026 [7]. - On October 10th, US President Trump claimed on social media that the US might impose an additional 100% tariff on China from November 1st and implement export controls on "all key software" [8].

Group 1: Industry Investment Rating - No relevant content found Group 2: Core Views - The fundamentals of Shanghai nickel show a fierce game between smelting - end inventory accumulation and the Indonesian nickel ore logic, with contradictions still accumulating. In the short - term, it's difficult to break through the narrow - range pattern, while long - term volatility is expected to increase. The core support lies in the cost of the pyrometallurgical path and the uncertainty of the Indonesian nickel ore supply governance policy [2]. - The fundamentals of stainless steel make it difficult to find an upward driving force, but the downward space is limited. The market may marginally stabilize and fluctuate. The long - term and short - term, as well as reality and expectation, are involved in the long - short game [3]. Group 3: Summary by Related Catalogs Nickel Fundamental Analysis - **Supply - demand situation**: The smelting end has returned to steep inventory accumulation, with the surplus concentrated in the refined nickel segment. The marginal supply of refined nickel increases while demand is weak, and the expected new production of pure nickel in the second half of the year exerts pressure. Although the fundamentals of non - standard nickel have marginally improved, the conversion of refined nickel production has not effectively alleviated the inventory accumulation contradiction of refined nickel [2]. - **Supporting factors**: The uncertainties in the cost of the pyrometallurgical path and the Indonesian nickel ore supply governance policy support the price. For example, some areas of the WBN park were taken over due to violations of forestry license regulations, and mines failing to pay reclamation deposits were ordered to suspend production. The Indonesian government also urged enterprises to resubmit the 2026 RKAB budget online, which may lead to increased market inventory and support the nickel ore price [2]. Stainless Steel Fundamental Analysis - **Demand side**: The overdraft effect of early export rush has been basically digested, but demand is still suppressed by the resonance of tariff barriers and weak real - estate post - cycle consumption. The cumulative year - on - year growth rate of apparent demand is only half of the previous year, 2.6% [3]. - **Supply side**: The supply growth rate has declined compared with previous years but has a marginal increase. The production plan for October is 3.45 million tons, a month - on - month increase of 3% and a cumulative year - on - year increase of 3.0%. The 300 - series is about 1.77 million tons, with a cumulative year - on - year/month - on - month increase of 4.2%/3.5%. The total supply (including imports) cumulative growth rate is expected to be 1.8% [3]. - **Supply - demand balance**: The cumulative surplus (inventory accumulation) has converged compared with previous years. In the long - term, the stainless - steel industry may shift from a one - sided valuation - reduction logic of strong supply and weak demand to a bottom - seeking thinking of both weak supply and demand. In the short - term, there is no upward driving force in the fundamentals, but the cost limits the downward space [3]. Inventory Tracking - **Refined nickel**: On October 17, China's refined nickel social inventory increased by 1,875 tons to 47,505 tons. Among them, the warehouse receipt inventory increased by 1,814 tons to 27,042 tons, the spot inventory increased by 261 tons to 16,573 tons, and the bonded - area inventory decreased by 200 tons to 3,890 tons. LME nickel inventory increased by 13,152 tons to 250,530 tons [6]. - **New energy**: On October 17, the inventory days of SMM nickel sulfate's upstream, downstream, and integrated production lines changed by - 1, - 1, + 1 month - on - month to 4, 8, 7 days respectively; the precursor inventory on October 17 changed by - 1 month - on - month to 13.0 days; the ternary material inventory on October 9 remained unchanged month - on - month at 7.1 days [6]. - **Nickel - iron and stainless steel**: On October 15, the SMM nickel - iron inventory was 29,062 tons, with a stable and slightly increasing month - on - month trend and a year - on - year increase of 41%. In September, the SMM stainless - steel mill inventory was 1.532 million tons, a year - on - month/month - on - month increase/decrease of 4%/ - 1%. On October 16, the Mysteel stainless - steel social inventory was 1.0412 million tons, a week - on - week decrease of 1.18%, and the 300 - series inventory was 655,200 tons, a week - on - week increase of 1.02% [6]. Market News - **Indonesian mining sanctions**: Due to violations of forestry license regulations, the Indonesian forestry working group took over a 148 - hectare mining area of PT WedaBav Nickel. The Indonesian government also imposed sanctions on 190 mining companies for failing to provide claim and refund guarantees [7][8]. - **Policy regulations**: The Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources issued a ministerial order regarding the preparation, submission, and approval procedures of the mining RKAB and the reporting procedures for activity implementation. The approval plan for the next - year's RKAB is expected to be completed by November 15 this year [9]. - **Trade news**: China suspended an unofficial subsidy for imported copper and nickel from Russia. Trump claimed to impose an additional 100% tariff on China from November 1 and implement export controls on "all key software" [8][9]. Weekly Key Data Tracking - **Futures prices**: The closing price of the Shanghai nickel main contract was 121,160, and that of the stainless - steel main contract was 12,630. There were also corresponding price changes compared with previous periods [11]. - **Trading volume**: The trading volume of the Shanghai nickel main contract was 76,335, and that of the stainless - steel main contract was 147,948, with different volume changes compared with previous periods [11]. - **Industrial chain data**: Data such as the price of 1 imported nickel, Russian nickel premium, nickel bean premium, and various product spreads and import profits were provided, showing different trends compared with previous periods [11].

