2026 年钴供需展望 20260106 摘要 2025 年全球精炼钴供应量同比减少 11%至 22.8 万吨，但预计 2026 年将恢复至 23.9 万吨。需求方面，2025 年受益于 3C 产品和 AR 眼镜 的增长，需求量同比增长 9.4%至 24.2 万吨，预计 2026 年将达到 25.1 万吨，增速放缓。 2025 年中国精炼钴供应量同比减少 8.6%至 15.18 万吨，预计 2026 年将恢复正增长至 19.35 万吨。受益于银发经济和健康经济的推动， 2025 年中国市场对精炼钴的需求同比增长 20%至 19.3 万吨，预计 2026 年将达到 20.26 万吨。 刚果金出口管控政策导致 2025 年全球原料供应下降 31%，对中国市场 的影响包括湿法中间品进口大幅减少，MHP 进口增加，以及四氧化三钴 等产品进口明显下降，导致 2025 年度中国未锻轧钴进口同比增加 164.9%。 受刚果金出口限制及地缘政治风险影响，2025 年电钴产能受到严重制 约，部分厂商开工率低于 30%。中国电谷 2025 年表观消费同比增长约 10%至 1.7 万吨，预计 2026 年小幅上升至 1.8 万吨。 ...

对于本次业绩大幅预增的原因，公司表示主要得益于三大核心因素： 其一，产业一体化经营优势持续释放。上游资源端，印尼华飞项目实现达产超产，华越项目持续稳产高 产，使得公司MHP原料自给率进一步提高；下游材料业务恢复增长，技术创新能力明显增强，"产品领 先、成本领先"的竞争战略成效进一步凸显。 其二，产品盈利能力提升。受益于钴、碳酸锂等金属价格的回升，公司相关产品的盈利空间得到有效拓 展。 其三，运营效率持续优化。公司持续推动管理变革，大力推进降本增效，向管理要效益，各项运营指标 不断改善。 1月6日，华友钴业发布2025年度业绩预增公告，公司预计2025年经营业绩实现大幅增长，归属于上市公 司股东的净利润及扣除非经常性损益的净利润均呈现显著上升态势。 公告显示，经财务部门初步测算，公司2025年度预计实现归属于上市公司股东的净利润585,000万元至 645,000万元，相较于上年同期法定披露的415,482.52万元，预计增加169,517.48万元至229,517.48万元， 同比增长40.8%至55.24%。扣除非经常性损益后，归属于上市公司股东的净利润预计为560,000万元至 630,000万元，较上年 ...

| 第一部分 前言概要 | 2 | | | --- | --- | --- | | 第二部分 市场回顾 | 3 | | | 第三部分 | 过剩向低成本交割品集中，谨防印尼政策风险 | 4 | | 一、供应端增长集中在湿法产线，火法几乎停滞 | | 5 | | 二、印尼镍矿配额政策风险仍需关注 | 10 | | | 第四部分 需求难寻驱动，或有潜在亮点 | 12 | | | 一、经济增长放缓，降息利好有色板块 | 13 | | | 二、不锈钢供需紧平衡，成本有望抬升 | 14 | | | 三、三元电池占比企稳，新质生产力提供潜在增长点 | | 16 | | 第五部分 供需平衡及交易策略 | 21 | | | 免责声明 | | 22 | 有色板块研发报告 镍年报 2025 年 12 月 30 日 镍过剩犹存 印尼政策风险加大 第一部分 前言概要 【行情回顾】 宏观方面：货币层面较为宽松，利好有色品种金融属性发挥。但经济大 环境仍有较多隐忧，期待"十五五"开年政策工具。 产业方面：2026 年若无印尼镍矿配额扰动，预计过剩略有收窄至 24.5 万吨，但精炼镍过剩再增加 3 万吨，进一步加剧库存压力。过剩向低成本交 ...

南华期货镍&不锈钢2026年度展望 ——供需结构调整周期，随势而动 南华新能源&贵金属研究团队 夏莹莹 投资咨询证号：Z0016569 投资咨询业务资格:证监许可【2011】1290号 一、核心观点 1.1核心观点 2025 年镍市场整体走势先扬后抑，上半年整体受政策以及宏观面带动偏多，印尼年内出台一系列加工规范化 新规，并且出台HMA基准价均带来小幅情绪上移，此外年内中美关系走势进一步扰动风险管理偏好。需求端 的强弱变化作为底部中枢影响着价格的震荡区间，供给端的印尼冶炼与湿法中间品项目继续按节奏释放，整 体供应环境保持稳定，期间虽有政策讨论诸如配额、成本机制调整以及项目审查等，但这些变化并未显著改 变实际产量。由于此前多批新增产能已陆续进入成熟运行区间，市场更关心的并非单次政策表态，而是可能 真正影响实物流向的措施；然而截至年底，供给端并未出现足以扭转格局的变化，使得价格重心仍由需求主 导。 需求端边际增量有限持续压制上方空间，年中新能源强势反内卷浪潮以及出口稳定性波动均在一定程度上引 领了波段性调整。镍元素过剩的局面长期延续也受制于于需求端无法寻求新的突破；新能源领域在固态电池 尚未市场化之前，磷酸铁锂不 ...

1. Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant information provided. 2. Core Views of the Report - In 2026, the fundamental contradictions in the Shanghai nickel market are accumulating, and the volatility is expected to increase. The static reference range is 95,000 - 130,000 yuan/ton. The overall supply - demand surplus pressure persists. The supply side may experience a path switch. The second - phase expansion of low - cost hydrometallurgical production may impact pyrometallurgical processes, and the traditional nickel - to - ferronickel conversion path may face clearance risks. The pricing of various nickel products is expected to gradually converge, with the lower limit anchored to the full cost of hydrometallurgical production. The upward drive depends on Indonesian policy disturbances [2][107]. - Stainless steel has shifted from a situation of strong supply and weak demand to a situation of weak supply and demand. It may tend to fluctuate at the bottom, with limited downward potential. The increase in hydrometallurgical nickel supply may indirectly increase the pressure on pyrometallurgical production but does not directly replace it in the stainless - steel production line. The cost of the pyrometallurgical path is still the bottom - line anchor for stainless steel, with a reasonable safety margin. The upper limit of the price depends on Indonesian and domestic macro - policies, with a static reference range of 12,000 - 13,200 yuan/ton [2][107]. - In terms of strategies, when facing a weak smelting - end fundamental situation and high uncertainty at the mining end, two approaches can be considered: for short - selling, avoid chasing short positions at low prices, consider short - selling at high prices with option protection to avoid extreme Indonesian risk events; for long - buying, dynamically track the cost of hydrometallurgical nickel, including the prices of by - product cobalt and auxiliary sulfur, to find a good safety margin. For stainless steel, the cost still provides support, and the safety margin is better than that of nickel. In 2026, the overall strategy is to try long positions when the price hits the bottom, but avoid over - chasing high prices without clear policy implementation. Also, pay attention to the opportunity of going long on stainless steel and short on nickel when the nickel - to - steel ratio is high, and consider the possibility of periodic domestic - foreign positive/negative arbitrage [3][108]. 3. Summary by Relevant Catalogs 3.1 2025 Review of Nickel and Stainless - Steel Trends: Volatility Narrowed, and the Market Trended Weakly in Fluctuations - In 2025, the overall volatility of nickel and stainless - steel narrowed, and the oscillation center gradually moved downward. From January to March, they trended strongly, with the highest increases approaching 9% and 6% respectively, driven by mining - end rainy seasons, Indonesian quota approvals, and inventory replenishment by major traders. From April to June, they first declined and then rebounded, shifting from fundamental to macro - logical drivers. From July to November, they trended weakly in fluctuations, with the center gradually moving down due to factors such as inventory build - up expectations and weakening demand [5]. 3.2 The Production Cycle Shifts to Hydrometallurgy, Be Wary of Indonesian Mining - End Risks 3.2.1 The Supply of Refined Nickel and Nickel Sulfate Depends on Front - End Smelting - In 2025, the back - end smelting production cycle entered the second half, and the industrial model change led to structural contradictions in supply and demand. The global refined nickel output from January to October increased by 50,000 tons year - on - year to 900,000 tons, with a cumulative year - on - year growth rate of 6%, mainly contributed by China. The global nickel sulfate output from January to October decreased by 10,000 tons year - on - year to 420,000 tons, with a cumulative year - on - year growth rate of - 2%. However, in mid - 2025, China's supply elasticity was released due to a temporary recovery in new - energy demand [9]. - There were structural contradictions in supply and demand. Intermediate products and nickel sulfate were in short supply, while refined nickel inventories increased significantly. The high inventory and selling pressure of refined nickel squeezed the valuation of Shanghai nickel. The tightness of intermediate products was due to the transformation of the industrial model, with resources integrating towards "integrated" or "equity resource + toll - processing" enterprises [10]. - The supply contradiction is concentrated in the front - end, and the increase depends on hydrometallurgical supply. The planned intermediate product projects from 2026 - 2027 may have a total capacity of over 