Core Viewpoint - China has maintained its position as the world's largest steel producer, with a crude steel output of 1.005 billion tons in 2024, accounting for 53.38% of global production, despite efforts to reduce excess capacity [3][20]. Group 1: China's Steel Industry - China's steel industry is characterized by high production but low profitability, with the net profits of its top four listed steel companies in 2024 not surpassing that of Japan's Nippon Steel [3][5]. - In 2024, China exported 11.07 million tons of steel, with an average price of $755.4 per ton, indicating a trend of increasing volume but decreasing total revenue [20][22]. - China's reliance on imported iron ore is significant, with imports reaching 1.237 billion tons in 2024 at an average price of $106.9 per ton, making the industry vulnerable to international price fluctuations [23][25]. Group 2: Japan's Steel Industry Recovery - Japan's Nippon Steel faced severe losses in 2019 but implemented a comprehensive reform strategy that included shutting down high-cost production facilities and focusing on high-value products, leading to a turnaround in profitability within a year [14][18]. - The company shifted its focus to producing high-margin products, such as special steel, which accounted for approximately 20.96% of its total crude steel output in 2020, compared to only 12.31% for China [17][20]. - Japan's steel industry has benefited from government policies aimed at eliminating outdated capacity and promoting industry upgrades, which could serve as a model for China's steel sector [12][26]. Group 3: Future Directions for China's Steel Companies - Chinese steel companies are encouraged to learn from Japan's past experiences and focus on producing high-value-added steel products to enhance profitability and competitiveness [26]. - The development of high-quality steel products, such as LNG ship steel and aircraft carrier deck steel, indicates progress in technology and product diversification within China's steel industry [26].

Group 1 - In 2024, China's crude steel production reached 1.005 billion tons, accounting for 53.38% of global output, marking five consecutive years as a billion-ton steel powerhouse [2] - Among the top 10 steel producers, six are Chinese companies, highlighting China's dominance in steel production despite efforts to curb excess capacity [2] - The most profitable four listed steel companies in China (Baowu, CITIC Special Steel, Nanjing Steel, and Huazhong Steel) combined net profits in 2024 were still lower than Japan's Nippon Steel, which indicates a disparity in profitability despite higher production [2][5] Group 2 - Japan's Nippon Steel faced overcapacity issues in the late 1990s and significant losses in 2018, but successfully turned around its fortunes by 2020, demonstrating effective management strategies [5][20] - Key strategies employed by Japanese steel companies included securing low-cost iron ore supplies, focusing on high-value steel products, and government support for industry upgrades [14][18] - In 2020, Japan's crude steel production was 83.19 million tons, with special steel accounting for approximately 20.96% of total production, compared to China's 12.31% for special steel in the same year [30] Group 3 - China's steel industry is heavily reliant on imported iron ore, with 1.237 billion tons imported in 2024 at an average price of $106.9 per ton, making it vulnerable to international price fluctuations [37] - The Chinese steel sector is undergoing supply-side reforms aimed at transitioning to higher-value production, with notable advancements in technology and product quality [38] - The establishment of projects like the Simandou iron ore project in Guinea aims to enhance China's self-sufficiency in high-grade iron ore, potentially increasing domestic supply by 3-5% [37][38]

Core Viewpoint - In 2024, China's crude steel production reached 1.005 billion tons, accounting for 53.38% of global output, maintaining its position as the world's largest steel producer for five consecutive years [1] Group 1: Production and Market Position - China dominates the global steel production landscape, with six out of the top ten steel companies being Chinese [1] - Despite the high production volume, Chinese steel companies face challenges such as overcapacity and low profitability [2] Group 2: Profitability Comparison - The combined net profit of China's four most profitable listed steel companies (Baosteel, CITIC Special Steel, Nanjing Steel, and Huazhong Steel) in 2024 is still lower than that of Japan's Nippon Steel [3][8] - Nippon Steel's net profit for 2024 is approximately 110.4 billion yen (around 5.61 billion RMB), significantly higher than the combined profits of the top Chinese steel firms [3][7] Group 3: Historical Context and Lessons - Japan's steel industry faced overcapacity issues in the late 20th century but successfully turned around by focusing on high-value products and strategic resource management [9][22] - Japan's Nippon Steel implemented significant reforms, including shutting down inefficient production lines and focusing on high-margin products, leading to a rapid recovery from losses [30][44] Group 4: Future Directions for Chinese Steel Companies - Chinese steel companies are encouraged to learn from Japan's experience, particularly in enhancing product quality and profitability [58] - The Chinese steel industry is making strides in producing high-value steel products, indicating potential for future growth and competitiveness [59]

