Report Summary 1. Industry Investment Rating No investment rating is provided in the report. 2. Core Viewpoints - The supply of nickel ore in the fourth quarter still has significant room for release, but attention should be paid to possible policy changes in Indonesia [7]. - The stainless - steel industry in the nickel - iron - stainless - steel chain is supported by nickel - iron prices. The supply side actively reduces production to adjust inventory, but overall, it still faces great pressure. Concerns remain about potential inventory accumulation after holidays [7]. - In the new - energy industry chain, the raw material side is supported by tight supply, but the demand increase may be limited [7]. - For primary nickel, domestic production capacity still has a release plan. After de - stocking in the first half of the year due to some demand stimulation, recent inventory accumulation has begun to appear, dragging down nickel prices. In the fourth quarter, the overall supply of nickel ore, premium, and primary nickel inventory should be focused on. If the supply is loose and primary nickel inventory accumulates, the price center will move further down [7]. - The price range for nickel is expected to be between 105,000 - 135,000 yuan/ton [7]. 3. Summary by Catalog 3.1 Price/Base - spread/Spread/Ratio - Nickel price is affected by factors such as nickel - ore premium, cobalt export ban, inventory changes, and macro - sentiment. The price has experienced fluctuations including over - decline, recovery, and weak - range oscillations [13]. - For nickel base - spreads, spreads, and ratios, relevant charts show historical data trends, which can be used to analyze market conditions [15][17][19]. - For stainless - steel prices, ratios, and spreads, relevant charts show the trends of spot premium, contract spreads, and the ratio of nickel to stainless - steel, providing a basis for price analysis [23][25][27]. 3.2 Inventory - **Nickel**: LME nickel inventory has been continuously increasing, exceeding 230,000 tons by the end of September, reaching the highest level in recent years, with significant Chinese brand deliveries. The inventory accumulation of Shanghai nickel is relatively less obvious, with the current social inventory at around 40,000 tons [9][30]. - **Stainless - steel**: The supply side actively reduces production to adjust inventory levels. The current stainless - steel inventory has decreased to around 980,000 tons, with the 300 - series dropping to 620,000 tons [9][33][37]. 3.3 Nickel Ore - **Policy**: Indonesia has strengthened the role of the "government's hand" through systems such as SIMBARA and MOMS, and adjusted nickel - product royalties. The Philippines' plan to ban nickel - ore exports was revoked in mid - June [40][41]. - **Supply and Demand**: From January to August 2025, China's nickel - ore imports increased by 7% year - on - year to 26.1335 million wet tons, and port inventory was about 9.71 million wet tons. By the end of September, the premium of Indonesian nickel ore was 24 - 25 US dollars/wet ton [5][44]. 3.4 Refined Nickel - **Supply**: Refined - nickel production capacity has been continuously expanding, with a monthly production capacity of around 54,000 tons by the end of August. The production using externally sourced raw materials is mostly unprofitable, while integrated MHP production is profitable. From January to August, the cumulative production increased by about 26% year - on - year to 260,000 tons. The cumulative imports increased by 178% year - on - year to 159,000 tons, exports increased by 69% year - on - year to 122,000 tons, and net imports were 37,000 tons [5][47]. - **Demand**: Apparent consumption has increased significantly year - on - year, exports have slowed down, and the domestic electroplating demand has increased relatively obviously [50]. - **Balance**: With the continuous release of production capacity and the weakening of internal - external price differences, the surplus has expanded [9]. 3.5 Nickel - Iron - Stainless - Steel - **Supply**: Affected by the rising nickel - ore prices and average stainless - steel demand, the nickel - iron smelting profit has been squeezed, and the domestic operating rate has continued to decline. From January to August, the cumulative production decreased by 8% year - on - year to 20,000 nickel tons. The nickel - iron production capacity in Indonesia has slightly expanded, and production has been continuously released, with the cumulative production from January to August increasing by 17% year - on - year to 1.113 million nickel tons [5][53]. - **Production and Sales of Stainless - Steel**: From January to August, China's cumulative stainless - steel production increased by 6% year - on - year to 26.33 million tons, and Indonesia's cumulative production increased by 4% year - on - year to 3.23 million tons. From January to August, cumulative imports decreased by 23% year - on - year to 1.02 million tons, cumulative exports increased by 3% year - on - year to 3.36 million tons, and net exports were 2.35 million tons. From January to August, stainless - steel consumption increased by 3% year - on - year to 22.115 million tons [5][6][58]. - **Profit**: Nickel - iron prices first declined and then rose, but generally remained at a low level in the past three years. Chromium - iron prices have strengthened periodically since the beginning of the year, and the theoretical immediate profit has been mostly in the red [61]. 3.6 New Energy - **Raw Materials**: The marginal production scheduling of ternary materials has increased, and the cobalt ban has boosted the demand for MHP, with the spot price strengthening. From January to August, the supply of Indonesian MHP increased by 56% year - on - year to 285,000 nickel tons, and the high - grade nickel matte production decreased by 38% year - on - year to 115,000 nickel tons. From January to August, MHP imports increased by 20% year - on - year to 220,000 nickel tons, and nickel - matte imports decreased by 12% year - on - year to 270,000 tons. From January to August, domestic nickel - sulfate production decreased by 16% year - on - year to 210,000 nickel tons, and imports increased by 7% year - on - year to 160,000 tons [5][10][78]. - **Production**: In 2025, from January to September, the production of ternary precursors was basically flat year - on - year at 620,000 tons; from January to September, the cumulative production of ternary materials increased by 11% year - on - year to 567,000 tons; from January to August, the production of ternary power cells increased by 16% year - on - year to 242 GWh, the production of ternary batteries increased by 15% year - on - year to 255.7 GWh, the installed capacity decreased by 10% year - on - year to 77.3 GWh, and the inventory decreased slightly compared to the beginning of the year to 30.34 GWh [6][10][90].