600,000 tons, with hydrometallurgical projects accounting for 87% of the capacity. It is expected that the production of Indonesian MHP in 2025 and 2026 will increase by 130,000 and 160,000 tons year - on - year to 460,000 and 620,000 tons respectively, and the production of Indonesian oxygen - enriched side - blown ferronickel will increase by 20,000 and 30,000 tons year - on - year to 40,000 and 70,000 tons respectively [17][19]. - The competitiveness of RKEF conversion to ferronickel may continue to weaken. In 2025, the volume of converted ferronickel decreased by 100,000 tons year - on - year to 270,000 tons. In 2026, due to the increasing year - on - year growth of MHP and oxygen - enriched side - blown ferronickel, the supply of converted ferronickel may face more severe challenges [25]. 3.2.2 The Incremental Supply of Ferronickel is Limited, but the Stock Elasticity is Still High - In 2025, the supply of Indonesian ferronickel continued to squeeze the Chinese and overseas markets. The global ferronickel output from January to October increased by 150,000 tons year - on - year to 1.84 million tons, with a cumulative year - on - year growth rate of 9%, mainly contributed by Indonesia. The output of Chinese and other overseas regions decreased by 50,000 tons year - on - year to 380,000 tons, with a cumulative year - on - year growth rate of - 10%. The ferronickel market had a certain inventory build - up, but due to cost support, the price decline was limited [28]. - The expected new production in Indonesia is slowing down, and the incremental supply of ferronickel is limited. In 2026, the growth of Indonesian ferronickel production capacity is expected to slow down from 10% to about 5%. It is expected that the global ferronickel supply in 2026 will increase by 60,000 tons year - on - year to 2.26 million tons, with a year - on - year growth rate of about 3%. The strategy for the ferronickel - stainless - steel line is to try long positions when the price hits the bottom, but avoid over - chasing high prices without clear supply disturbances or policy guidance [31]. 3.2.3 The Contradiction in Indonesian Nickel Mines has High Uncertainty - The contradiction at the mining end and the inventory build - up at the smelting end are in a game, and Indonesian policies still have high uncertainty. The pricing of Indonesian pyrometallurgical nickel mines has adopted a "base price + premium" model since 2023. The decline in LME nickel prices has led to a decrease in the base price, but the premium has increased, offsetting the risk of squeezed profits. The total price of Indonesian pyrometallurgical nickel mines increased slightly, which may lead to a 5% increase in the full - cost center of ferronickel produced by Indonesian self - supplied power plants to about $11,000/metal ton [40]. - From the perspective of policy expectations, Indonesia may take appropriate measures to prevent resource over - supply, such as changing the quota approval from three - year to one - year in 2026. However, Indonesia may not want a sharp increase in nickel prices and may prefer to control quotas to prevent over - supply and moderately boost prices [41]. - The cost of Indonesian hydrometallurgical production is rising steadily, and the high cobalt price supports the economic viability of nickel. The price of hydrometallurgical ore is rising moderately, and the increase in the price of auxiliary sulfur has pushed up the MHP cost. However, the increase in the by - product cobalt price can offset part of the cost, so the negative impact on MHP production economics is limited [51]. 3.3 Demand Contradictions may not be Prominent, and Long - Term Potential Lies in Ternary Materials 3.3.1 The Short - Term Growth of Ternary Material Demand is Moderate, and More Long - Term Potential is Expected - The positive and negative impacts of the increase in electric vehicle penetration rate and the decline in the structural proportion of ternary batteries offset each other, resulting in a weak growth pattern for ternary materials. In 2025, the global electric vehicle demand increased by over 20%, while the global ternary battery output increased by only over 10% year - on - year, and the inventory pressure in the industrial chain decreased [53]. - In 2026, the "positive total" and "negative structure" drivers of new - energy demand for nickel will both weaken, but still offset each other to some extent. The global electric vehicle demand growth rate may decline, and the ternary market share may still face pressure. However, the negative impact of inventory reduction on upstream demand is weakening, and the elasticity of demand during seasonal peak replenishment is increasing [53]. - Future potential depends on emerging demands such as solid - state batteries, robots, and low - altitude economy. 