1. Report Industry Investment Rating - Not provided in the report 2. Core Viewpoints of the Report - This week, nickel prices fluctuated weakly, with average downstream transactions and no significant increase in pre - holiday restocking demand. In the industry chain, nickel ore prices remained firm, and due to the impact of typhoons, the loading and shipping of mines might be delayed. Ferronickel prices remained stable, with a firm cost line, and ferronickel enterprises were still in the red. The inventory reduction of stainless steel during the "Golden September and Silver October" slowed down. The production and sales data of new energy vehicles were good, but the installation of ternary batteries still showed a decline, which had limited impact on the increase in nickel demand. The medium - and long - term surplus pattern remained unchanged [8]. 3. Summary by Directory 3.1 Viewpoints and Strategies - **Nickel Outlook**: This week, nickel prices fluctuated weakly, with average downstream transactions and no significant increase in pre - holiday restocking demand. The medium - and long - term surplus pattern remained unchanged [8]. - **Operation Strategies**: - Shanghai nickel main contract: It will fluctuate around the 20 - day moving average, oscillating in the range of 120,000 - 123,800 [9]. - Stainless steel main contract: It will have a wide - range oscillation around the 20 - day moving average [10]. 3.2 Fundamental Analysis - **Industry Chain Weekly Price Changes**: - Some nickel ore grades saw a slight increase of $1 per wet ton, and the freight rate remained the same as last week. The price of battery - grade nickel sulfate remained flat, while the price of electroplating - grade nickel sulfate increased by 1.76%. The prices of low - nickel ferronickel and high - nickel ferronickel in Shandong remained unchanged. The prices of electrolytic nickel and 304 stainless steel decreased slightly [13][14]. - **Nickel Ore Market**: - Some nickel ore prices increased slightly, and the freight rate remained flat. As of September 26, 2025, the total nickel ore inventory at 14 ports in China was 14.0937 million wet tons, an increase of 0.66%. In August 2025, the nickel ore import volume was 6.3467 million tons, a year - on - year increase of 28.72%. This week, nickel ore transactions were okay, and due to the impact of typhoons, the loading and shipping volume of Philippine mines might be delayed. Indonesia's supply was still abundant [17]. - **Electrolytic Nickel Market**: - Nickel prices fluctuated weakly, and there was no pre - holiday restocking demand. In the long - term, the supply and demand would continue to increase, but the surplus pattern would not change. The domestic new energy sector might be a new demand driver. In the medium - and long - term, prices might be under pressure, but would not deviate far from the cost line, and the center of gravity might shift downward. In August 2025, China's refined nickel production was 36,695 tons, a year - on - year increase of 29.62%. The LME inventory increased by 1,680 tons, while the Shanghai nickel inventory decreased by 959 tons [22][25][39]. - **Ferronickel Market**: - Ferronickel prices remained stable. In August 2025, China's ferronickel production was 22,900 tons of metal, a year - on - year decrease of 9.96%. The import volume in August was 874,000 tons, a year - on - year increase of 67.4%. The inventory in August was 218,900 physical tons, equivalent to 21,700 tons of nickel [43][47][53]. - **Stainless Steel Market**: - The price of 304 stainless steel decreased by 0.36% this week. In August, the stainless steel crude steel production was 3.3156 million tons, and the 300 - series production increased by 2.34% month - on - month. The import volume was 117,100 tons, and the export volume was 447,900 tons. As of September 26, the national inventory was 984,500 tons, a decrease of 260 tons month - on - month [58][64][70]. - **New Energy Vehicle Production and Sales**: - In August, the production and sales of new energy vehicles were 1.391 million and 1.395 million respectively, a year - on - year increase of 27.4% and 26.8%. The production of power and other batteries was 139.6 GWh, a year - on - year increase of 37.3%. The sales volume of power batteries was 98.9 GWh, a year - on - year increase of 44.4%. The installation volume of power batteries was 62.5 GWh, a year - on - year increase of 32.4%, among which the installation volume of ternary batteries decreased by 10.0% year - on - year [74][77]. 3.3 Technical Analysis - From the daily K - line, the price still fluctuated around the 20 - day moving average. The position increased when the price rose and decreased when it fell, indicating that the main players were selling high and buying low. The MACD red bar fluctuated slightly above the 0 axis, showing obvious lack of momentum and no clear direction. The KDJ was downward but not in the oversold area. The price was mainly oscillating, and the amplitude might be enlarged due to the influence of the surrounding market [80]. 3.4 Industry Chain Summary - The impact of each link on nickel prices: - Nickel ore: Neutral. Transactions were okay, quotes were stable, freight rates were firm, and it might be affected by typhoons in the short term [83]. - Ferronickel: Neutral. Ferronickel prices remained stable, and the cost line was firm [83]. - Refined nickel: Slightly bearish. The long - term surplus pattern remained unchanged, and overseas inventory continued to accumulate [83]. - Stainless steel: Slightly bullish. The cost was firm, and the inventory decreased [83]. - New energy: Neutral. The production data were good, but the installation of ternary batteries decreased year - on - year [83].