Report Information - Report Title: Nanhua Nickel & Stainless Steel Industry Risk Management Daily [1] - Date: September 25, 2025 [1] - Research Team: Nanhua New Energy & Precious Metals Research Team [1] Industry Investment Rating - Not provided in the report Core Viewpoints - The nickel and stainless steel markets showed a strong and volatile trend. The nickel ore supply was unstable due to sanctions on mining companies in Indonesia and the approaching quota approval in October. The cobalt price was expected to rise, driving up the prices of MHP and nickel salts. The nickel iron price decreased due to stainless - steel demand constraints, and the stainless - steel market was also strong but with weak spot trading. The decline of the US dollar in the macro - level led to an upward movement in the non - ferrous metals market [3] - There were both positive and negative factors in the market. Positive factors included the proposed revision of the HPM formula in Indonesia, the shortening of the nickel ore quota period, continuous de - stocking of stainless steel, and the takeover of some nickel - producing areas. Negative factors included high pure nickel inventory, tariff disturbances, and weak stainless - steel spot trading [5] Summary by Related Catalogs Price and Volatility Forecast - **Nickel**: The predicted price range of Shanghai nickel was 118,000 - 126,000 yuan/ton, with a current 20 - day rolling volatility of 15.17% and a historical percentile of 3.2% [2] - **Stainless Steel**: The predicted price range of stainless steel was 12,500 - 13,100 yuan/ton, with a current 20 - day rolling volatility of 6.95% and a historical percentile of 0.3% [2] Risk Management Strategies Nickel - **Inventory Management**: When the product sales price declined and inventory had impairment risk, it was recommended to sell Shanghai nickel futures (NI main contract) at a 60% hedging ratio and sell call options (over - the - counter/on - exchange options) at a 50% hedging ratio [2] - **Procurement Management**: When the company had future production procurement needs and was worried about rising raw material prices, it was recommended to buy Shanghai nickel forward contracts (far - month NI contracts) according to the production plan, sell put options (on - exchange/over - the - counter options), and buy out - of - the - money call options (on - exchange/over - the - counter options) [2] Stainless Steel - **Inventory Management**: When the product sales price declined and inventory had impairment risk, it was recommended to sell stainless - steel futures (SS main contract) at a 60% hedging ratio and sell call options (over - the - counter/on - exchange options) at a 50% hedging ratio [3] - **Procurement Management**: When the company had future production procurement needs and was worried about rising raw material prices, it was recommended to buy stainless - steel forward contracts (far - month SS contracts) according to the production plan, sell put options (on - exchange/over - the - counter options), and buy out - of - the - money call options (on - exchange/over - the - counter options) [3] Market Data Nickel | Indicator | Latest Value |环比差值 |环比 | Unit | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Shanghai Nickel Main Contract | 122,990 | 0 | 0% | yuan/ton | | Shanghai Nickel Continuous 1 | 122,990 | 1,540 | 1.27% | yuan/ton | | Shanghai Nickel Continuous 2 | 123,160 | 1,530 | 1.26% | yuan/ton | | Shanghai Nickel Continuous 3 | 123,350 | 1,460 | 1.26% | yuan/ton | | LME Nickel 3M | 15,240 | - 195 | - 1.20% | US dollars/ton | | Trading Volume | 177,030 | 0 | 0.00% | lots | | Open Interest | 99,642 | 0 | 0.00% | lots | | Warehouse Receipts | 25,153 | 48 | 0.19% | tons | | Main Contract Basis | - 505 | 185 | - 26.8% | yuan/ton | [5] Stainless Steel | Indicator | Latest Value |环比差值 |环比 | Unit | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Stainless Steel Main Contract | 12,930 | 0 | 0% | yuan/ton | | Stainless Steel Continuous 1 | 12,930 | 35 | 0.27% | yuan/ton | | Stainless Steel Continuous 2 | 12,970 | 30 | 0.23% | yuan/ton | | Stainless Steel Continuous 3 | 13,030 | 35 | 0.27% | yuan/ton | | Trading Volume | 129,897 | 0 | 0.00% | lots | | Open Interest | 109,896 | 0 | 0.00% | lots | | Warehouse Receipts | 87,505 | - 298 | - 0.34% | tons | | Main Contract Basis | 640 | - 35 | - 5.19% | yuan/ton | [5] Inventory Data | Inventory Type | Latest Value | Change from Previous Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Domestic Social Inventory of Nickel | 41,484 tons | + 429 tons | | LME Nickel Inventory | 230,586 tons | 0 tons | | Stainless Steel Social Inventory | 909 tons | + 11.8 tons | | Nickel Pig Iron Inventory | 28,652 tons | - 614.5 tons | [6] Positive and Negative Factors - **Positive Factors**: The Indonesian APNI planned to revise the HPM formula, the nickel ore quota period was shortened from three years to one year, stainless steel had been de - stocking for several weeks, and the Indonesian forestry working group took over part of the nickel - producing area of PT Weda Bay [5] - **Negative Factors**: The pure nickel inventory was high, there were still tariff disturbances between China and the US, the EU stainless - steel import tariff was uncertain, the anti - dumping duty on Chinese stainless - steel thick plates in South Korea was implemented, and the stainless - steel spot trading was weak [5]