Report Information - Report Title: Non-ferrous Metals Weekly Report (Refined Tin) [1] - Date: August 25, 2025 [1] - Author: Wang Wenhu [1] Investment Rating - No investment rating for the industry is provided in the report. Core Viewpoints - The expectation of the Fed's interest rate cut in September has increased, and the total inventory of domestic and foreign tin ingots has decreased. However, due to the复产 expectations of tin mines in Wa State, Myanmar and Congo-Kinshasa, the upside space for Shanghai tin prices may be limited. It is recommended that investors wait and see for the moment, paying attention to the support levels around 248,000 - 260,000 and the resistance levels around 271,000 - 279,000 for Shanghai tin, and the support levels around 30,000 - 32,000 and the resistance levels around 34,000 - 36,000 for London tin [2]. - The positive basis and negative monthly spread of Shanghai tin are within a reasonable range, which is due to the gradual复产 expectations of tin mines in Wa State, Myanmar and Congo-Kinshasa. However, the weakening employment supply - demand in the US has increased the expectation of the Fed's interest rate cut in the second half of the year, and there is an expectation of the domestic traditional consumption season changing from off - peak to peak. It is recommended that investors wait and see for arbitrage opportunities [5]. - The positive spreads of LME tin (0 - 3) and (3 - 15) contracts are within a reasonable range, and the Shanghai - London tin price ratio is lower than the 50% quantile of the past five years. This is due to the weakening employment supply - demand in the US increasing the expectation of the Fed's interest rate cut in the second half of the year, and the relatively low inventory of refined tin at the LME. It is recommended to wait and see for arbitrage opportunities in the spreads of LME tin (0 - 3) and (3 - 15) contracts [9]. Summary by Category Supply Side - **Tin Ore**: Myanmar's Wa State decided on July 11 that the first batch of 40 - 50 mines would resume production after paying fees (the initial incremental output does not exceed 10,000 metal tons and there is a 2 - 3 - month transmission period, with a total of 108 mines). Alphamin Resources announced on April 9 that the Bisie tin mine in North Kivu Province, Congo - Kinshasa, the world's third - largest, would resume production in stages (with production volumes of 17,300 and 20,000 tons in 2024 and 2025 respectively), and the power system repair would take more than 3 months. These factors may lead to a month - on - month increase in China's tin ore production and import volume in August [20]. - **Recycled Tin**: China's recycled tin production in August may increase month - on - month [21][23]. - **Refined Tin**: The capacity utilization rate of refined tin in Yunnan and Jiangxi has increased (remained flat) compared with last week. China's refined tin production and inventory in August may increase month - on - month. Indonesia's export volume in August may increase month - on - month, and the loss in imports and exports may lead to a month - on - month decrease in China's refined tin imports and exports in August [2][27][31]. - **Processing Fees**: The daily processing fees for domestic tin concentrates are fluctuating downward, which may indicate a tight supply expectation of domestic tin ore [16]. Demand Side - **Tin Solder**: The daily processing fees for photovoltaic solder strips have decreased month - on - month, which may lead to a month - on - month decrease in the capacity utilization rate and an increase in the inventory of China's tin solder in August [34]. - **Solder Strips**: China's solder strip imports in August may decrease month - on - month, while exports may increase month - on - month [36][38]. - **Tin - Plated Sheets**: China's tin - plated sheet production, imports, and exports in August may increase (decrease, increase) month - on - month [42]. - **Lead - Acid Batteries**: The capacity utilization rate of China's lead - acid batteries has increased compared with last week. Since tin is an important additive element in lead - acid batteries, this may also affect the demand for tin [44][47]. Inventory - China's refined tin social inventory has decreased compared with last week. The inventory of refined tin on the SHFE has decreased compared with last week, the inventory of refined tin at the LME has increased compared with last week, and the total inventory of domestic and foreign refined tin has decreased compared with last week [10][12]. Price and Spread - The basis of Shanghai tin is positive and within a reasonable range, and the monthly spread is negative and within a reasonable range [3][5]. - The spread of the LME tin (0 - 3) contract is positive and within a reasonable range, and the spread of the (3 - 15) contract is positive and within a reasonable range. The Shanghai - London tin price ratio is lower than the 50% quantile of the past five years [7][9].