1. Report Industry Investment Rating - No information is provided regarding the industry investment rating in the given report. 2. Report's Core View - After the end of macro - event influence, nickel prices return to the fundamental logic. With high inventories and a pattern of oversupply remaining unchanged, nickel prices are expected to remain in low - level fluctuations. Stainless steel prices show signs of stopping decline and rebounding due to nine - week consecutive inventory drops and rising material costs, and subsequent consumption peak - season demand needs to be monitored [1][3][5]. 3. Summary by Relevant Catalogs Nickel Variety Market Analysis - On September 18, 2025, the Shanghai nickel main contract 2510 opened at 121,690 yuan/ton and closed at 120,940 yuan/ton, a change of - 0.89% compared to the previous trading day's close. The trading volume was 81,612 (- 9,122) lots, and the open interest was 55,044 (- 3,785) lots. Due to the approaching Fed interest - rate decision, the main contract fluctuated slightly around the previous trading - day's settlement price at night. After the Fed's interest - rate cut did not exceed market expectations, the price of the main contract fluctuated downward during the day, and the market focus returned to the fundamental logic of cost support and marginal changes in demand [1]. - The nickel - ore market remained calm with stable prices. Philippine mines had firm quotes. The downstream nickel - iron price was temporarily stable, domestic iron plants' profits remained in the red, and nickel - ore procurement was cautious. In Indonesia, the supply remained loose, and the Wedabay incident had little impact. The September (Phase II) domestic trade benchmark price increased by 0.2 - 0.3 dollars, and the current domestic trade premium was +24, with a premium range of +23 - 24 [1]. - Jinchuan Group's sales price in the Shanghai market was 123,890 yuan/ton, up 140 yuan/ton from the previous trading day. The spot price was basically stable, and the spot premiums and discounts of each brand did not change. The premium of Jinchuan nickel remained at 2,200 yuan/ton, the premium of imported nickel remained at 300 yuan/ton, and the premium of nickel beans was 2,450 yuan/ton. The previous trading day's Shanghai nickel warehouse - receipt volume was 25,866 (- 275) tons, and the LME nickel inventory was 228,450 (- 18) tons [2]. Strategy - It is recommended to mainly conduct range operations for single - side trading, and there are no recommendations for inter - period, inter - variety, spot - futures, and options trading [3]. Stainless Steel Variety Market Analysis - On September 18, 2025, the stainless - steel main contract 2511 opened at 12,920 yuan/ton and closed at 12,875 yuan/ton. The trading volume was 175,834 (+ 5,708) lots, and the open interest was 132,228 (- 4,171) lots. Similar to the trend of Shanghai nickel, due to the approaching Fed interest - rate decision, the main contract fluctuated slightly around the previous trading - day's settlement price at night. After the Fed's interest - rate cut did not exceed market expectations, the price of the main contract fluctuated downward during the day, and the market focus returned to the fundamental logic of cost support and marginal changes in demand [3]. - Downstream buyers remained on the sidelines, and spot trading was light. The price remained stable. The expected pre - National Day holiday stocking demand offset the impact of the decline in the futures market. The stainless - steel price in the Wuxi market was 13,250 (+ 0) yuan/ton, and in the Foshan market, it was 13,250 (+ 0) yuan/ton. The premium and discount of 304/2B were 315 to 615 yuan/ton. According to SMM data, the ex - factory tax - inclusive average price of high - nickel pig iron changed by 0.50 yuan/nickel point to 954.5 yuan/nickel point [3]. Strategy - A neutral stance is recommended for single - side trading, and there are no recommendations for inter - period, inter - variety, spot - futures, and options trading [5].

