Data: China's lead import, export in Feb

The Three-month LME nickel opened at $24,405/mt on Tuesday and gained 2.29% to close at $25,055/mt. While the most traded SHFE nickel contract opened at 180,000 yuan/mt, with an intraday increase of merely 0.87%. If US actually imposes sanctions on Russia, the NORNICKAL nickel plate that were previously exported to US may flow into China.

Imports of cobalt intermediate products were 5,166 mt in metal content in October (calculated at 27% grade), down 30% MoM.

According to customs data, China’s ferromolybdenum and molybdenum oxide exports in October 2021 were 3,178 mt, an increase of 8.35% from September.

Ferro-silico-manganese imports stood at 8,356 mt in October, up 483.52% MoM and 457.07% YoY; the exports registered 7,129.7 mt, up 11.47% MoM and 105.64% YoY. Its exports total 93,090.53 mt from January to October, and the imports stood at 21,799 mt.

Alumina exports totalled 102,400 mt in January-September 2021. The accumulative imports stood at 2.69 million mt in January-September, down 9.42% on the year. The net imports stood at 2.59 million mt in January-September

According to customs data, China's aluminium plate/sheet and strip exports in July 2021 were 262,400 mt, an increase of 11% month-on-month and 53% year-on-year.

China's exports of lanthanum oxide soared 60% year on year to 959 mt in June, up 16% month on month. China's cerium oxide exports surged 62% year on year to 261 mt in June, a drop of 23% from May.

SMM Morning Comments

SMM Evening Comments

Growth of domestic downstream demand for lead is likely to slow this year as lead consumption from power batteries decline, said Xia Wenming, SMM's senior analyst of the lead industry