Nickel Powder Prices Trend and Forecast
North America
Nickel
powder prices in the third quarter showcased a mixed trend in the US
market amid the rising fears of recessions. According to market participants,
LME three-month nickel prices were under pressure, and trading activity was
relatively stable. According to manufacturers, the demand outlook for September
was flat; they were still seeing consumer orders for nickel during the final
month of Q3 2022. However, the market was highly volatile at the time, with
people unwilling to commit beyond October. Although sources had predicted
periodic steel production cuts for some time, reports of closures and rumors of
further suspensions had yet to shake nickel markets. There has been a reduction
due to a few mills taking time off, but this is due to electricity prices
rather than demand. Traders say it is difficult to predict where nickel prices
and premiums will go in this market. As a ripple effect, the Nickel powder
prices for Ex-San Diego settled at USD 22754/MT.
Asia Pacific
In the Chinese market, Nickel powder
prices witnessed a mixed trend during the third quarter of 2022 amidst rising
interest rates and the firm US dollar index. Nonferrous metal prices are under
pressure in July due to the Fed's tight monetary policy. Additionally, the
plants had previously stockpiled high-priced nickel ore inventories; thus, they
reduced production to reduce losses. On the other hand, the macro situation
significantly impacted nickel prices, and the fundamentals were poor, so nickel
prices will remain volatile. Due to weak demand and rising inventory, nickel
prices received insufficient fundamental support in August. Despite a slight
rebound in spot premiums, spot trading has significantly improved. Ore prices
are unlikely to fall as the rainy season approaches, and the Stainless-steel
Prices resumes production in September. As a result of the strong
demand from the downstream steel seasonal demand, Ex Shanghai nickel powder
prices settled at USD 787/MT.
Europe
In the European market, Nickel
Powder prices witnessed a mixed price trend in the third quarter of 2022 amidst
soaring energy costs. According to market participants, nickel powder prices
fell in the second half of the year despite expected seasonality. Because of
high raw material prices and economic uncertainties, global demand for nickel
from the stainless-steel sector remained weak and slow in the third quarter.
The latter include historically high energy and sea freight prices. While
soaring energy costs forced temporary production cuts at several steel mills across
Europe, including those in the stainless sector, speculation about further cuts
spread among nickel market participants. As a result, downstream demand for
nickel powder remained relatively stable. At the moment, the market is
extremely volatile. As a result, Ex Hamburg's nickel powder costs were settled
at USD 22245/MT.
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