Nickel Price Fluctuations: Continued Decline in Early Trading for Consecutive Days [SMM Nickel Spot Midday Review]

Published: Feb 18, 2025 14:16
【Nickel Prices Continued to Decline in the Early Trading Session】The mainstream spot premiums for Jinchuan Nickel No. 1 were in the quotation range of 2,000-2,200 yuan/mt, with an average premium of 2,100 yuan/mt, remaining unchanged from the previous trading day. The premiums and discounts for Russian nickel were in the quotation range of -100 to 100 yuan/mt, on par with the previous trading day.

SMM February 18:

Spot Premiums/Discounts: The mainstream spot premiums for Jinchuan Nickel No.1 were quoted in the range of 2,000-2,200 yuan/mt, with an average premium of 2,100 yuan/mt, unchanged from the previous trading day. The spot premiums/discounts for Russian nickel were quoted in the range of -100 to 100 yuan/mt, on par with the previous trading day.

Futures: Nickel prices rose during the night session but opened lower in the morning session, down by 0.22%, reaching a low of 123,590 yuan/mt.

Spot Premiums/Discounts: The premiums for Jinchuan-branded nickel remained stable yesterday, mainly due to sluggish recent transactions.

Nickel prices continued to decline after the opening today. From a technical perspective, the SHFE nickel 2503 contract has recently been under pressure, pulling back below the 60-day moving average, with an expansion in the green bar area, indicating some downside room in the short term.

Price Spread With Nickel Sulphate: Today, nickel briquette prices were at 123,150-123,400 yuan/mt, with an average price of 123,275 yuan/mt, up by 225 yuan/mt compared to the previous trading day's spot price. Nickel sulphate remained at a discount to refined nickel.

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
1 hour ago
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.
1 hour ago
High-Grade NPI Prices Fall, Expected to Stabilize as Chinese New Year Approaches
1 hour ago
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.
1 hour ago
Nickel Prices Drop: SMM 10-12% High-Grade NPI Down 17.2 Yuan, Indonesia NPI FOB Index Falls 2.06 $/mtu
1 hour ago
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.
1 hour ago