Macro Perspective - The U.S. Markit manufacturing and services PMI declined in September but remains in expansion territory, indicating a cooling in prices [1] - Federal Reserve Chair Powell stated that interest rates are still "moderately restrictive," highlighting the dual challenges facing monetary policy, while also suggesting that the stock market may be overvalued [1] Industry Analysis - According to Huazhong Futures, the 2025 RKAB approval quota provides sufficient raw material security for smelters, although policy disruptions persist [1] - Domestic nickel imports remained high in July, with Indonesian nickel pig iron supply also stable in August, and electrolytic nickel production maintained at elevated levels [1] - Refined nickel social inventory saw a slight decrease [1] Demand Insights - Zhongcai Futures noted that stainless steel performance improved slightly in September, while real estate data from July showed weak seasonal performance [1] - In the new energy sector, the operating rate of ternary materials improved month-on-month in September, with demand showing slight improvement during the "golden September" period [1] Market Outlook - Copper Crown Jinyuan Futures indicated that disruptions from Indonesian mine closures are limited, with nickel ore prices remaining stable and no extreme weather impacts on overseas nickel mines [1] - Domestic southern port shipments are temporarily stagnant, leading to tight supply of intermediate products, with MHP spot resources in short supply and high nickel prices continuing to rise [1] - Nickel iron prices are still on an upward trend, but downstream acceptance remains weak, resulting in a slow pace of price increases [1] - The spot trading of pure nickel is sluggish, with no significant changes in premiums and discounts, suggesting that short-term nickel prices lack clear drivers and may undergo technical corrections [1]

Summary of Cobalt Industry Conference Call Industry Overview - The cobalt industry is currently facing significant changes due to the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) export quota system, which will be implemented on October 15, 2025, limiting exports to less than 50% of last year's production of 220,000 tons, resulting in an export quota of approximately 100,000 tons [1][2][3]. Key Points and Arguments - **Cobalt Price Trends**: Domestic spot cobalt prices have risen from 270,000 yuan to nearly 300,000 yuan, with expectations to reach 400,000 yuan, indicating a potential increase of 35% to 50% [2][3]. - **Supply Tightness**: The DRC's export ban will exacerbate global cobalt supply tightness, with the first shipments not expected to arrive in China until late January 2026. Industry inventory is projected to be fully consumed by the end of this year or early next year, maintaining high cobalt prices [1][3][4]. - **Production Declines**: In August, China's imports of cobalt intermediates dropped by 90% year-on-year, and domestic production of cobalt and cobalt sulfate also saw significant declines of 50% and 26% respectively [5]. - **Future Supply Expectations**: If the current steel and hardware policies continue into 2026-2027, cobalt supply will remain tight next year. The U.S. has announced a procurement of 7,500 tons of cobalt for strategic reserves, impacting metal demand significantly, although market reactions have been muted [6][7]. Investment Opportunities - **Recommended Companies**: Companies such as Huayou Cobalt and Liqin are favored due to their operations outside the DRC, benefiting from supply stability in Indonesia. DRC-related companies like Luoyang Molybdenum, Hanrui Cobalt, and Tengyuan Cobalt are expected to see performance improvements as prices rise [7][12]. - **Huayou Cobalt's Performance**: Huayou Cobalt has 180,000 tons of nickel production capacity in Indonesia, with expected shipments of 120,000 metal tons in the first half of 2025, translating to approximately 24,000 tons of cobalt production. The company is also positioned to benefit from inventory gains due to its significant cobalt salt production capacity [9][11]. Price Forecasts - **2025 and 2026 Price Expectations**: The average cobalt price for 2025 is expected to be around 200,000 yuan, while in 2026, prices are likely to exceed 300,000 yuan, with a potential increase of over 50% year-on-year [8][13]. Additional Insights - **Nickel Price Impact**: Current nickel prices are low, but potential closures of nickel plants in Indonesia could stimulate price increases, which would enhance company performance [10]. - **Overall Market Outlook**: The overall outlook for the cobalt market remains positive, particularly for Huayou Cobalt, with expectations of significant profit contributions from rising prices [13].