Group 1: Report Industry Investment Rating - Not provided in the content Group 2: Core Viewpoints - The nickel and stainless steel markets will continue to show a volatile trend until the interest rate cut is implemented [1] - In the short term, nickel prices will mainly show a volatile trend, are easily affected by macro - sentiment, and the supply surplus pattern remains unchanged with limited upside space. For stainless steel, inventory has decreased for nine consecutive weeks, material costs have risen, and there are signs of a stop - fall and rebound. The subsequent demand situation during the consumption peak season needs to be monitored [2][4][5] Group 3: Nickel Variety Market Analysis Futures - On September 11, 2025, the Shanghai nickel main contract 2510 opened at 120,520 yuan/ton and closed at 120,620 yuan/ton, a 0.11% change from the previous trading day's close. The trading volume was 87,538 (+12,532) lots, and the open interest was 81,691 (79) lots. The contract oscillated in the range of 120,110 - 120,910 yuan/ton at night and in the daytime, and finally closed slightly up by 140 yuan. The slowdown of the US August PPI year - on - year increase and the decline of core PPI month - on - month strengthened the September interest rate cut expectation, but the market is waiting for the US CPI data, resulting in cautious bullish sentiment and strong wait - and - see attitude [2] Nickel Ore - The market is mainly in a wait - and - see state, and ocean freight continues to rise. Philippine quotes remain firm, and subsequent mine quotes may rise due to the increase in downstream nickel - iron prices. Shipment is slightly delayed due to rainfall. The new transaction price in the domestic nickel - iron market is 960 yuan/nickel (including tax at the hatch). Domestic iron plants still have profit losses and are cautious in nickel ore procurement. The supply in Indonesia remains in a loose pattern, and the September (forward) domestic trade benchmark price is expected to rise by 0.2 - 0.3 dollars, with the domestic trade premium remaining at +24 and the premium range being +23 - 24 [2] Spot - Jinchuan Group's sales price in the Shanghai market is 122,600 yuan/ton, a decrease of 100 yuan/ton from the previous trading day. The price oscillates horizontally, downstream wait - and - see sentiment is strong, and spot trading is generally average. The premiums and discounts of refined nickel of each brand remain stable. The premium of Jinchuan nickel changes by 50 yuan/ton to 2,250 yuan/ton, the premium of imported nickel changes by 0 yuan/ton to 300 yuan/ton, and the premium of nickel beans is 2,450 yuan/ton. The previous trading day's Shanghai nickel warehouse receipt volume is 22,111 (-193) tons, and the LME nickel inventory is 223,152 (2,058) tons [3] Strategy - Short - term nickel price: mainly volatile, easily affected by macro - sentiment, supply surplus pattern remains unchanged, limited upside space. Unilateral: mainly range operation; no strategies for inter - period, cross - variety, spot - futures, and options [4] Group 4: Stainless Steel Variety Market Analysis Futures - On September 11, 2025, the stainless steel main contract 2511 opened at 12,905 yuan/ton and closed at 12,870 yuan/ton. The trading volume was 112,848 (-2,615.00) lots, and the open interest was 128,344 (5,176) lots. It oscillated in the range of 12,885 - 12,930 yuan/ton at night and closed slightly up. During the daytime, due to the weakening of black - series futures, it failed to continue the night - session upward trend and finally closed down 45 yuan [4] Spot - Due to the narrow - range oscillation of the futures market, downstream buyers are cautious and mainly purchase on demand. Transactions are dull, and prices remain stable. The stainless steel price in the Wuxi market is 13,200 (+0) yuan/ton, and that in the Foshan market is 13,200 (+0) yuan/ton. The premium and discount of 304/2B is 325 - 625 yuan/ton. The average ex - factory tax - included price of high - nickel pig iron changes by 1.00 yuan/nickel point to 953.5 yuan/nickel point [4][5] Strategy - Inventory has decreased for nine consecutive weeks, material costs have risen, and there are signs of a stop - fall and rebound in stainless steel prices. The subsequent demand situation during the consumption peak season needs to be monitored. Unilateral: neutral; no strategies for inter - period, cross - variety, spot - futures, and options [5]

Report Summary 1. Report Industry Investment Rating No specific industry investment rating is provided in the content. 2. Report Core Views - Short - term nickel prices will mainly show a volatile trend, are easily affected by macro - sentiment, and the supply surplus pattern remains unchanged with limited upside potential [3]. - Stainless steel prices show signs of stopping the decline and rebounding due to nine - week consecutive inventory drops and rising material costs. The demand situation during the consumption peak season needs to be monitored [5]. 3. Summary by Related Catalogs Nickel Variety - **Market Analysis** - On September 9, 2025, the Shanghai nickel main contract 2510 opened at 121,490 yuan/ton, closed at 120,700 yuan/ton, a - 0.67% change from the previous trading day. The trading volume was 100,281 (+7,501) lots, and the open interest was 80,837 (3,364) lots [1]. - In the futures market, the Shanghai nickel main contract was affected by the decline in LME nickel prices at night and the lower - than - expected domestic August CPI data during the day. Although there were some bargain - hunting purchases in the afternoon, the rebound was limited due to high inventory and capacity release expectations [1]. - In the nickel ore market, the market is mainly in a wait - and - see mode with stable prices. In the Philippines, mine quotes are firm but slightly delayed due to rainfall. A major steel mill in South China has a new tender price of 955 yuan/nickel (including tax at the hold). In Indonesia, the supply remains loose, and the September (first phase) premium is - 24, with a premium range of +23 - 24 [1]. - In the spot market, Jinchuan Group's Shanghai market sales price is 123,200 yuan/ton, a 500 - yuan/ton decrease from the previous trading day. The spot trading is generally average, and the premiums of refined nickel brands are slightly adjusted [2]. - **Strategy** - For nickel, the short - term trading strategy is mainly range - bound operation for the single - side, and there are no strategies for inter - period, cross - variety, spot - futures, and options [3]. Stainless Steel Variety - **Market Analysis** - On September 9, 2025, the stainless steel main contract 2511 opened at 12,930 yuan/ton and closed at 12,950 yuan/ton. The trading volume was 109,512 (+16,944) lots, and the open interest was 123,179 (-4,171) lots [3]. - In the futures market, the stainless steel main contract was weak at night and showed a volatile trend. During the day, it was driven by the strong trend of the black series and slightly rose to 12,980 yuan/ton, with little fluctuation until the close [3]. - In the spot market, affected by the futures market and rising raw material costs, the spot quotes increased. The supply of hot - rolled products is tight, and the inquiry and transaction situation has slightly improved. The stainless steel prices in Wuxi and Foshan markets are 13,200 (+50) yuan/ton, and the 304/2B premium is 255 - 555 yuan/ton. The ex - factory tax - included average price of high - nickel pig iron is 950.5 yuan/nickel point, a 5.00 - yuan/nickel point change from the previous day [3]. - **Strategy** - For stainless steel, the single - side strategy is neutral, and there are no strategies for inter - period, cross - variety, spot - futures, and options [5].

1. Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant content provided. 2. Core Viewpoints of the Report - The market's expectation of the Fed's interest rate cut in September has dropped from around 95% to about 75%. The inflation pressure caused by tariffs is still greater than the pressure of the weakening labor market [3]. - Overseas nickel ore supply continues to be in a loose state, with the price of laterite nickel ore showing signs of softening. The price of ferronickel has stopped rising, and the consumption of downstream stainless steel is weak. The salt market remains popular, but the market's acceptance of price increases is poor. The trading volume in the pure nickel market has picked up [3]. - In the later stage, nickel prices will maintain a range - bound pattern and may be technically corrected. The uncertainty on the macro - front remains high, and the game between inflation pressure and the weakening labor market will continue. The traditional consumer market remains sluggish, and the new energy sector may improve, but it is difficult to determine whether the expectations can be realized. The supply side remains stable at a high level, and the fundamentals are unlikely to improve significantly [3][11]. 3. Summary According to Relevant Catalogs 3.1 Market Data Summary | Variety | 2025/8/22 | 2025/8/18 | Change | Unit | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | SHFE Nickel | 119610 | 120340 | -730 | Yuan/ton | | LME Nickel | 14929 | 15151 | -222 | US dollars/ton | | LME Inventory | 209748 | 211662 | -1914 | Tons | | SHFE Inventory | 22552 | 23051 | -499 | Tons | | Jinchuan Nickel Premium | 2600 | 2200 | 400 | Yuan/ton | | Russian Nickel Premium | 500 | 400 | 100 | Yuan/ton | | High - Nickel Pig Iron Average Price | 936 | 936 | 0 | Yuan/nickel point | | Stainless Steel Inventory | 88.3 | 87.8 | 0.50 | Tons | [5] 3.2 Market Review - **Macro - level**: As of August 16, the number of initial jobless claims in the US was 235,000, higher than the expected 225,000. The US manufacturing and service PMI in August were both better than expected. Fed officials' hawkish remarks led to a significant downward revision of the market's expectation of a Fed interest rate cut in September to around 75% [6]. - **Nickel Ore**: The FOB prices of 1.5% laterite nickel ore in the Philippines and Indonesia have declined. The expectation of a loose nickel ore supply remains unchanged, and Indonesian nickel iron plants generally expect the nickel ore price to decline further in late August [6]. - **Pure Nickel**: In July, the domestic monthly production capacity decreased slightly by 400 tons to 53,699 tons, while the smelter's production schedule increased slightly. The domestic export and import of electrolytic nickel both increased year - on - year. After the import window opened, the imported resources increased significantly, and the spot inventory remained relatively stable [7]. - **Ferronickel**: The price of high - nickel pig iron (10% - 12%) rose from 925.5 yuan/nickel point to 929 yuan/nickel point. In July, China's nickel pig iron production decreased slightly month - on - month. In June, the domestic nickel iron import increased significantly year - on - year, mainly from Indonesia. In July, Indonesia's nickel iron production increased year - on - year but decreased month - on - month. As of August 15, the nickel iron physical ton inventory decreased slightly but remained at a high level. The stainless - steel consumption is still sluggish, and the short - term ferronickel price may peak and then fluctuate around the cost line [8][9]. - **Nickel Sulfate**: The prices of battery - grade and electroplating - grade nickel sulfate increased. In July, the production of nickel sulfate metal increased both year - on - year and month - on - month. The production of ternary materials also increased. The upstream and downstream inventory days of nickel sulfate decreased. The market for nickel sulfate remains popular, but the terminal market's resistance to high - nickel salts suppresses price increases [9]. - **New Energy**: From August 1 to 17, the retail sales of the new - energy passenger vehicle market increased year - on - year and month - on - month, with a penetration rate of 58.0%. The growth rate of new - energy vehicle sales has slowed down in the first and middle ten days of August. The replacement subsidy funds have been allocated, but the implementation of local policies varies, and the demand - side expectation is moderately weak [10]. - **Inventory**: The current six - location social inventory of pure nickel decreased by 1,019 tons compared with the previous period. The SHFE inventory decreased by 499 tons, and the LME nickel inventory decreased by 1,914 tons. The total inventory of the two major global exchanges decreased by 2,413 tons [10]. 3.3 Industry News - Boqian New Materials' subsidiaries plan to invest in expanding the production of ultrafine nickel powder, with a planned construction period of 12 months and an additional annual production capacity of 600 tons each [12]. - Indonesia announced the second - phase nickel ore domestic trade benchmark price for August, which decreased by about 0.1% compared with the first - phase price [12]. - Centaurus Metals plans to make a final investment decision on its Brazilian nickel ore project in the first half of 2026, with an expected investment of $370 million and an annual production capacity of about 20,000 tons of nickel [12]. - Nimy Resources discovered a potential large - scale copper - nickel mineralization in Western Australia, which may strengthen the company's layout in the copper - nickel - PGE exploration field [12]. - Indonesia's nickel ore production from January to July 2025 was lower than the target, with a realization rate of only 69% [12]. - BHP cut its dividend to the lowest level since 2017 and plans to sell its idle Nickel West business [12]. 3.4 Relevant Charts The report provides charts on the trends of domestic and international nickel prices, spot premiums, LME 0 - 3 nickel premiums, nickel domestic - to - foreign ratios, nickel futures inventory, nickel ore port inventory, high - nickel iron prices, 300 - series stainless - steel prices, and stainless - steel inventory [14][16].

