POSCO Holdings rebounded above the 310,000 won level during trading, surging more than 4%. The brokerage industry projected that while the recovery pace of its core steel business remains sluggish, the lithium business and major consolidated subsidiaries will likely maintain solid performance trends.

As of the afternoon of the 10th, POSCO Holdings was trading at 311,500 won, up 14,500 won (4.88%) from the previous session, showing strong momentum.

Daol Investment Securities predicted on the same day that POSCO Holdings' second-quarter earnings would slightly fall short of market consensus (estimates). The firm analyzed that continued cost burdens in the steel segment are delaying a profitability recovery in the core business beyond initial expectations.

However, the lithium business is expected to show gradual improvement. In particular, the turnaround to profitability at the Argentine salt lake project and the stable performance of major consolidated subsidiaries were assessed as key elements that will underpin the company's overall results.

On the other hand, the brokerage took a conservative stance on its target price. Daol Investment Securities explained that it lowered its fair value by reflecting a decline in the valuations (multiples) of global lithium-related companies and adjustments to the equity value of its subsidiaries.

The market views the pace of recovery in the steel industry and lithium price trends as the key variables that will determine POSCO Holdings' earnings improvement. While the core steel business requires monitoring of cost burdens and global demand recovery indicators, the secondary battery materials business continues to draw expectations as a medium- to long-term growth driver.

Experts advised that investors should comprehensively monitor future steel market conditions, lithium prices, the expansion of production at the Argentine salt lake project, the earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, and global economic trends.

[※ This article was written with the assistance of AI. It is based on publicly available securities firm reports and intraday market prices, and stock prices and market conditions are subject to real-time fluctuations. Please verify the latest disclosures and market prices directly before making any investment decisions at your own discretion and risk.]