Nickel sulphate prices in Asia fell to their lowest level in over two years at the end of October, as the nickel price on the London Metal Exchange (LME) reached its lowest monthly level since July 2021. Average prices for nickel sulphate in the CIF Asian spot market declined 6.9% in October to $4,400 per […]
> As the dust settles on LME Week in London, Benchmark reviews some of the key themes that shaped discussions throughout the week and gauges sentiment across metal markets heading towards year end. Across the board, discussions reflected metal markets navigating shifting trade policy, supply-side disruption, and uneven demand recovery. Copper: Arbitrage and disruption dominate discussion […]
> This speech was delivered in a House of Lords reception celebrating relations between the UK, Argentina, Brazil and Chile. It was given by Benchmark CEO Simon Moores. The world of minerals is changing. A new asset class is emerging to sit alongside traditional commodities. The asset class of critical minerals is now driving the supply […]
> Nickel prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) recovered after the Indonesian government announced lower nickel ore mining quotas for 2025. Prices peaked at $15,850 per tonne on 21 January 2025, having been at $15,000 at the start of the month, marking a 6% rise. Though rumours had circulated of the quota being as low […]
> China’s Ministry of Commerce has announced new export control measures on “dual-use products” on national security grounds, encompassing lithium ion batteries as well as cathode active materials (CAM) and anode active materials (AAM). The restrictions were confirmed on the same day that Beijing escalated controls on rare earth elements and associated technologies, ahead of high-level […]
> A year after the London Metal Exchange suspended trading in nickel following a dramatic price spike, the lithium ion battery industry has sought out alternative pricing mechanisms to better reflect the form of metal needed for electric vehicles. Chinese producers of nickel are increasingly using Chinese renminbi prices linked to nickel sulphate prices for the […]
> Prices of all nickel chemicals, except Chinese nickel sulphate, rose briefly in mid April in response to sanctions by the US and the UK banning deliveries of Russian metal supplies for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions, which came into effect over the weekend, halted deliveries of any new Russian supplies of nickel to the […]
> Indonesia’s Forestry Task Force last week seized ~148 hectares of land occupied by PT Weda Bay Nickel in Halmahera, North Maluku, citing a lack of relevant permits. The move marks the first high-profile enforcement in the nickel sector since President Prabowo Subianto vowed to step up action against illegal mining in August. Officials said the […]
> A record-breaking rally in nickel prices that led the London Metal Exchange to halt trading on Tuesday is putting increased pressure on the Chinese stainless steel producer Tsingshan and its billionaire co-founder. Tsingshan, the world’s largest stainless steel producer, is rumoured to have built a big short position in nickel before a 250% rally in […]