SHANGHAI, Mar 27 (SMM) - Last Friday, the average price of SMM 8-12% high-grade NPI was 1,147.5 yuan/mtu (ex-factory, including tax), down 32.5 yuan/mtu from the previous trading day and 52.5 yuan/mtu from the previous Friday. The NPI was mainly traded between a stainless steel mill and traders. The traders greatly reduced their prices to withdraw funds. On the demand side, stainless steel mills cut their production intensively amid high in-plant inventory and poor demand. The prices of stainless steel fell greatly following the price trend of raw materials. And the profit margins grew only slightly. The mills only accepted lower prices of raw materials. NPI inventories were mainly held by traders. The market was still in a supply surplus amid the sharp production reduction of stainless steel despite the production cuts carried out by Chinese and Indonesian NPI plants. However, NPI prices declined rapidly last week, which were close to the break-even point of the large Indonesia NPI factories, thus those companies intended to raise their quotes. Costs of NPI fell greatly since the traded prices of nickel ore declined. The mainstream prices of NPI will move between 1,130-1,160 yuan/mtu (ex-factory, including tax) this week.


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