2027 may be an important turning point for demand. If the investment in solid - state batteries meets expectations, the ternary material demand may still grow weakly in 2026 but may turn around in 2027 [54]. 3.3.2 The Incremental Demand for Alloys is Limited, and the Raw - Material Structure is Changing - The growth rate of alloy demand is expected to be limited, and attention should be paid to the marginal changes in high - temperature and corrosion - resistant alloys. The overall growth rate of alloy demand has been declining year by year. The demand for corrosion - resistant alloys is under pressure due to factors such as the slowdown in the expansion of LNG receiving stations and the decline in LNG shipping orders. The demand for high - temperature alloys is more resilient, but the orders may be concentrated in leading enterprises [69]. - The price difference between ferronickel and refined nickel may converge in the long run. Some alloy special - steel enterprises may adjust their raw - material structure by using more ferronickel to replace refined nickel, which may intensify the supply - demand mismatch of refined nickel and also provides a new perspective on whether the conversion of ferronickel to ferronickel will be phased out in the long run [70][71]. 3.3.3 The Demand Elasticity of Stainless Steel is Low, and the Supply Rhythm Affects Nickel Consumption - The demand for stainless steel is growing weakly. The demand elasticity is low, and it is difficult to have unexpected performance. From 2020 - 2025, the year - on - year growth rate of apparent demand decreased marginally, mainly affected by factors such as the slowdown in terminal manufacturing investment, the drag of the real - estate post - cycle sector, and overseas trade barriers [89]. - The stainless - steel market has shifted from strong supply and weak demand to weak supply and demand, and the bottom - grinding market may be repeated. In 2025, the stainless - steel market was in a "bottom - seeking" process, and the supply growth rate decreased from over 8% to 3.2%. In 2026, if the stainless - steel market remains undervalued, the excess pressure is unlikely to increase. The strategy for stainless steel in 2026 is to try long positions at low prices, and the upward potential depends on external policy drivers [94][95]. 3.4 Supply - Demand Balance and Outlook 3.4.1 Supply - Demand Balance Sheet - From a static balance perspective, in 2026, the surplus contradiction in the nickel smelting end still exists. The supply side may increase by 80,000 tons year - on - year to 3.86 million tons, and the demand side may increase by 80,000 tons year - on - year to 3.63 million tons, with a surplus of 240,000 tons. The increase in low - cost supply may lower the clearing line for nickel prices, but the upward potential also depends on Indonesian mining - end policies [101]. - Dynamically, there are uncertainties about whether the inventory build - up in 2026 will be as expected, including the impact of Indonesian mining - end policies, the speed of the clearing process, the impact of macro - policies, and the possibility of hidden inventory replenishment [103]. 3.4.2 Conclusion - The fundamental contradictions in the Shanghai nickel market are accumulating, with increased volatility expected in 2026. The static reference range is 95,000 - 130,000 yuan/ton. Stainless steel has shifted to a weak supply - demand pattern, with a static reference range of 12,000 - 13,200 yuan/ton [107]. - The strategies include avoiding short - selling at low prices, considering short - selling at high prices with option protection, dynamically tracking the cost of hydrometallurgical nickel for long - buying, and paying attention to the opportunity of long - stainless steel and short - nickel when the nickel - to - steel ratio is high, as well as periodic domestic - foreign positive/negative arbitrage [108]. - In 2026, the front - end smelting may enter a second peak of low - cost replacement of high - cost production. The pyrometallurgical path still has pressure but also provides a certain safety margin. The static balance is still challenged by Indonesian policies, and the long - term outlook is promising, with 2027 possibly being an important turning point [109][110].

➢ 请务必阅读最后重要事项 | 1 | | --- | | 1 | | 2025 2 | | 4 | | 5 | | 5 | | 6 | | 7 | | 8 | | 8 | | 8 | | 9 | | 10 | | MHP 11 | | 13 | | 14 | | MHP 16 | | 17 | | 18 | | --- | | 20 | | 20 | | 20 | | 21 | | 22 | | 23 | | 23 | | 24 | | 24 | | 25 | | 26 | | 27 | | LME 27 | | 28 | | 30 | | 32 | | 32 | | 图 1:沪绿长期走势回顾 | | --- | | 图 2．镍期货走势 | | 图 3: 期货收盘价(活跃):不锈钢 . | | 图 4: 精炼银升贴水 | | 图 5: 上海期货交易所:镍:成交量 . | | 图 6: 上海期货交易所:镍,持仓量:期末值 . | | 图 7: 上海期货交易所:不锈钢:成交量及当月同比. | | 图 8: 上海期货交易所:不锈钢:持仓量,期末值 | | 图 9: 美元与有色金属 … | | 图 10: 美国:供 ...

1. Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant content provided. 2. Core Viewpoints of the Report - Nickel ore benchmark prices have slightly declined, but the premium operation has been relatively stable. In the nickel - stainless steel industry chain, the transaction center of nickel - iron prices has moved down, the raw material support has weakened, the weekly inventory of stainless steel has increased, and the market has shown a sluggish performance. In the new energy industry chain, the raw material side is tight, but the output of ternary precursors is expected to decline in December. The inventory pressure of primary nickel is becoming more obvious, with the output of primary nickel increasing month - on - month in December. Referring to the cost support of SMM's integrated MHP production of electrowon nickel at 110,000 yuan/ton, one can consider making low - position layouts and waiting for the realization of positive factors, but should be vigilant against macro - disturbances and overseas industrial policy adjustments [5][6]. 3. Summary According to the Directory 3.1 Price - Monthly decline: Shanghai nickel and LME nickel both fell 3.7%, and most product prices in the industry chain declined. For example, the average price of 8 - 12% high - nickel pig iron (ex - factory price) dropped from 925 yuan/nickel point last month to 883 yuan/nickel point this month, a decrease of 42 yuan/nickel point [8][9]. 3.2 Inventory - Weekly changes: LME inventory decreased by 3,744 tons to 254,760 tons; Shanghai nickel inventory decreased by 239 tons to 33,309 tons; social inventory increased by 3,090 tons to 55,349 tons; and bonded area inventory decreased by 200 tons to 2,200 tons [8][16]. 3.3 Supply - **Nickel ore**: The domestic trade price of 1.2% nickel ore in Indonesia remained at $23/wet ton, and that of 1.6% remained at $52.5/wet ton. The premium of Indonesian nickel ore remained at $25.5/wet ton, and the price of Philippine nickel ore remained at $8.0/wet ton [5][22]. - **Refined nickel**: The output of refined nickel in December is expected to increase by 6.2% month - on - month to 27,400 tons [5][24]. - **Nickel iron**: The purchase price of large nickel - iron plants is 880 yuan/nickel point. Traders' inquiries are relatively active, but factory quotations are scarce. There may be production cuts in December [5][26]. - **Intermediate products**: The weekly average spot prices of MHP and high - grade nickel matte have slightly declined. Recently, some intermediate product projects in an Indonesian park have been affected by tailings dam stacking issues, which are expected to last until the first quarter of next year. SMM expects that the MHP output in December will decrease by about 6,000 nickel tons [5][29]. - **Nickel sulfate**: The economic efficiency of producing nickel sulfate from MHP, nickel beans, and high - grade nickel matte has declined [5][34]. 3.4 Demand - **New energy**: In December 2025, the estimated output of ternary precursors in China is 83,200 tons, a month - on - month decrease of 4.04% and a year - on - year increase of 23.09%. Domestic and export demands have declined, and the output is expected to drop. The weekly output of ternary materials increased by 259 tons to 19,261 tons, and the inventory increased by 71 tons to 19,361 tons. In November, the estimated retail volume of narrow - sense passenger cars is about 2.25 million, flat month - on - month and a year - on - year decrease of 8.7%. Among them, the retail volume of new energy vehicles can reach about 1.35 million, and the penetration rate is expected to reach 60% [6][46]. - **Stainless steel**: Most spot prices of stainless steel have declined this month, and the spot premium has dropped by 85 yuan/ton to 425 yuan/ton. The total social inventory of stainless steel in the mainstream markets across the country, measured by 89 warehouses, is 1.086 million tons, a week - on - week increase of 1.34%. Among them, the inventory of the 300 series has increased by 10,000 tons to 669,000 tons. The estimated crude steel production in November is 3.4551 million tons, a month - on - month decrease of 1.7% and a year - on - year increase of 4.12%. In October, the import of stainless steel increased by 3% month - on - month to 120,000 tons, the export decreased by 14% month - on - month to 358,000 tons, and the net export was 233,000 tons. The positions of raw materials and finished products have fluctuated, and the profit has changed little [6][8]. 3.5 Nickel Supply - Demand Balance - The supply - demand balance of primary nickel and nickel sulfate is presented through relevant charts, but specific numerical analysis is not elaborated in the text [91]. 3.6 Options - Information on historical volatility, historical volatility cones, and the put - call ratios of option trading volume and open interest related to Shanghai nickel is provided [96][101].

1. Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant information provided. 2. Core View of the Report The short - term fundamentals of nickel are under significant pressure, and nickel prices may continue to be under pressure. The supply side shows that the price of nickel iron is falling rapidly, the expectation of converting to high - grade nickel matte is increasing, the demand for nickel sulfate is gradually weakening, and the supply of refined nickel raw materials is further supplemented. On the demand side, there is no increase in market demand, and domestic and foreign inventories are continuously accumulating. From the cost perspective, the price of nickel ore has shown a slight decline. If the price cannot remain stable in the future, it may have a negative feedback effect and drive down downstream prices. It is not recommended to chase short positions. Instead, wait for the nickel iron price to stabilize before further observation. The short - term operating range of Shanghai nickel is expected to be between 113,000 - 118,000 yuan/ton, and the operating range of the LME 3 - month nickel contract is expected to be between 13,500 - 15,500 US dollars/ton [11]. 3. Summary by Directory 3.1 Week - on - Week Assessment and Strategy Recommendation - **Resource end**: The price of nickel ore was stable with a slight decline this week. In the Philippines, the cost of domestic nickel - iron smelters was in a more severe state of inversion, the demand for ore weakened significantly, and port inventories accumulated significantly. Although the price of Philippine ore did not decline this week, it is expected to be under pressure in the future due to weak terminal demand. In Indonesia, the production of nickel ore has increased significantly recently, the overall supply - demand of pyrometallurgical ore is relatively loose, and the profit margin of Indonesian iron plants is close to zero, so they have a low acceptance of high - priced ore, and the ore price is expected to decline slightly; the market for hydrometallurgical ore remains relatively dull, and the price is expected to remain stable mainly supported by MHP demand [12]. - **Nickel iron**: Terminal consumption was weak this week, and the negative feedback effect drove the price of high - nickel pig iron to continue to decline. On the demand side, it is currently the traditional off - season for stainless steel demand, terminal consumption is weak, downstream enterprises have high inventories, are cautious in purchasing, and have a strong wait - and - see attitude. On the supply side, the market is bearish, some traders continue to sell at reduced prices, and the market quotation and transaction center of gravity have further declined. In the future, the profit level of nickel iron is already at an absolute low, and the price is expected to change with the ore price [12]. - **Intermediate products**: The short - term supply - demand of MHP remains tight. Driven by the reduction of cobalt export quotas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and strong demand for nickel sulfate, the nickel and cobalt coefficients remain at high levels. High - grade nickel matte plays an obvious supplementary role to MHP, and its coefficient price also remains high. In the future, as the demand for nickel sulfate enters the off - season, the price of intermediate products may loosen [12]. - **Refined nickel**: Nickel prices continued to fall this week. The Shanghai nickel main contract closed at 114,130 yuan/ton on Friday, a decline of 2.70%, and the LME nickel quoted at 14,620 US dollars/ton on Friday, a weekly decline of 1.75%. Macroscopically, the hawkish stance of Federal Reserve officials combined with the lack of economic data made the market sentiment cautious, and risk assets performed weakly. In the spot market, the overall price was stronger than the futures price, and the premium of Jinchuan nickel increased significantly [12]. 3.2 Futures and Spot Market - **Futures nickel price trend**: Nickel prices continued to fall this week. As of November 21, the Shanghai nickel main contract closed at 114,130 yuan/ton on Friday, a decline of 2.70%; the LME nickel quoted at 14,620 US dollars/ton on Friday, a weekly decline of 1.75% [17]. - **Nickel spot premium and discount**: The spot premium and discount remained stable. As of November 14, the average spot price of Russian nickel had a premium and discount of 500 yuan/ton compared to the nearby contract, the same as last week. The spot premium of Jinchuan nickel was reported at 4,000 - 4,400 yuan/ton, with the average price increasing by 300 yuan/ton compared to last week [21]. - **Secondary nickel price**: The price of nickel iron continued to be weak. As of November 21, the ex - factory price of domestic high - nickel pig iron was reported at 882 - 900 yuan per nickel point, with the average price decreasing by 15 yuan per nickel point compared to the same period last week. The price of nickel sulfate gradually weakened. As of November 21, the domestic spot price of nickel sulfate was reported at 27,980 - 28,180 yuan/ton, with the average price decreasing by 310 yuan/ton compared to the same period last week [24]. 3.3 Cost Side - **Nickel ore**: The price of nickel ore was stable with a slight decline. On November 21, the delivered price of 1.6% - grade Indonesian domestic red - soil nickel ore was reported at 52.5 US dollars per wet ton, a decrease of 0.2 US dollars per wet ton compared to last week; the delivered price of 1.2% - grade Indonesian domestic red - soil nickel ore was reported at 23 US dollars per wet ton, the same as last week; the CIF price of 1.5% - grade nickel ore produced in the Philippines was reported at 57 US dollars per wet ton, a decrease of 1 US dollar per wet ton compared to last week [33]. 3.4 Refined Nickel - **Supply**: In October 2025, the national refined nickel production was 33,000 tons, a decrease of 3,000 tons compared to September [48]. - **Demand**: The demand for refined nickel is related to the production and inventory of stainless steel, as well as the terminal demand of the manufacturing and real estate industries. However, specific demand data and trends are not clearly summarized in the text [49][51]. - **Import and export**: No specific analysis of import and export trends was provided in the text [53]. - **Inventory**: The global visible nickel inventory increased by 761 tons to 306,094 tons this week, and the inventory accumulation speed slowed down slightly [57]. - **Cost**: No specific cost - related analysis was provided in the text [58]. 3.5 Nickel Sulfate - **Supply**: No specific analysis of supply trends was provided in the text [62]. - **Demand**: No specific analysis of demand trends was provided in the text [65]. - **Cost and price**: No specific analysis of cost and price trends was provided in the text [67]. 3.6 Supply - Demand Balance - The global supply and quarterly supply - demand balance of nickel from 2019 to 2025 were predicted. From 2023 to 2025, the overall supply of nickel exceeded demand, and the supply - demand gap showed a certain degree of fluctuation. For example, in 2023, the supply - demand gap was 82,900 tons; in 2024, it was 53,200 tons; and in 2025, it is expected to be 126,600 tons [74].