Report Summary 1. Report Industry Investment Rating No investment rating is provided in the report. 2. Core View of the Report - The Fed's July meeting minutes signaled a hawkish stance, with most believing inflation risk outweighs employment risk. In the tin market, despite Myanmar's restart of mining permit approvals, actual tin ore output will not occur until the fourth quarter, and the Congo's Bisie mine plans to resume production in phases. Currently, tin ore processing fees remain at historical lows. On the smelting side, production rebounded in July due to multiple factors, but raw material shortages are still severe in Yunnan, and the scrap recycling system in Jiangxi is under pressure with low operating rates. On the demand side, downstream processing enterprises are in the traditional off - season, with most maintaining only essential production and orders being mediocre. Recently, tin prices have fluctuated, with downstream enterprises making essential purchases at low prices. Domestic and LME inventories are on a downward trend. Technically, positions are decreasing, and both bulls and bears are cautious, expecting range - bound oscillations. It is recommended to wait and see, focusing on the 266,000 - 271,000 yuan/ton range [3]. 3. Summary According to the Catalog 3.1 Futures Market - The closing price of the main futures contract of Shanghai Tin was 266,480 yuan/ton, down 1,360 yuan. The closing price of the September - October contract was down 240 yuan. LME 3 - month tin was at 33,770 US dollars/ton, up 68 US dollars. The main contract's open interest of Shanghai Tin was 18,744 lots, down 633 lots. The net position of the top 20 futures was - 1,514 lots, down 642 lots. LME tin total inventory was 1,630 tons, down 25 tons. Shanghai Futures Exchange inventory of tin was 7,792 tons, down 13 tons, and the warehouse receipt was down 25 tons [3]. 3.2现货市场 - The SMM 1 tin spot price was 266,800 yuan/ton, down 184 - 700 yuan. The Yangtze River Non - ferrous Market 1 tin spot price was 268,410 yuan/ton, up 2,300 yuan. The basis of the Shanghai Tin main contract was 320 yuan/ton, up 660 yuan. The LME tin premium (0 - 3) was 81 US dollars/ton, down 8 US dollars [3]. 3.3 Upstream Situation - The import volume of tin ore and concentrates was 1.21 million tons, down 0.29 million tons. The average price of 40% tin concentrate processing fee was 10,500 yuan/ton, unchanged. The average price of 40% tin concentrate was 254,000 yuan/ton, down 2,000 yuan, and the average price of 60% tin concentrate was 258,000 yuan/ton, down 2,000 yuan. The average price of 60% tin concentrate processing fee was 6,500 yuan/ton, unchanged [3]. 3.4 Industry Situation - The monthly output of refined tin was 14,000 tons, down 1,600 tons. The monthly import volume of refined tin was 3,762.32 tons, up 143.24 tons [3]. 3.5 Downstream Situation - The price of 60A solder bars in Gejiu was 173,830 yuan/ton, up 460 yuan. The cumulative output of tin - plated sheets (strips) was 1.6014 million tons, up 0.1445 million tons. The monthly export volume of tin - plated sheets was 140,700 tons, down 33,900 tons [3]. 3.6 Industry News - The Fed's July meeting minutes showed that most thought inflation risk was higher than employment risk, sending a hawkish signal. The National Energy Administration announced that the total electricity consumption in July was 1.02 trillion kWh, a year - on - year increase of 8.6%. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other departments will further standardize the competition order in the photovoltaic industry and curb low - price disorderly competition [3].

