Refined Nickel Social Inventory Slightly Increased This Week

SMM SiMn industry data

SMM zinc industry data

SMM industrial silicon metal price list

Overnight, the U.S. trade deficit narrowed in November as domestic demand slowed, causing imports of consumer goods to reach their lowest level in a year. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Statistics said the trade deficit shrank 2.0% in November to $63.2 billion. It is understood that economists had previously predicted that the deficit would increase to US$65 billion. If this trend continues in December, trade may have no effect on economic changes in the fourth quarter.

The SHFE market was closed last Friday evening. LME copper opened at $8620.5/mt and closed at $8536.5/mt.

As of November 7, the operating rates of 34 EF steel mills that mainly produced construction steel were up 4.35 percentage points WoW at 46.38% as profits recovered significantly amid strong finished steel prices.

In October 2023, the domestic output of refined lead was 321,800 mt, a gain of 1.89% month-on-month and 8.83% year-on-year. The cumulative output from January to October 2023 increased by 15.6% year-on-year. Total production capacities of enterprises in the survey totalled 5.84 million mt in 2023.

China's copper cathode output in October was 993,800 mt, a decrease of 18,200 mt or 1.8% month-on-month, but a growth of 10.3% year-on-year. The output was 2,200 mt lower than the expected 996,000 mt. The total output from January to October was 9.48 million mt, an increase of 967,400 mt or 11.36% year-on-year.

For the week ending November 2, there a decline in lithium hydroxide prices amid slack supply and demand.

Intraday LME nickel Tuesday once rose to more than $100,000/mt with a gain of over 100%.