Core Viewpoint - The report highlights the strong performance of Huayou Cobalt in Q3 2025, driven by integrated operations and rising cobalt prices, indicating a positive outlook for the company's profitability and growth potential [4][5]. Financial Performance - For the first three quarters of 2025, Huayou Cobalt reported revenue of 58.94 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 29.6%, and a net profit attributable to shareholders of 4.22 billion yuan, up 39.6% year-on-year. The non-recurring net profit was 4.01 billion yuan, reflecting a 31.9% increase [4]. - In Q3 2025, revenue reached 21.74 billion yuan, marking a 40.9% year-on-year growth and a 12.4% quarter-on-quarter increase. The net profit attributable to shareholders was 1.505 billion yuan, up 11.5% year-on-year and 3.2% quarter-on-quarter [4]. Operational Highlights - The integrated operational advantages are evident, with nickel wet-process capacity gradually being released, leading to sustained overproduction. In the first half of 2025, MHP shipments reached approximately 120,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of over 40%, with expectations for continued overproduction in Q3 [5]. - Cobalt prices have shown significant recovery, with average prices in China for Q1, Q2, and Q3 of 2025 being 192,000 yuan/ton, 239,000 yuan/ton, and 267,000 yuan/ton respectively, primarily benefiting from the export ban on cobalt from the Democratic Republic of Congo [5]. Project Developments - The Pomalaa project, with an annual production capacity of 120,000 tons of nickel metal, has commenced construction, while the Sorowako project, with a capacity of 60,000 tons, is progressing well [6]. - A lithium sulfate project in Zimbabwe, expected to produce 50,000 tons annually, is in the equipment installation phase and is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year, which will further reduce lithium salt production costs [6]. - The first phase of the ternary precursor project in Indonesia, with a capacity of 50,000 tons, has achieved bulk supply, and the first phase of the cathode material project in Hungary, with a capacity of 25,000 tons, is expected to be completed within the year [6]. Market Outlook - The cobalt export quota system from the Democratic Republic of Congo, effective from October 16, 2025, allows for exports of 36,250 tons in Q4 2025 and a total of 96,600 tons from 2026 to 2027. This change is expected to support cobalt prices in the coming years [7]. - Based on the estimated cobalt production reduction of 141,600 tons during the export ban period, and assuming stable demand, the cobalt supply-demand balance for 2025-2027 is projected to be -75,000 tons, -33,000 tons, and -33,000 tons respectively, indicating a potential supply deficit [7].