Report Investment Rating - There is no information about the industry investment rating in the report. Core Views - For stainless steel, short - term factors include price increases by Indonesian and Chinese steel mills, a flat term structure, and stable raw material prices and production schedules, with a support level at 12,500 - 12,900 yuan. The future market change depends on the transfer of the main position to the 2601 contract [1]. - For沪镍, in the short - term, there is doubt about the September interest - rate cut and the recent decline with increased positions. In the long - term, it focuses on whether the anti - involution market can improve the fundamentals. The support level is 118,000 - 120,000 yuan [1]. Summary by Directory 1. Pure Nickel & Stainless Steel - **Market Trend**: The market is strengthening, and the discount range is expanding [6]. - **Inventory**: The inventory of the entire industrial chain is at a historical high. The inventory of refined nickel has been transferred overseas, and the proportion of LME nickel from Chinese brands is increasing. The stainless - steel warehouse receipts are decreasing [9][10][20]. - **Production Profit**: The overall production profit has recovered, and some steel - mill processes still have profits [12]. - **Production and Export**: Although the production in July decreased, it remained at a high historical level, and external demand was strong [16]. 2. Ferronickel - **Price**: The price of nickel ore is firm, and the high - nickel ferronickel market price is 920 - 935 yuan/nickel, up 5 yuan from last week [27]. - **Production Profit**: Overseas imported ferronickel remains at a high level. Domestic ferronickel steel mills are under pressure from upstream and downstream, with full - scale losses in immediate profits. The profit of Indonesian ferronickel has also decreased. From January to July 2025, China's total ferronickel imports were 6.393 million tons, a year - on - year increase of 1.244 million tons or 24.2% [30]. 3. Nickel Intermediate Products - **Price**: The price of nickel ore is firm, and the cost of nickel ore has weakened. The high - nickel ferronickel market price has increased [27]. - **Production Profit**: The cost of producing nickel sulfate from nickel hydroxide and nickel beans has increased, and the loss of immediate profit has intensified [38]. - **Production**: The production of nickel sulfate, Indonesian MHP, and high - ice nickel is presented in the report. - **Import Volume**: The import volumes of nickel ore, nickel sulfate, MHP, high - ice nickel, and nickel matte are shown in the report. 4. Supply - Demand Balance Sheet - **Global Stainless - Steel Production**: The report provides data on China's and Indonesia's stainless - steel production, capacity, import, export, and apparent consumption from 2018 to 2024, as well as global stainless - steel production [50]. - **China's Primary Nickel Supply**: Data on China's primary nickel supply, including pure nickel production, net import, ferronickel production, net import, nickel - sulfate production, net import, and nickel - intermediate product net import, are given [50].

Report's Investment Rating for the Industry The provided content does not mention the report's investment rating for the industry. Core Viewpoints of the Report - In the short term, the improvement in downstream stainless - steel demand is limited, and nickel prices still face correction pressure. However, in the medium to long term, the US easing expectations and China's anti - involution policies will provide strong support for nickel prices, and the new - year RKAB approval also poses potential positive factors. The downside space for nickel prices is limited. It is recommended to build long positions on dips. The short - term price range for the SHFE nickel main contract is expected to be between 115,000 - 128,000 yuan/ton, and for the LME 3M nickel contract, it is between 14,500 - 16,500 US dollars/ton [12]. Summary by Directory 1. Weekly Assessment and Strategy Recommendation - **Resource end**: The rainy season in Sulawesi ended this week, leading to a short - term increase in nickel ore supply. Most RKAB approvals in Indonesia are nearly completed, with approved quotas of about 3.1 - 3.3 billion wet tons. The tight supply of nickel ore has eased, and short - term ore prices may decline slightly. On August 15, the arrival price of 1.6% grade Indonesian domestic laterite nickel ore was 52.3 US dollars/wet ton (unchanged from last week), and that of 1.2% grade was 24.5 US dollars/wet ton (down 0.3 US dollars/ton from last week) [12]. - **Ferronickel**: Supply decreased slightly due to low profit levels at iron plants. Stainless - steel supply remains low, with August production expected to be flat month - on - month. Downstream speculative restocking in the demand side provides some support for stainless - steel demand, and social inventories have declined for five consecutive weeks. It is expected that stainless - steel supply will increase slightly, driving up ferronickel demand. Overall, the surplus pressure of ferronickel has eased slightly, and prices are stable with an upward trend. A domestic iron plant's high - nickel ferronickel was traded at 950 