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Last week, late resumption across downstream stainless steel plants dragged the upward momentum in NPI prices, even though its supply remained tight in the market. SMM learned that cold-rolled stainless steel producers have yet to fully recover though producers of hot-rolled stainless steel mostly resumed as of Friday February 22.
Prices of the most-active SHFE nickel contract and spot nickel materials increased for five consecutive trading days in the week to February 22. On Wednesday February 20, prices of high-grade NPI started to fell blow prices of Norilsk nickel, standing at a discount of 11.25 yuan/mtu over Norilsk nickel.
SMM believes that higher costs of raw materials will continue to weigh on purchases at stainless steel plants in the weeks ahead.
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