[SMM Analysis] China's refined nickel shifted to net exports in October, with imports down 66% MoM and exports down 3% MoM

Published: Nov 20, 2025 15:51
Source: SMM
In October 2025, China's refined nickel imports totaled 9,741 mt, down 66% MoM and 6% YoY. China's refined nickel exports reached 13,667 mt, down 3% MoM but up 55% YoY.

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Imports:

In October 2025, China's refined nickel imports totaled 9,741 mt, down 66% MoM and 6% YoY. Among these, other unwrought non-alloy nickel imports accounted for 6,708 mt, representing 69% of total refined nickel imports.
By country, the main sources of imports in October were Indonesia, Norway, Japan, and Russia. Imports from Indonesia increased to 3,660 mt, up 18% MoM, while imports from Russia fell sharply to 1,044 mt, down 95% MoM.

Exports:

In October 2025, China's refined nickel exports reached 13,667 mt, down 3% MoM but up 55% YoY. Other unwrought non-alloy nickel exports accounted for 13,430 mt, making up 98% of total refined nickel exports.
By region, the main domestic export sources in October were Guangdong (38%), Guangxi (29%), and Shanghai.



Customs Clearance Volume:

In October 2025, the net clearance volume of refined nickel was -2,585 mt, down 118% MoM from the previous month. This was mainly due to a sharp decline in imports, with exports exceeding imports during the month, leading to significant oversupply pressure in the domestic market and prompting enterprises to actively seek overseas markets through exports.


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.

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