yuan/nickel (ex - works tax - included) this week, and mainstream quotes rose to 940 - 950 yuan/nickel (cargo - in - hold tax - included) [12]. - **Intermediate products**: For MHP, the external procurement demand from downstream nickel sulfate has been released, while the trading volume from traders is limited, resulting in a shortage of supply and a significant increase in coefficient prices. For high - grade nickel matte, the purchasing enthusiasm of downstream enterprises is relatively weak, market transactions are sluggish, and coefficient prices remain stable [12]. - **Refined nickel**: Nickel prices rebounded slightly this week and then declined, closing at 120,600 yuan/ton on Friday, down 1.2% from last week. The release of US July CPI data strengthened market expectations of monetary easing, but the subsequent PPI data showed resilience, slightly cooling market expectations of interest - rate cuts. In the spot market, downstream orders in the alloy and electroplating industries are scarce, market transactions are dull, and spot prices mainly fluctuate with the futures market, with stable premiums and discounts [12]. 2. Futures and Spot Markets - **Refined nickel prices**: The spot price of Jinchuan nickel was 122,550 yuan/ton (down 410 yuan/ton, - 0.33% from last week), and that of Russian nickel was 120,750 yuan/ton (down 370 yuan/ton, - 0.31% from last week). The LME closing price was 15,195 US dollars (up 80 US dollars, + 0.53% from last week), and the SHFE closing price was 120,600 yuan (down 580 yuan, - 0.48% from last week) [16]. - **Inventory**: LME inventory was 211,700 tons (down 600 tons, - 0.27% from last week), SHFE inventory was 27,000 tons (up 800 tons, + 2.93% from last week), bonded - area inventory was 5,400 tons (unchanged from last week), nickel plate spot inventory was 37,500 tons (up 2,000 tons, + 5.53% from last week), and nickel bean spot inventory was 2,900 tons (unchanged from last week) [16]. - **Premium and discount**: As of August 15, the average premium of Russian nickel spot to the near - month contract was 400 yuan/ton (up 50 yuan/ton from last week), and the average premium of Jinchuan nickel spot was 2,100 - 2,300 yuan/ton (down 50 yuan/ton from last week). The LME Cash/3M nickel discount was 207.88 US dollars/ton, slightly lower than the same period last week [22]. - **Secondary nickel prices**: The ex - works price of domestic high - nickel pig iron on Friday was 916 - 935 yuan/nickel point (average up 7 yuan/nickel point from last week), and the domestic spot price of nickel sulfate was 27,300 - 27,790 yuan/ton (average up 105 yuan/ton from last week) [26]. 3. Cost Side - **Nickel ore**: Domestic port inventories continued to accumulate. As of August 15, nickel ore port inventories reached 1,095.16 million tons, up 6.0% from the same period last week. Nickel ore prices remained stable. On August 15, the arrival price of 1.6% grade Indonesian domestic laterite nickel ore was 52.3 US dollars/wet ton (unchanged from last week), that of 1.2% grade was 24.5 US dollars/wet ton (down 0.3 US dollars/ton from last week), and the CIF price of 1.5% grade Philippine nickel ore was 57 US dollars/ton (unchanged from last week) [34][37]. - **Intermediate products**: In June, Indonesia's MHP production was 39,000 nickel tons (basically flat month - on - month), and high - grade nickel matte production was 25,000 nickel tons (significantly up month - on - month). As of August 15, the FOB price of Indonesian MHP was 12,684 US dollars/metal ton, with an MHP coefficient to LME nickel of 0.86 (unchanged from last week); the price of high - grade nickel matte was 13,054 US dollars/metal ton, with a coefficient to LME nickel of 0.88 (unchanged from last week) [44][49]. 4. Refined Nickel - **Supply**: In July 2025, China's refined nickel production reached 36,200 tons, maintaining a historically high level [54]. - **Demand**: The report analyzes stainless - steel production, inventory, and terminal demand in the manufacturing and real - estate sectors, but specific demand trends are not clearly summarized [56][58]. - **Inventory**: Global refined nickel inventories increased slightly this week. According to Mysteel data, on August 15, the combined visible inventory in China and LME reached 252,000 tons, up 1,027 tons from the same period last month [63]. 5. Nickel Sulfate - **Supply**: The report shows production and net import volume data of nickel sulfate in China, but specific supply trends are not clearly summarized [69]. - **Demand**: The report analyzes the loading volume of ternary power batteries and the production of ternary precursors in China, but specific demand trends are not clearly summarized [72]. - **Cost and price**: The report presents the production cost, price, and profit - margin data of battery - grade nickel sulfate, but specific trends are not clearly summarized [74]. 6. Supply - Demand Balance The report provides quarterly supply - demand balance data from 2023 to 2025, showing that the overall supply of nickel exceeds demand, but the surplus is gradually narrowing. In 2025, the total supply is expected to be 3.7688 million nickel tons, and the total demand is 3.6024 million nickel tons, with a surplus of 166,400 nickel tons [79].

