[SMM Analysis] the news stimulated the mood of Nickel City to soar by more than 3%. Wide range is expected to fluctuate strongly in the future.

Published: Jul 24, 2020 18:10

SMM7 March 24: on the morning of July 24, non-ferrous metals collectively floated red, with half of the varieties rising more than 1%, of which Shanghai Nickel was better, rising more than 3% alone, recovering the lost ground in recent days to near the beginning of last week. On the news side, Musk, chief executive of the electric car manufacturer, recently said on the second quarter earnings call: "if you mine nickel efficiently in an environmentally friendly way, Tesla will offer you a huge contract for a long time." At the same time, he said that Tesla's next automatic assembly plant will be set up in Austin, Texas.

Musk called on nickel miners to increase nickel mining, raising expectations of demand for nickel for new energy, while the recent fall in the dollar index has also supported metal prices. The dollar index hit 94.58 yesterday, its lowest level since September 2018, as investors continued to sell dollars on hopes that a surge in coronavirus cases would make it difficult for the US economic recovery to outperform other countries, while an unexpected increase in initial jobless claims in the US last week, announced yesterday, raised fears that the economic recovery might have stalled and US stock markets fell to their lowest level in a week.

In terms of fundamentals, the first line of pure nickel has been weak, and the fundamentals of nickel pig iron and stainless steel can be balanced in the short term after the rise in nickel prices. the recent futures prices are greatly affected by capital, and Shanghai nickel fluctuates widely after it reaches a high level. coupled with the complex international situation, most operators are cautious about expectations. Yesterday, Musk, CEO of electric car maker Tesla, called on miners to increase nickel mining volume, stimulate nickel market sentiment to boost the market, and prices will fluctuate in a wide range in the short term. Shanghai nickel is expected to be 110,000 yuan per ton today, while Lenny is expected to be 13,750 US dollars per ton.

Scan the QR code and join the SMM metal communication group.

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
Feb 7, 2026 16:41
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.
Feb 7, 2026 16:41
High-Grade NPI Prices Fall, Expected to Stabilize as Chinese New Year Approaches
Feb 7, 2026 16:40
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.
Feb 7, 2026 16:40
Nickel Prices Drop: SMM 10-12% High-Grade NPI Down 17.2 Yuan, Indonesia NPI FOB Index Falls 2.06 $/mtu
Feb 7, 2026 16:39
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.
Feb 7, 2026 16:39