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 […]
> Nickel prices spent much of Q3 2025 trading at five‑year lows even as intermediates surged, highlighting the deepening split between China‑led chemical demand and a structurally oversupplied global metal market. Nickel sulphate EXW China climbed 7% across the quarter to RMB 27,800–28,020/t ($3,920–3951/t), its highest since March. Precursor and cathode producers rebuilt inventories in August and […]
> The UK’s EV penetration rate reached 25% of all new passenger car and light duty vehicle sales in 2024, placing it firmly ahead of other major Western automotive markets, such as the US, Germany, and France. But this figure is still a long way behind the adoption of the most advanced regions, particularly China and […]
> Since January 2025, 108GWh of LFP production capacity has been announced in North America through to 2030, bringing the total to 281GWh. These announcements have been driven by the increasing importance of the BESS industry in the US, as tax credits for EVs have been phased out. How is future capacity changing? The new capacity […]
> In the third quarter of 2025, 18 of the largest 25 copper miners reported quarter-on-quarter decreases in their output, including the top four miners. The total Q3 copper production reported by the top 25 miners hit 3.72Mt. “In the third quarter, many companies saw lower production compared to the previous quarter. However, most did not […]
> 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 […]
> Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, specialising in EV supply chain research and insights, reports that 1.9 million electric vehicles were sold globally in October 2025. Rho Motion Data Manager, Charles Lester, commented: “Global EV sales reach 1.9 million units in October 2025, marking a 23% increase year-to-date. Europe led regional growth with a 36% year-on-year increase, driven […]
> 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 […]
> UK energy provider, Octopus Energy, and BYD have unveiled an all-inclusive vehicle-to-grid (V2G) bundle that includes car leasing, a bi-directional charger, and a smart tariff. In one of the first commercially available deals of its kind in the UK and Europe, this is a step towards increasing adoption of V2G, but obstacles remain ahead of […]