1. Report Industry Investment Rating No information provided in the content. 2. Core Viewpoints of the Report - In the short - term, the fundamentals of the nickel industry are under pressure. The weakening of ferronickel prices and significant refined nickel inventory pressure are dragging down nickel prices. If the refined nickel inventory continues to increase, nickel prices may not rise significantly and could even decline further. However, in the long - term, global fiscal and monetary easing cycles, combined with China's anti - involution policies, will support nickel prices, and the new RKAB approval in the new year also presents potential positive factors for nickel prices. Therefore, it is recommended to wait and see in the short - term. If the nickel price drops sufficiently (115,000 - 118,000 yuan/ton) or the risk preference is high, one can consider gradually establishing long positions. The short - term operating range of the main SHFE nickel contract is expected to be 115,000 - 128,000 yuan/ton, and that of the LME 3M nickel contract is expected to be 14,500 - 16,500 US dollars/ton [11]. 3. Summary by Directory 3.1 Week - on - Week Assessment and Strategy Recommendation - **Resource end**: Nickel ore prices have been stable recently. In the Philippines, despite the decline in domestic ferronickel prices and weakening demand, the approaching rainy season in the main producing areas has strengthened the mines' willingness to hold prices, so the short - term decline of Philippine nickel ore prices is unlikely. In Indonesia, the overall supply - demand remains loose, but due to concerns about the RKAB approval quotas in the fourth quarter and 2026, smelters have accelerated stockpiling, limiting the downward space of ore prices [11]. - **Ferronickel**: Ferronickel prices have continued to weaken recently. The slow de - stocking of stainless steel social inventory, limited support for stainless steel prices during the peak season, and low procurement willingness of steel enterprises have led to the weakening of ferronickel prices. The market has gradually shifted to trading the pessimistic expectation of the fundamentals after the peak season, and there is still room for further decline in the future [11]. - **Intermediate products**: On the supply side, the market's available and tradable supply has remained tight, strengthening the sellers' bargaining power, and some traders have raised their quotes, providing price support. On the demand side, as the downstream industries enter the peak demand season, enterprises' raw material procurement demand has been released. In this context, downstream enterprises' acceptance of high - priced MHP has gradually increased, and the MHP coefficient price has remained strong recently [11]. - **Refined nickel**: After the holiday, affected by the non - ferrous metals sector, nickel prices rebounded strongly. However, as the upward driving force weakened and market sentiment faded, nickel prices adjusted downward. Macroscopically, the US government shutdown and the continued Sino - US trade frictions have significantly reduced market risk appetite. In the spot market, overall transactions were average, and the spot premiums and discounts of various refined nickel brands remained stable [11]. 3.2 Futures and Spot Markets - **Spot market**: The prices of Jinchuan nickel and Russian nickel decreased, with decreases of 1,420 yuan/ton (- 1.14%) and 1,500 yuan/ton (- 1.22%) respectively. The spot price ratio increased by 0.16 (1.99%), and the import loss decreased by 3.05 percentage points [15]. - **Futures market**: The LME closing price decreased by 105 US dollars (- 0.69%), and the SHFE closing price decreased by 1,020 yuan (- 0.83%). The Russian nickel premium remained unchanged, while the LME nickel premium decreased by 8.2 US dollars/ton. The three - month price ratio increased by 0.18 (2.34%). The LME position decreased by 0.36 million lots (- 1.03%), and the SHFE position increased by 1.44 million lots (6.81%) [15]. - **Inventory**: The LME inventory increased by 1.32 million tons (5.54%), the SHFE inventory increased by 0.13 million tons (3.93%), the bonded area inventory decreased by 0.02 million tons (- 4.89%), the nickel plate spot inventory increased by 0.21 million tons (4.86%), and the nickel bean spot inventory decreased by 0.02 million tons (- 11.88%) [15]. 3.3 Cost End - **Nickel ore**: The report provides data on Philippine nickel ore exports, domestic nickel ore imports, port inventories, and prices in Indonesia and the Philippines through multiple charts [29][31][33]. - **Ferronickel**: It shows the monthly production and production profit of ferronickel in Indonesia and China through charts [35][37]. - **Intermediate products**: It presents the production, import volume, and price of Indonesian MHP and ice - nickel, as well as the price and transaction coefficient of intermediate products through charts [39][41][43]. 3.4 Refined Nickel - **Supply**: It shows the monthly production and enterprise operating rate of domestic refined nickel through charts [47]. - **Demand**: It reflects the demand for refined nickel from aspects such as domestic stainless steel production, social inventory, manufacturing terminal demand, and real estate demand through charts [49][51]. - **Import and export**: It shows the import volume and import profit and loss of domestic refined nickel through charts [53]. - **Inventory**: As of September 26, the global visible nickel inventory was reported at 270,000 tons, and the report also shows the domestic refined nickel inventory and LME regional inventory through charts [56][58]. - **Cost**: It shows the production cost and profit margin of domestic refined nickel by raw material and process through charts [59]. 3.5 Nickel Sulfate - **Supply**: It shows the production and net import volume of Chinese nickel sulfate through charts [63]. - **Demand**: It reflects the demand for nickel sulfate from aspects such as ternary power battery loading volume and Chinese ternary precursor production through charts [66]. - **Cost and price**: It shows the production cost, price, and main raw material production profit margin of battery - grade nickel sulfate through charts [68]. 3.6 Supply - Demand Balance - **Global supply outlook**: It shows the global nickel supply outlook through a chart [75]. - **Quarterly supply - demand balance forecast**: From 2023 to 2025, the supply of nickel has generally exceeded the demand, with a total supply - demand surplus of 82,900 tons in 2023, 2,720 tons in 2024, and it is expected to be 166,400 tons in 2025 [75].