China Sees Continues Declines in Nickel Ore Inventories, with Prices to Rise, SMM Foresees

Published: Mar 20, 2017 09:50
Nickel ore inventories at seven major Chinese ports kept falling last week, Shanghai Metals Market reported.

SHANGHAI, Mar. 20 (SMM) – Nickel ore inventories at seven major Chinese ports kept falling last week, Shanghai Metals Market reported.

Nickel ore inventories at seven major Chinese ports were down 190,000 tonnes last week, according to SMM data.

Will Nickel Keep Falling after Indonesian New Export Policy Changes Market Expectations over Ore Supply? SMM Reports

This week, medium and high-grade nickel ore prices for spot and future delivery are expected to rise due to strong buying interest, SMM foresees. But, price gains will be small given lack of rising strength in the high-grade NPI market. 

SMM expects low-grade nickel ore prices, both for spot and future delivery, to hold largely stable this week.

Sources: Glencore Sells Indonesian Nickel Ore

Last week, no deals were heard for medium and high-grade nickel ore for future delivery due to supply shortages and big price gap between buyers and sellers. Spot transactions were reported at ports, with traded prices holding stable. In the low-grade nickel ore market, prices for future delivery edged up with rising sea freight charges.

For news cooperation, please contact us by email: sallyzhang@smm.cn or service.en@smm.cn.

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
High-Grade NPI Smelter Profits Squeezed as Ore Prices Rise and Sales Prices Dip
9 hours ago
High-Grade NPI Smelter Profits Squeezed as Ore Prices Rise and Sales Prices Dip
Read More
High-Grade NPI Smelter Profits Squeezed as Ore Prices Rise and Sales Prices Dip
High-Grade NPI Smelter Profits Squeezed as Ore Prices Rise and Sales Prices Dip
[SMM Nickel Flash] Based on nickel ore prices from 25 days ago, smelter profits for high-grade NPI remained high this week. However, from the current raw material side, ore prices from both the Philippines and Indonesia increased, while auxiliary material prices saw a slight pullback, leading to an increase in the cash cost of producing high-grade NPI from spot ore. At the same time, high-grade NPI prices experienced some pullback, making it difficult for smelter profits to see sustained improvement.
9 hours ago
High-Grade NPI Prices Fall, Expected to Stabilize as Chinese New Year Approaches
9 hours ago
High-Grade NPI Prices Fall, Expected to Stabilize as Chinese New Year Approaches
Read More
High-Grade NPI Prices Fall, Expected to Stabilize as Chinese New Year Approaches
High-Grade NPI Prices Fall, Expected to Stabilize as Chinese New Year Approaches
[SMM Nickel Flash] This week, due to a sharp decline in futures triggering arbitrage selling, high-grade NPI prices fell significantly. However, after the selling activity subsided, upstream quotations and the market center gradually returned to normal levels, supported by cost factors. Looking ahead, as the Chinese New Year holiday approaches, market activity is expected to remain subdued, and high-grade NPI prices are projected to hover at highs with limited fluctuations.
9 hours ago
Nickel Prices Drop: SMM 10-12% High-Grade NPI Down 17.2 Yuan, Indonesia NPI FOB Index Falls 2.06 $/mtu
9 hours ago
Nickel Prices Drop: SMM 10-12% High-Grade NPI Down 17.2 Yuan, Indonesia NPI FOB Index Falls 2.06 $/mtu
Read More
Nickel Prices Drop: SMM 10-12% High-Grade NPI Down 17.2 Yuan, Indonesia NPI FOB Index Falls 2.06 $/mtu
Nickel Prices Drop: SMM 10-12% High-Grade NPI Down 17.2 Yuan, Indonesia NPI FOB Index Falls 2.06 $/mtu
[SMM Nickel Flash] The SMM average price of 10-12% high-grade NPI fell 17.2 yuan/mtu WoW to 1,035.8 yuan/mtu (ex-factory, tax included), while the Indonesia NPI FOB index average price dropped 2.06 $/mtu WoW to 131.2 $/mtu. At the beginning of the week, futures hit limit-down, and nickel prices fell sharply WoW, driving the emergence of arbitrage supplies sold at low prices, leading to a significant decline in high-grade NPI prices.
9 hours ago