Report Summary 1. Report Industry Investment Rating - No investment rating provided in the report. 2. Report's Core View - The tin price has been fluctuating recently. The downstream enterprises mostly make rigid - demand purchases when the price is low, and there are some post - point - price orders. The spot premium has slightly rebounded to 400 yuan/ton, and domestic inventory has decreased, while the LME inventory shows a downward trend. Technically, the position has decreased, both long and short are cautious, and the lower - shadow positive line indicates support. It is expected to fluctuate within a range. Operationally, it is recommended to wait and see for now, and pay attention to the range of 266,000 - 271,000 yuan/ton [3][4] 3. Summary According to Related Catalogs 3.1 Futures Market - The closing price of the main futures contract of Shanghai Tin is 267,840 yuan/ton, a decrease of 250 yuan; the closing price of the September - October contract is 230 yuan lower, with a change of 0; the LME 3 - month tin price is 33,770 US dollars/ton, an increase of 68 US dollars. The main contract's open interest of Shanghai Tin is 19,377 lots, a decrease of 1,627 lots; the net position of the top 20 futures is - 872 lots, a decrease of 159 lots. The LME tin total inventory is 1,630 tons, a decrease of 25 tons; the Shanghai Futures Exchange inventory of tin is 7,792 tons, a decrease of 13 tons; the LME tin cancelled warrants are 120 tons, a decrease of 25 tons; the Shanghai Futures Exchange tin warrants are 7,329 tons, a decrease of 184 tons [3] 3.2现货市场 - The SMM 1 tin spot price is 267,500 yuan/ton, an increase of 1,300 yuan; the Yangtze River Non - ferrous Market 1 tin spot price is 268,410 yuan/ton, an increase of 2,300 yuan. The basis of the Shanghai Tin main contract is - 340 yuan/ton, an increase of 1,550 yuan; the LME tin premium (0 - 3) is 81 US dollars/ton, a decrease of 8 US dollars [3] 3.3 Upstream Situation - The import volume of tin ore and concentrates is 12,100 tons, a decrease of 2,900 tons. The average price of 40% tin concentrate is 254,000 yuan/ton, a decrease of 2,000 yuan; the processing fee of 40% tin concentrate is 10,500 yuan/ton, with no change. The average price of 60% tin concentrate is 258,000 yuan/ton, a decrease of 2,000 yuan; the processing fee of 60% tin concentrate is 6,500 yuan/ton, with no change [3] 3.4产业情况 - The monthly output of refined tin is 14,000 tons, a decrease of 1,600 tons; the import volume of refined tin is 3,762.32 tons, an increase of 143.24 tons [3] 3.5下游情况 - The price of 60A solder bar in Gejiu is 173,830 yuan/ton, an increase of 460 yuan. The cumulative output of tin - plated sheets (strips) is 1.6014 million tons, an increase of 144,500 tons; the export volume of tin - plated sheets is 140,700 tons, a decrease of 33,900 tons [3] 3.6行业消息 - In August, the LPR quotation remained unchanged, with the over - 5 - year LPR at 3.5% and the 1 - year LPR at 3%. On August 18, Wang Yi held talks with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, reaching 10 outcomes. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other departments will further standardize the photovoltaic industry competition order and curb low - price disorderly competition [3] 3.7观点总结 - Macroscopically, the LPR quotation remained unchanged, and the photovoltaic industry competition order will be regulated. Fundamentally, although Myanmar's Wa State has restarted the mining license approval, actual ore production will not start until the fourth quarter; the Congo Bisie mine plans to resume production in stages, and the tin ore processing fee remains at a historical low. On the smelting side, the output increase in July was affected by multiple factors such as the resumption of production by some enterprises and the cleaning of intermediate products, but the raw material shortage in Yunnan is still severe, and the waste recycling system in Jiangxi is under pressure, with the operating rate remaining at a low level. On the demand side, downstream processing enterprises are in the traditional off - season, with most enterprises only maintaining rigid - demand production and receiving goods, and the orders are unsatisfactory. Recently, the tin price has been fluctuating, with most downstream enterprises making rigid - demand purchases at low prices, and some post - point - price orders. The spot premium has slightly rebounded, and domestic and LME inventories are decreasing. Technically, the open interest has decreased, both long and short are cautious, and