Shanghai nickel rallies on renewed concerns over Indonesia export ban

Published: Aug 5, 2019 13:59

Save

The SHFE 1910 contract hit a fresh 13-month high of 119,360 yuan/mt

SHANGHAI, Aug 5 (SMM) – Shanghai nickel prices jumped in the morning of Monday August 5, bolstered by renewed concerns over Indonesia’s export ban on nickel ore.

The most active October contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange hit a fresh 13-month high of 119,360 yuan/mt this morning, above the highest level of 119,240 yuan/mt in the previous rally in early July.

Concerns about Indonesia’s export ban was rekindled by market talks that the country’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) has approved the ban on raw ore exports and that details about the decision will be announced on Monday August 5.

This means that Indonesia, a major source of nickel ore, will likely advance its export ban from the previously scheduled 2022.

Some Chinese nickel ore traders told SMM that they did hear of the market talks, but Indonesian miners such as Antam and Sambas said that they have yet to receive any notices.

Market commentary 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 for 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

Jun 19, 2026 14:18

[SMM Stainless Steel Flash] Asian Stainless Steel Prices Hold Steady for Third Consecutive Week Amid Quiet Market

Asian stainless steel prices held stable for a third consecutive week, with Chinese Taiwan's export quotes unchanged and Chinese export offers rebounding to steady levels after a brief dip earlier in the month. Raw material trends diverged, LME nickel prices softened while Indonesian NPI gained ground; Chinese domestic ferronickel stabilized and stainless steel futures posted a weekly gain. Trading activity remains quiet during the traditional off-season, though consumption levels are running ahead of the same period last year. A recent Middle East peace accord helped nickel prices bounce back, pointing to a firm short-term market trend.

Jun 19, 2026 14:18

Jun 19, 2026 11:40

【SMM Flash News】Another Decrease of Indonesia's HMA Nickel in Second Period of June

The Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has officially released the Nickel Mineral Reference Price (HMA) for the second half of June 2026. The HMA for the second half of June is as follows: the nickel price is $18,642.33 per ton (compared to the first half of June 2026, 18799.29 USD/ton), a decrease of 156.95 USD of 0.83%; the price of cobalt is 55,852.33 US dollars per ton; the HMA of iron ore is 1.58 USD/ton; and the HMA of chrome ore price is 6.37 USD/ton. • Ni 1.2%: USD 49.53/wmt (↓ $0.32) • Ni 1.3%: USD 54.25/wmt (↓ $0.36) • Ni 1.4%: USD 59.52/wmt (↓ $0.48) • Ni 1.5%: USD 64.73/wmt (↓ $0.52) • Ni 1.6%: USD 70.19/wmt (↓ $0.57)

Jun 19, 2026 11:40

Jun 18, 2026 18:14

Costs of High-Grade NPI in China Drop as Philippine Ore Arrivals Increase, Profitability Gap Widens

[SMM Nickel Flash] This week, the cost trends of high-grade NPI in and outside China diverged once again, with the profitability gap continuing to widen. The cash cost of high-grade NPI in China extended its downward trend, primarily driven by increased arrivals of Philippine nickel ore and persistently weakening prices, directly reducing smelting’s core raw material costs, while overall production costs pulled back in tandem.

Jun 18, 2026 18:14