Core Viewpoint - The cobalt market is entering a supply-driven price uptrend due to the ongoing export ban from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and limited incremental supply from Indonesia's MHP [1][4]. Supply - Cobalt reserves are primarily concentrated in the DRC, with major producers including Luoyang Molybdenum and Glencore. The DRC's export ban, first announced in February 2025 and extended in June, aims to manage inventory and support previously low cobalt prices [2]. - Indonesia's MHP production capacity is expected to ramp up significantly, with an estimated cobalt output of 28,000 tons in 2024, accounting for 9.7% of global production. However, this increase may not sufficiently offset the supply reduction from the DRC [2]. Demand - Global cobalt consumption is projected to reach 222,000 tons in 2024, with electric vehicles (43%) and consumer electronics (30%) being the primary demand drivers. Domestic cobalt consumption is estimated at 123,000 tons, with consumer electronics also representing about 43% [3]. - The demand for cobalt in electric vehicle batteries is expected to remain strong, despite some market share pressure from lithium iron phosphate batteries. The shift in NCM materials towards higher nickel content is anticipated to boost cobalt demand [3]. - In the consumer electronics sector, the demand for lithium cobalt oxide, a key component in lithium-ion batteries, is expected to rise due to advancements in AI technology and increased consumer demand for higher battery capacities [3]. Price Outlook - Following the DRC's export ban, China's imports of cobalt intermediate products saw a significant decline of 61.6% in June, indicating a real supply shortage. This trend is expected to continue, with imports remaining low and MHP production not compensating for the reduction [4]. - As of July 25, domestic electrolytic cobalt inventory was reported at 13,111 tons, a 300% year-on-year increase. However, the reduction in imports is likely to accelerate inventory depletion [4].

Investment Rating - The report maintains an investment rating of "Outperform the Market - A" for the cobalt industry [5]. Core Viewpoints - The cobalt market is experiencing a supply-driven price increase, with significant price recovery following the export ban from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) [1][4]. - The DRC's export ban, effective from February 22, 2025, aims to reduce historical inventory and stabilize cobalt prices, which had previously dropped due to oversupply [2][45]. - The demand for cobalt is expected to grow, driven by the electric vehicle (EV) sector and advancements in consumer electronics, with cobalt consumption projected to reach approximately 222,000 tons globally in 2024 [3][19]. Summary by Sections 1. Cobalt: A Strategic Battery Metal - Cobalt is recognized for its high melting point, magnetic properties, and unique catalytic performance, making it essential in battery applications [1][15]. - The price of cobalt has undergone three cycles of increase and decrease since 2017, with the current cycle being primarily supply-driven [13][14]. 2. Cobalt Raw Material Supply - Global cobalt reserves are concentrated in the DRC, which is the largest producer, contributing approximately 75.9% of the global cobalt output in 2024 [21][22]. - The DRC's export ban is expected to impact around 128,000 tons of global cobalt supply over seven months, tightening the market and potentially increasing prices [45][47]. 3. Demand for Cobalt - In 2024, the global cobalt consumption is projected to be about 222,000 tons, with electric vehicles accounting for 43% and consumer electronics for 30% of the demand [3][19]. - The demand for cobalt in high-temperature alloys is also expected to grow, particularly in aerospace and military applications [3][19]. 4. Price Outlook - Following the DRC's export ban, imports of cobalt intermediate products into China have significantly decreased, indicating a tightening supply situation [4][9]. - The report anticipates further price increases for cobalt as imports remain low and demand recovers in the latter half of 2025 [4][9]. 5. Key Companies to Watch - Major players in the cobalt industry include Luoyang Molybdenum, which is the largest cobalt supplier globally, and other companies like Huayou Cobalt and Greeenmei, which are also significant contributors to cobalt production [6][20][41].

