** As China's steel demand indicators disappoint, Morgan Stanley says a seasonal restock would bring the metals & mining sector back into focus
** Says, prospects of a meaningful demand inflection in China remain limited in the absence of more decisive stimulus, but sees a modest and seasonal pick-up in activity through year-end
** Steel-making raw materials like iron ore and metallurgical coal are trading into the cost curve, limiting prospects of a sustained price decline from current levels, the broker says
** Mining equities are pricing further price declines, which MS sees as unsustainable
** The brokerage's most preferred mining companies are Endeavour Mining EDV.L, KGHM KGH.WA, Metlen MYTr.AT, Norsk Hydro NHY.OL, Rio Tinto RIO.L (all "overweight"-rated)
** MS keeps "neutral" on Aurubis NAFG.DE, Befesa BFSA.DE, First Quantum Minerals FM.TO, Fresnillo FRES.L, and Glencore GLEN.L
** It downgrades London-listed Chilean miner Antofagasta ANTO.L to "underweight" from "equal weight" citing production risks, a heavy capex cycle and a stretched implied copper price
** The broker's least preferred stocks in the sector ("underweight"-rated) are Antofagasta and Boliden BOL.ST, the latter still challenged on operational/project setbacks and unfavourable smelting exposure
(Reporting by Marta Frąckowiak)