The SHFE and LME nickel prices diverged markedly in the afternoon trading on Tuesday. The SHFE/LME nickel price ratio shrank from 7.28 to 7.07. The import loss widened to $1,000/mt.

According to General Administration of Customs China imported 8.73 million mt of bauxite in December, up 13.32% month-on-month and 16.4% year-on-year.

The trades remained subdued, and the Yangshan copper premiums changed little. Many trading companies have closed their accounts and are busy with the year-end settlement, lacking purchasing interest for spot cargoes. Import losses fluctuated between 200-400 yuan/mt during the week against the January contract.

As of this Friday, the SMM weighted average alumina price index stood at 3884 yuan/mt, an increase of 64 yuan/mt from before the holiday; Shanxi reported 3850-3950 yuan/mt, an increase of 100 yuan/mt from pre-holiday; Shandong reported 3850-3900 yuan/mt, an increase of 75 yuan/mt compared to before the holiday; Henan reported 3850-3950 yuan/mt, an increase of 50 yuan/mt compared with pre-holiday; Guangxi reported 3700-3700 yuan/mt, Guizhou reported 3800-3900 yuan/mt, both flat from before the holiday; Bayuquan reported 3900-4050 yuan/mt, an increase of 75 yuan/mt from before the holiday.

Total value added of the industrial enterprises above the designated size grew by 7.0 percent year on year in November

China imported 6.1 million mt of bauxite in February, up 43.7% year on year, latest customs data showed

China’s bauxite imports in February grew 43.7% year on year to stand at 6.1 million mt, according to Chinese customs.

Imported refined zinc hit 100,845 mt in December, up 329.4% on a yearly basis. Exports of refined zinc fell to 1,858 mt in December, down 12.8% on a yearly basis.

China's infrastructure investment grew 20% year-on-year to 12.67 trillion yuan for the first 11 months of this year

China’s output of ten varieties of nonferrous metals reaches 4.32 million mt in November, down 6.9%, according to latest data released by the State Statistics Bureau.