Group 1: Report Industry Investment Rating - Not provided in the content Group 2: Core Viewpoints of the Report - In the short term, stainless steel prices have stabilized, and some traders have started speculative stocking. However, with high stainless - steel inventories, the impact of speculative demand is expected to be limited, and the oversupply situation is difficult to reverse. In the context of weak demand, although the ore price has fallen, downstream smelters lack the motivation to expand production. It is expected that the ore price will continue to decline, driving the price center of the industrial chain to move down further. It is recommended to sell high in the operation. The short - term price range of the main contract of Shanghai Nickel is expected to be 115,000 - 128,000 yuan/ton, and that of the LME 3M contract is 14,500 - 16,500 US dollars/ton [11] Group 3: Summaries According to the Directory 1. Weekly Assessment and Strategy Recommendation - **Resource end**: The nickel ore price has generally declined. The supply of wet - process ore is stable with a stable price, while the price of pyrometallurgical ore is under pressure. It is expected that the nickel ore price will continue to decline due to weak demand [11] - **Ferronickel**: The market sentiment has slightly improved, and the supplier's quotation has increased. The market price of scattered orders has risen to 920 yuan/nickel (including tax at the hatch bottom). The ferronickel price is running steadily and strongly, but there is still an oversupply pressure [11] - **Intermediate products**: The supply of intermediate products is expected to loosen. The supply of high - grade nickel matte in July is expected to increase significantly compared with the previous month, and the output of MHP is expected to remain at a high level [11] - **Refined nickel**: The nickel price is running strongly driven by the rise of ferronickel price. The spot trading has turned cold, and the global nickel visible inventory has decreased by 1.43% to 243,000 tons, with inventory accumulation in China and inventory reduction in LME [11] 2. Spot and Futures Market - **Spot market**: The prices of Jinchuan nickel and Russian nickel have decreased, with a decline of 0.52% and 0.58% respectively. The LME closing price has increased slightly by 0.07%, and the SHFE closing price has decreased by 0.73%. The import loss has decreased [15] - **Futures market**: The LME nickel open interest has decreased by 3.73%, and the SHFE open interest has increased by 7.71%. The LME inventory has increased by 0.68%, and the SHFE inventory has increased by 0.92% [15] - **Inventory**: The bonded - area inventory has increased by 3.71%, the nickel plate spot inventory has increased by 4.97%, and the nickel bean spot inventory has increased by 0.34% [15] - **Nickel spot premium**: The domestic refined nickel spot premium is relatively strong. The Russian nickel spot premium is 350 yuan/ton, unchanged from last week. The LME nickel Cash/3M discount is 204.70 US dollars/ton, slightly lower than last week [22] - **Secondary nickel price**: The ferronickel price is running steadily and strongly, and the market price of scattered orders has risen to 920 yuan/nickel (including tax at the hatch bottom) [25] 3. Cost End - **Nickel ore**: The domestic port inventory has increased significantly, reaching 9.8787 million tons as of July 25, an increase of 4.2% compared with the same period last week. The nickel ore price is under pressure, and the prices of some grades of nickel ore in Indonesia and the Philippines are unchanged from last week [32][35] - **Ferronickel**: Not further elaborated in this part - **Intermediate products**: In June, the output of MHP in Indonesia was 39,000 nickel tons, basically unchanged from the previous month, and the output of high - grade nickel matte was 25,000 nickel tons, a significant increase from the previous month. As of July 25, the FOB prices of Indonesian MHP and high - grade nickel matte and their coefficients to LME nickel are unchanged from last week [42][47] 4. Refined Nickel - **Supply**: In June 2025, the national refined nickel output reached 34,500 tons, maintaining a historically high level [52] - **Demand**: Not further elaborated in this part - **Import and export**: Not further elaborated in this part - **Inventory**: The global refined nickel inventory has decreased slightly. The global nickel visible inventory has decreased by 1.43% to 243,000 tons, with inventory accumulation in China and inventory reduction in LME. The LME nickel inventory has decreased by 3,654 tons to 204,000 tons, a decline of 1.76% [61] - **Cost**: Not further elaborated in this part 5. Nickel Sulfate - **Supply**: Not further elaborated in this part - **Demand**: Not further elaborated in this part - **Cost and price**: Not further elaborated in this part 6. Supply - Demand Balance - From 2023 to 2025, the total supply of nickel is generally greater than the total demand, and the supply - demand gap shows an increasing trend year by year. In 2025, the supply - demand gap is expected to reach 166,400 tons [77]

