CITI Research Lowers Price Forecast for Nickel, Aluminium and Zinc in 2023-2024 But Bets on Higher Copper Prices

Published: May 16, 2023 11:23

Save

CITI Research lowered its 2023 zinc price forecast to $2,882/mt from $2,958/mt.

The bank revised down its 2023 aluminum price forecast from $2,561/mt to $2,475/mt; its 2024 aluminum price forecast from $2,900/mt to $2,800/mt; and its 2025 aluminum price forecast from $3,000/mt to $2,900/mt.

The bank revised down its 2023 nickel price forecast to $23,258/mt from $23,443/mt and lowered its 2024 nickel price forecast to $20,000/mt from $22,000/mt.

However, its 2023 copper price forecast was raised from $8,607/mt to $8,733/mt; the 2024 copper price forecast was raised from $9,000/mt to $10,000/mt; the 2025 copper price forecast was raised from $9,000/mt to $10,000/mt.

More popular news in June

Fitch Says Falling Commodity Demand Causes Industrial Production To Cool Rapidly And Softer Commodity Prices Such As Copper Are Clear Signs Of Economic Slowdown

Key Takeaway from SMM 2023 Indonesia Nickel and Cobalt Industry Chain Conference: Global Nickel and Stainless Steel Market Outlook 2023-2027 and Indonesia’s Critical Role in Attracting Chinese Investment

Oil Price Downturn To Reverse? Saudi Arabia "Declares War" On Bears, Bulls Betting On $100/barrel

China’s Central Bank Makes Huge Cash Withdrawals Today

Rumours Say Yunnan Will Grant 2 Million Kw Power To Local Aluminium Smelters To Resume Production After Being Disturbed By Power Rationing

Daily Updates on SHFE Base Metals and Stainless Steel Warrants, With Nickel Critically Low

Moody's Says US Debt Crisis And Abuse Of Sanctions Will Threaten US Dollar’s Dominance

South China Battles Power Crisis, The Worst This Year

Manufacturing PMI In Euro Zone And Germany Both Pick Up In May, But Still In Contraction Territory

Aluminium Ingot Inventories In China Fall To Alarmingly Low Level

ANZ Bank Is Bearish Towards Iron Ore Prices, Citing Four Key Negative Developments In China

One Of China's Top Two Lithium Giant To Expand Capacity Aggressively As It Bets On Nev And Energy Storage Markets In The Long Run, Despite Cyclical Downturn Of Lithium Carbonate Prices

BHP Plans To Expand Iron Ore Production Aggressively

SMM Morning Comments (Jun 1): Base Metals Closed Mostly with Losses, US Fed Sends Hawkish Signals

Market forecast

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM‘s internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or to learn more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn

For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn

Related News

Apr 30, 2026 22:09

Cautious Stockpiling Amid High Copper Prices, Finished Product Inventories Down Slightly Before Labour Day

[SMM Copper Wire and Cable Weekly Inventory] Despite the approaching Labour Day holiday, overall enterprise stockpiling sentiment remained cautious due to high copper prices. As a result, raw material inventories of mainstream copper wire and cable enterprises in China edged up 2.58% WoW. Finished product inventories side, some wire and cable enterprises suspended quotations during the Labour Day holiday, and some end-users cautiously picked up goods in advance, driving finished product inventories down slightly by 2.42% WoW.

Apr 30, 2026 22:09

Apr 30, 2026 22:08

Copper Wire and Cable Industry Sees Decline in Operating Rates Amid High Copper Prices

This week (April 24–April 30), the SMM operating rate of copper wire and cable enterprises was 65.9%, down 1.09 percentage points WoW. Copper prices hovered at highs this week, and earlier concentrated procurement had front-loaded some subsequent demand. Industry orders in the wire and cable industry remained weak, with operating rates continuing to decline. Next week, wire and cable industry operations will continue to pull back. Most enterprises will have a short Labour Day holiday break, with some choosing to cut production or maintain operations without shutting down. The operating rate is expected to continue falling by 3.12 percentage points WoW to 62.78%.

Apr 30, 2026 22:08

Apr 30, 2026 22:03

Diverse Holiday Production Plans Among Chinese Wire and Cable Enterprises as Labour Day Nears

[SMM Wire and Cable Holiday Survey] As the Labour Day holiday approaches, SMM conducted an in-depth survey on holiday production arrangements among 13 mainstream wire and cable enterprises in China, with a combined sample capacity of 1.67 million mt. The survey showed that enterprises' holiday production plans were divergent. Most enterprises followed their usual practice of maintaining production during the holiday; some enterprises, however, chose to halt production during the holiday due to weakening orders, adjusting their production pace to ease finished product inventory pressure.

Apr 30, 2026 22:03