the lower - shadow positive line indicates support, with the price expected to fluctuate within a range [3] 3.8重点关注 - There is no news today [3]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for Shougang Co., Ltd. with a target price of 4.76 CNY [5][12]. Core Views - The company's net profit attributable to shareholders is expected to grow significantly in the first half of 2025, driven by a decline in raw material prices and ongoing product structure optimization [3][12]. - The report anticipates a gradual decrease in depreciation and amortization expenses, which will further enhance profitability [12]. - The overall industry supply-demand dynamics are expected to improve, leading to a recovery in profitability for the company [12]. Financial Summary - Total revenue for 2023 is projected at 113.76 billion CNY, with a decline of 3.7% year-on-year. However, net profit attributable to shareholders is expected to drop by 41% to 664 million CNY in 2023, before rebounding to 1.52 billion CNY in 2025, representing a growth of 223.1% [4][13]. - Earnings per share (EPS) is forecasted to increase from 0.09 CNY in 2023 to 0.20 CNY in 2025 [4][13]. - The return on equity (ROE) is expected to rise from 1.3% in 2023 to 3.0% in 2025 [4][13]. Product Structure Optimization - The company is focusing on enhancing its product mix, with electrical steel, automotive sheets, and tinplate being the three strategic products that offer higher added value. The total output of these products is expected to reach 7.07 million tons in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 10.9% [12]. - The company plans to develop medium-thick plates as its fourth strategic product, which is anticipated to become a new profit growth driver [12]. Industry Outlook - The report highlights a potential stabilization in steel demand as the negative impact from the real estate sector diminishes. The government is also implementing measures to control crude steel production, which may lead to long-term profitability recovery in the industry [12].

Core Viewpoint - The company is expected to achieve a significant year-on-year increase in net profit attributable to shareholders in the first half of 2025, driven by improved product structure and declining depreciation expenses, alongside a favorable industry supply-demand dynamic [1][2]. Financial Performance - The company forecasts a net profit attributable to shareholders of 642-672 million yuan for the first half of 2025, representing a year-on-year growth of 62.62%-70.22% [2]. - The increase in performance is attributed to a decline in raw material prices, which has outpaced the drop in steel prices, leading to overall industry profit expansion [2]. - The net profit forecasts for 2025-2026 have been raised to 1.522 billion and 1.712 billion yuan, respectively, with an additional forecast of 1.884 billion yuan for 2027, corresponding to EPS of 0.20, 0.22, and 0.24 yuan [2]. Product Strategy - The company is focusing on optimizing its product structure, with electrical steel, automotive sheets, and tinplate identified as its three strategic products, which have higher added value [2]. - In 2024, the total production of these three strategic products is expected to reach 7.07 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 10.90%, accounting for 30.35% of total production, up 2.84 percentage points year-on-year [2]. - The company plans to develop medium-thick plates as its fourth strategic product, aiming to increase production volume and optimize the product structure, which is anticipated to become a new profit growth driver [2]. Cost Structure - The company's depreciation and amortization expenses for 2024 are projected to be 8.036 billion yuan, constituting 7.42% of operating revenue, which is relatively high in the industry [3]. - The high depreciation is due to the establishment of new steel plants and investments in low-emission upgrades and intelligent production lines, but some equipment is reaching the end of its depreciation period, suggesting a gradual decrease in these expenses in the future [3]. Industry Outlook - The industry supply-demand dynamics are expected to improve, with a stabilization in steel demand anticipated as the negative impact from the real estate sector diminishes [3]. - The National Development and Reform Commission has indicated that it will continue to implement crude steel production controls through 2025, promoting consolidation in the steel industry, which is expected to lead to long-term profit recovery [3].

