Elevated Production Costs, Weak Demand Pressure Nickel Prices Amid Falling Stainless Steel Prices
[SMM Nickel Flash] March 18 News, Supply side, although production costs remained elevated, some upstream traders' offers loosened under pressure from weak end-user demand. Demand side, stainless steel finished product prices generally fell, and amid losses faced by steel mills, bid prices for high-grade NPI procurement declined again, capping upside room for high-grade NPI prices. Overall, high-grade NPI prices still found support at the bottom, but market offers loosened under pressure from the end-user market.