Report Industry Investment Rating - Not provided in the given documents Core Views - Copper prices are expected to have a weak rebound due to factors such as the expected US copper tariff implementation and limited actual demand growth, with the SHFE copper main contract expected to trade between 77,500 - 80,000 yuan/ton and LME copper 3M between 9,500 - 9,950 dollars/ton [1]. - Aluminum prices may continue to rise driven by low inventory and positive sentiment, but the increase is expected to be limited as the downstream is in the off - season and export demand is weak. The domestic main contract is expected to trade between 20,400 - 21,000 yuan/ton and LME aluminum 3M between 2,550 - 2,680 dollars/ton [3]. - Lead prices are expected to be weak as the supply is relatively loose, and the consumption is suppressed by the anti - dumping tariff in the Middle East [4]. - Zinc prices are expected to be bearish in the medium - to - long term due to the abundant supply, but may show a short - term oscillating and strengthening trend due to positive market sentiment [6]. - Tin prices are expected to be weak in the short term as the supply is low but the demand is also weak, with the domestic tin price expected to trade between 250,000 - 280,000 yuan/ton and LME tin between 31,000 - 34,000 dollars/ton [7]. - Nickel ore prices are expected to decline due to weak demand, and the nickel market is in an oversupply situation, with the short - term SHFE nickel main contract expected to trade between 115,000 - 128,000 yuan/ton and LME nickel 3M between 14,500 - 16,500 dollars/ton [8][9][10]. - Lithium carbonate prices had a significant weekly increase, but the weak reality remains. The Guangzhou Futures Exchange's lithium carbonate main contract is expected to trade between 68,000 - 72,200 yuan/ton [12]. - Alumina prices are expected to be strong in the short term but the over - capacity situation is difficult to change in the year. The domestic main contract AO2509 is expected to trade between 3,000 - 3,500 yuan/ton [14]. - Stainless steel prices may rise slightly due to policy and demand support, but the de - stocking pressure of 304 series products is still prominent [17]. - Cast aluminum alloy prices may rise further due to cost support and positive macro - atmosphere, but may face downward pressure after the increase [19]. Summary by Metal Copper - Last week, copper prices first declined and then rose, with LME copper rising 1.36% to 9,794 dollars/ton and SHFE copper main contract closing at 79,040 yuan/ton [1]. - Three major exchanges' inventories increased by 21,000 tons, and Shanghai bonded area inventory increased by 2,000 tons [1]. - The spot import loss narrowed, and the Yangshan copper premium increased [1]. - The LME market's Cash/3M discount widened, and the domestic basis quotes were differentiated [1]. - The refined - scrap copper price difference was 960 yuan/ton, and the operating rate of recycled copper rod enterprises increased slightly [1]. Aluminum - Last week, aluminum prices declined and then rebounded, with SHFE aluminum main contract falling 0.89% and LME aluminum rising 1.38% to 2,638 dollars/ton [3]. - The SHFE aluminum weighted contract's open interest decreased by 55,000 lots, and the futures warehouse receipts increased to 67,000 tons [3]. - Domestic aluminum ingot inventory increased to 492,000 tons, and the bonded area inventory decreased to 116,000 tons [3]. - The operating rate of major domestic aluminum product enterprises continued to decline [3]. Lead - On Friday, SHFE lead index fell 0.16% to 16,836 yuan/ton, and LME lead 3S rose 3 to 1,977 dollars/ton [4]. - The refined - scrap lead price difference was at par, and the price of lead - acid batteries stopped falling and stabilized [4]. - The supply of lead ingots was relatively loose, and both social and enterprise inventories increased [4]. - The consumption of lead ingots was suppressed by the anti - dumping tariff in the Middle East [4]. Zinc - On Friday, SHFE zinc index rose 0.80% to 22,285 yuan/ton, and LME zinc 3S rose 56.5 to 2,753.5 dollars/ton [6]. - The domestic supply of zinc ore was abundant, and the import zinc concentrate TC index increased significantly [6]. - In June, the domestic refined zinc output increased by 36,000 tons to 585,000 tons, and the supply is expected to continue to increase [6]. - The short - term zinc price may show an oscillating and strengthening trend due to positive market sentiment [6]. Tin - Last week, tin prices fluctuated narrowly [7]. - The resumption of tin mines in Myanmar is progressing, but domestic smelters still face raw material supply pressure [7]. - The consumption in the off - season was poor, and the order volume of downstream factories was low [7]. - The social inventory of tin ingots decreased slightly [7]. Nickel - Nickel ore prices stabilized after a decline, and are expected to continue to decline due to weak demand [8]. - The demand for stainless steel had some support, but the short - term supply - demand contradiction was still large [8]. - The supply of nickel iron may decrease slightly in July, and the over - supply situation is difficult to reverse in the short term [8]. - The supply of intermediate products is expected to loosen [9]. - Last week, nickel prices fluctuated around 120,000 yuan/ton, and the market sentiment was cautious [9]. Lithium Carbonate - The price of lithium carbonate had a significant weekly increase, with the MMLC battery - grade lithium carbonate rising 1,000 yuan on average [12]. - The price of Australian imported lithium concentrate also increased [12]. - The weak reality of lithium carbonate remains, with high production and inventory [12]. Alumina - On July 18, the alumina index rose 1.33% to 3,120 yuan/ton [14]. - The spot prices in some regions increased, and the import window was closed [14]. - The futures warehouse receipts decreased to a historical low [14]. - The short - term price may be strong, but the over - capacity situation is difficult to change in the year [14]. Stainless Steel - On Friday, the stainless steel main contract closed at 12,725 yuan/ton [17]. - The spot prices in some markets increased, and the raw material prices were stable [17]. - The futures inventory decreased, and the social inventory decreased by 1.69% [17]. - The stainless steel price may rise slightly due to policy and demand support [17]. Cast Aluminum Alloy - Last week, cast aluminum alloy futures prices first declined and then rose, with the AD2511 contract falling 0.28% to 19,875 yuan/ton [19]. - The weighted contract's open interest decreased slightly, and the contract spread was stable [19]. - The spot price was relatively stable, and the production cost increased [19]. - The production volume increased, and the total inventory decreased [19].