Group 1: Nickel Market Analysis - On August 21, 2025, the main contract of Shanghai nickel 2510 opened at 120,010 yuan/ton and closed at 119,830 yuan/ton, down 0.30% from the previous trading day, with a trading volume of 90,715 lots and an open interest of 102,385 lots [1]. - In the night session, the main contract of Shanghai nickel opened at 120,430 yuan/ton, then quickly rose to 121,080 yuan/ton, but then fell under pressure, reaching a minimum of 119,620 yuan/ton and finally closing at 120,060 yuan/ton, down 550 yuan/ton or 0.46%, with a trading volume of 77,982 lots. The daily session opened at 120,010 yuan/ton, fluctuated between 119,780 - 120,590 yuan/ton, and closed at 119,830 yuan/ton, down 360 yuan/ton or 0.30% from the previous settlement price, with an enlarged trading volume of 90,715 lots. The LME nickel price fell to 15,050 US dollars/ton during the daily session, intensifying the bearish sentiment in the domestic market [2]. - Jinchuan Group's sales price in the Shanghai market was 122,300 yuan/ton, up 100 yuan/ton from the previous trading day. The procurement enthusiasm of downstream enterprises slightly improved. The spot premiums of various refined nickel brands were basically stable. Jinchuan nickel's premium changed by 100 yuan/ton to 2,500 yuan/ton, imported nickel's premium changed by 50 yuan/ton to 400 yuan/ton, and nickel beans' premium was 2,450 yuan/ton. The previous trading day's Shanghai nickel warehouse receipts were 22,588 (29.0) tons, and LME nickel inventory was 209,598 (252) tons [3]. Strategy - The pattern of oversupply remains unchanged. The production capacity of nickel intermediate products continues to be released, and the price of the ore end is loosening. In the short term, the nickel price will mainly fluctuate and move closer to the cost below. The recommended strategy is mainly range - bound operation for single - side trading, and no operations for inter - period, cross - variety, spot - futures, and options trading [4]. Group 2: Stainless Steel Market Analysis - On August 21, 2025, the main contract of stainless steel 2510 opened at 12,830 yuan/ton and closed at 12,795 yuan/ton, with a trading volume of 99,736 lots and an open interest of 138,810 lots [4]. - In the night session, the main contract of stainless steel opened at 12,870 yuan/ton, rose to 12,895 yuan/ton, then fell under pressure, reaching a minimum of 12,765 yuan/ton and finally closing at 12,820 yuan/ton, down 105 yuan/ton or 0.81%, with a trading volume of 149,736 lots. The daily session opened at 12,830 yuan/ton, fluctuated between 12,785 - 12,860 yuan/ton, and closed at 12,795 yuan/ton, down 35 yuan/ton or 0.27% from the previous settlement price, with an enlarged trading volume of 99,736 lots. The spot market prices in Wuxi and Foshan were 13,050 yuan/ton, and the 304/2B premium was 330 - 530 yuan/ton. The ex - factory tax - included average price of high - nickel pig iron changed by 0.50 yuan/nickel point to 928.0 yuan/nickel point [4][5]. Strategy - Currently in the traditional off - season of consumption, demand is weak, and affected by macro news, it is expected that the stainless steel price will fluctuate weakly in a range in the near future. The recommended strategy is mainly range - bound operation for single - side trading, and no operations for inter - period, cross - variety, spot - futures, and options trading [6].

Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant content provided. Core Viewpoints of the Report - Nickel prices are expected to oscillate within a narrow range. The support logic at the ore end is weakening, and the smelting logic restricts the price elasticity. The global refined nickel inventory is gradually increasing, which puts downward pressure on nickel prices. In the short term, it is difficult for nickel prices to drop significantly, but there is also an upper limit. The inventory at the ferronickel link has slightly decreased, which slightly boosts the upside space of nickel prices, but the increase is limited. The fundamentals lack obvious contradictions, and the price movement is mainly influenced by the macro - sentiment of the sector. There are also some uncertainties in the news, such as Indonesia's possible adjustment of the RKAB approval cycle and the APNI's proposal to re - evaluate the nickel ore HPM formula [1]. - In the stainless - steel market, the tug - of - war between bulls and bears is intensifying, and steel prices are expected to fluctuate. The bulls focus on the decline in high - level inventories and potential supply - side production cuts, while the bears are concerned about the actual supply - demand situation, such as the profit from warehousing and the still - high inventory levels. Overall, steel prices are likely to move in a volatile manner [2]. Summary According to Related Catalogs Nickel and Stainless - Steel Fundamentals - **Nickel fundamentals**: The support from the ore end has weakened, and the smelting logic restricts price fluctuations. The global refined nickel inventory is gradually rising, which suppresses nickel prices. In the short term, it's hard for nickel prices to fall sharply, but there is an upper ceiling. The inventory at the ferronickel link has slightly decreased, slightly boosting the upside potential of nickel prices, but the increase is limited. The news about Indonesia's possible adjustment of the RKAB approval cycle and the APNI's proposal to re - evaluate the nickel ore HPM formula adds uncertainties [1]. - **Stainless - steel fundamentals**: The bulls are concerned about the decline in high - level inventories and potential supply - side production cuts, such as the maintenance of a Shandong steel mill and the phased production cuts in Guangxi. The bears focus on the actual supply - demand situation, including the profit from warehousing and the still - high inventory levels. Overall, steel prices are expected to fluctuate [2]. Inventory Changes - China's refined nickel social inventory decreased by 536 tons to 38,578 tons, with warehouse receipt inventory down 573 tons to 21,374 tons, spot inventory up 437 tons to 12,014 tons, and bonded area inventory down 400 tons to 5,190 tons. LME nickel inventory increased by 5,160 tons to 209,082 tons [3][4]. - The ferronickel inventory at the end of July was 33,415 tons, a 10% decrease month - on - month but a 56% increase year - on - year. The inventory pressure is still relatively high but has slightly eased [5]. - As of August 7, 2025, the total social inventory of stainless steel was 1,106,304 tons, a 0.44% decrease week - on - week. Cold - rolled stainless - steel inventory was 622,713 tons, a 0.69% decrease week - on - week, and hot - rolled stainless - steel inventory was 483,591 tons, a 0.11% decrease week - on - week [5]. - The nickel ore inventory at 14 ports in China increased by 389,800 wet tons to 10,333,400 wet tons, with Philippine nickel ore accounting for 10,092,000 wet tons. By grade, low - nickel and high - iron ore was 5,400,000 wet tons, and medium - and high - grade nickel ore was 4,933,400 wet tons [5]. Market News - In March, Ontario's Premier Ford threatened to stop exporting nickel to the US in response to US tariff threats [6]. - In April, the Indonesian CNI nickel - iron RKEF Phase I project, EPC - contracted by China ENFI, successfully produced nickel - iron and entered the trial - production stage, with an annual production of about 12,500 tons of nickel metal per line [6]. - Environmental violations were found in the IMIP in Indonesia, and the relevant department may fine the confirmed illegal companies and audit the entire industrial park [6]. - Indonesia plans to shorten the mining quota period from three years to one year to improve industry governance and better control coal and ore supplies [6]. - The approved 2025 RKAB production of Indonesian nickel - ore miners is 364 million tons, higher than the 2024 target of 319 million tons [7]. - Two Indonesian ferronickel smelting industrial parks have suspended the production of all EF production lines due to long - term losses, which is expected to affect the monthly ferronickel production by about 1,900 metal tons [7]. - Indonesian mining companies must resubmit their 2026 RKAB starting from October 2025 [7]. - Due to capacity restrictions, a Shandong steel mill has started maintenance and will reduce the supply of hot - rolled coils, suspending the delivery obligations under long - term supply agreements signed in August [8]. Weekly Key Data Tracking of Nickel and Stainless Steel - The closing price of the Shanghai Nickel main contract was 121,180, down 670 compared to T - 1, up 1,410 compared to T - 5, down 3,180 compared to T - 10, up 2,040 compared to T - 22, and down 2,450 compared to T - 66 [9]. - The closing price of the stainless - steel main contract was 12,985, down 15 compared to T - 1, up 145 compared to T - 5, down 45 compared to T - 10, up 215 compared to T - 22, and up 280 compared to T - 66 [9]. - Other data such as trading volume, import prices, and spreads are also presented in the table, showing the price changes and market conditions of nickel and stainless - steel - related products over different time periods [9].