Report Industry Investment Rating - Not provided Core Viewpoints - Due to the weakening US job market, the expectation of the Fed's interest rate cut has increased, but the expected resumption of tin mines in Myanmar's Wa State and Congo-Kinshasa, along with the continuous increase in the operating rate of domestic refined tin production capacity, may limit the upside space of Shanghai tin prices. It is recommended that investors wait and see, focusing on the support levels around 248,000 - 258,000 and the resistance levels around 274,000 - 283,000 for Shanghai tin, and the support levels around 30,000 - 32,000 and the resistance levels around 34,000 - 36,000 for London tin [2] Summary by Related Contents Market Data - On August 13, 2025, the closing price of Shanghai tin was 267,940, a decrease of 380 compared to the previous day; the trading volume was 44,115 lots, a decrease of 37,387 lots; the open interest was 24,776 lots, a decrease of 1,155 lots; the inventory was 7,332 tons, an increase of 33 tons [2] - The closing price of LME 3 - month tin futures (electronic trading) on August 13, 2025, was 33,700, a decrease of 70 compared to the previous day [2] - The total inventory of refined tin at home and abroad decreased compared to last week [1][2] Industry News - According to the data released by the Indonesian Ministry of Trade for June, the total export volume of tin ingots decreased by 18.2% to 4,465 tons, with a year - on - year increase of 0.1%. Exports to Singapore increased by 15.1% month - on - month to 1,063.95 tons, while exports to China decreased by 35.7% month - on - month to 953.85 tons [2] - Stellar Resources extended the exclusive period for the use of infrastructure in the Comstock mining area adjacent to the Heemskirk tin mine project by 6 months. The company is evaluating three development plans and focusing on tailings storage solutions [2] Supply and Demand Analysis - Supply side: Tin mines in Myanmar's Wa State and Congo - Kinshasa are expected to resume production; domestic refined tin production capacity operating rate has increased; the inventory of refined tin in the Shanghai Futures Exchange has increased, while the social inventory in China and the inventory in the London Metal Exchange have decreased [2] - Demand side: The daily processing fee of photovoltaic solder strips has decreased, which may lead to a decrease in the operating rate of China's tin solder production capacity in August and an increase in inventory; the production volume of China's tin - plated sheets in August may increase [2] Trading Strategy - It is recommended that investors wait and see, focusing on the support and resistance levels of Shanghai tin and London tin [2]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses a recent explosion at the U.S. Steel plant in Pennsylvania, highlighting the incident's impact on the company and its recent acquisition by Nippon Steel [2][11]. Group 1: Incident Details - An explosion occurred at the U.S. Steel plant in Clayton, Pennsylvania, on August 11, resulting in two fatalities and dozens of injuries [2][5][8]. - The Clayton plant is the largest coking facility in North America, employing thousands of workers [2][8]. - Emergency services were deployed, and the incident was classified as a "mass casualty event" [7][8]. Group 2: Company Background and Acquisition - Nippon Steel recently completed its acquisition of U.S. Steel, with the deal valued at approximately $14.189 billion, translating to a steel acquisition price of about $616.9 per ton [11][12]. - U.S. Steel has a crude steel production capacity of 23 million tons per year, contributing to Nippon Steel's global capacity of 86 million tons [11]. - The acquisition process involved multiple approvals, including from the U.S. government, which will hold a "Golden Share" to protect domestic production and employment [11][12]. Group 3: Financial and Operational Insights - Prior to delisting, U.S. Steel had a market capitalization of $12.417 billion (approximately 89.2 billion RMB) [2][12]. - The company operates eight blast furnaces in the U.S. and has significant iron ore resources, with an annual production capacity of 23 million tons [12]. - The U.S. market is the largest for steel demand among developed countries, with direct demand projected at 89 million tons for the fiscal year 2024 [12].