1. Report Industry Investment Rating No information provided on the industry investment rating. 2. Core Viewpoints of the Report - This week, nickel prices trended weakly. The short - term digestion of the anti - involution in the macro - aspect did not lead to better transaction volume with price drops. Downstream buyers still mainly made rigid - demand purchases. In the industrial chain, ore prices and ferronickel prices were weakly stable, but some ferronickel quotes rebounded. The cost line remained low. July and August are traditional off - seasons for stainless steel consumption, and the inventory of the 300 - series stainless steel increased slightly this week. The production and sales data of new energy vehicles are good, which is beneficial for the increase in nickel demand. The long - term oversupply pattern remains unchanged [8]. - Technically, on the daily K - line, the price is running below the 20 - day moving average. The important support and resistance levels of the Fibonacci retracement are effective. The main funds have not decreased, and short - sellers are adding positions on rallies. The MACD indicator shows a death cross, and the KDJ has entered the oversold area with a rebound demand. Overall, it is expected to move in a wide - range oscillation [85]. 3. Summary by Relevant Catalogs 3.1 Viewpoints and Strategies - **Nickel Viewpoint**: Weak operation this week, with long - term oversupply unchanged. The macro - situation has short - term digestion, downstream purchases are rigid - demand based, and new energy vehicle data is positive [8]. - **Operation Strategies**: Both the main contract of Shanghai nickel and stainless steel are expected to move in a wide - range oscillation around the 20 - day moving average [9][10]. 3.2 Fundamental Analysis 3.2.1 Industry Chain Weekly Price Changes - **Nickel Ore**: Red soil nickel ore (CIF) NI1.5%, Fe30 - 35% and NI1.4%, Fe30 - 35% prices remained unchanged from last week [13]. - **Electrolytic Nickel**: Shanghai electrolytic nickel, Shanghai Russian nickel, and Jinchuan's ex - factory price decreased by 2.95%, 3.19%, and 3.10% respectively [14]. - **Nickel Iron**: Low - grade ferronickel in Shandong decreased by 3.03%, while high - grade ferronickel remained unchanged. According to Shanghai Non - ferrous Metals data, high - grade ferronickel increased by 2.5 yuan/nickel, and low - grade ferronickel increased by 100 yuan/ton [13][46][47]. - **Stainless Steel**: The price of 304 stainless steel increased by 0.18% [14]. 3.2.2 Nickel Ore Market Conditions - Ore prices were stable, and shipping costs were flat. As of July 31, 2025, the total nickel ore inventory at 14 ports in China was 9.9436 million wet tons, an increase of 0.66%. In June 2025, nickel ore imports were 4.3466 million tons, a month - on - month increase of 10.68% and a year - on - year decrease of 9.21%. The market was mostly in a wait - and - see state, and downstream procurement was cautious [17]. 3.2.3 Electrolytic Nickel Market Conditions - This week, nickel prices oscillated weakly, and downstream buyers made rigid - demand purchases. The import window opened, and some Norwegian nickel resources increased. In the long - term, supply and demand will both increase, but the oversupply pattern remains. In June 2025, China's refined nickel production was 34,515 tons, a month - on - month decrease of 4.11% and a year - on - year increase of 30.37%. The estimated production in July was 36,745 tons. Import and export data also showed certain changes [25][26][30]. 3.2.4 Nickel Iron Market Conditions - Nickel iron prices were weakly stable. In June 2025, China's nickel pig iron production was 23,300 tons of metal, a month - on - month decrease of 2.87% and a year - on - year decrease of 7.35%. The import volume in June was 1.041 million tons, a month - on - month increase of 22.8% and a year - on - year increase of 50.0% [45][49][52]. 3.2.5 Stainless Steel Market Conditions - The price of 304 stainless steel increased slightly. In June, stainless steel crude steel production was 3.2916 million tons, with the 300 - series production decreasing by 2.28% month - on - month. The import volume was 109,500 tons, and the export volume was 390,000 tons. As of August 1, the national inventory was 1.1112 million tons, a decrease of 7,400 tons, while the 300 - series inventory increased by 6,700 tons [59][64][71]. 3.2.6 New Energy Vehicle Production and Sales - In June 2025, the production and sales of new energy vehicles were 1.268 million and 1.329 million respectively, with year - on - year growth of 26.4% and 26.7%. From January to June 2025, the production and sales were 6.968 million and 6.937 million respectively, with year - on - year growth of 41.4% and 40.3% [77][78]. 3.3 Technical Analysis - On the daily K - line, the price is below the 20 - day moving average. The Fibonacci retracement levels are effective. The main funds are still active, short - sellers are adding positions on rallies. The MACD shows a death cross, and the KDJ is in the oversold area, indicating a wide - range oscillation [85]. 3.4 Industrial Chain Combing Summary - **Influence on Nickel Prices**: Nickel ore and ferronickel are neutral - bearish; refined nickel is neutral; stainless steel is neutral; new energy is neutral - bullish [88]. - **Trading Strategies**: Both the main contract of Shanghai nickel and stainless steel are expected to move in a wide - range oscillation around the 20 - day moving average [90].