Nickel Market Report August 2015

Abstract 4
1. International market review 4
1.1 LME nickel prices drop considerably 4
1.2 Import prices for lateritic nickel ore from Philippines edge down 4
2.Chinese domestic market review 5
2.1 Lateritic nickel ore prices retreat 5
2.2 Nickel cathodes market moves down sharply 6
2.3Ferronickel market continues to edge down 8
2.4 Nickel sulfate prices edges down slightly 9
3. Production data 10
3.1 Chinese nickel cathodes output down by 4.75% MOM in August 10
3.2 Chinese ferronickel output down by 5.13% MOM in August 12
4. Lateritic nickel ore stocks in China’s main ports in August 14
5. Import data analysis 15
5.1 Chinese nickel ore imports up by 15.2% MOM in July 15
5.2 Chinese refined nickel and nickel alloy imports up by 22.48% MOM in July 19
5.3 Chinese ferronickel imports down by 5.43% MOM in July 23
6. Company news 27
6.1 Guangda Industry postpones restarting ferronickel production 27
6.2 Yichuan Nickel Industry reduces ferronickel production by 84% in early August 27
6.3 Minghui Industry plans to start ferronickel production at the end of August. 27
7. Related industry developments 27
7.1 300 series stainless steel 27
8. Outlook for September 28
8.1 Lateritic nickel ore 28
8.2 Nickel cathodes 28
8.3 Ferronickel 28
8.4 Nickel salts 28

Picture
Picture 1 LME nickel cash price chart in July-August 4
Picture 2 Prices for Chinese lateritic nickel ore 1.8% delivered-at-ports in July-August 6
Picture 3 Prices for nickel cathodes in July-August 7
Picture 4 Prices for nickel cathodes of Jinchuan brand on spot market in July-August 7
Picture 5 Prices for nickel of Norilsk brand on Chinese spot market in July-August 8
Picture 6 Prices for nickel of Inco brand on Chinese spot market in July-August 8
Picture 7 Prices for ferronickel 10%min in China in July-August 9
Picture 8 Prices for nickel sulfate from Jinchuan brand factory in July-August 10
Picture 9 Nickel sulfate prices from Jinchuan brand in July-August 10
Picture 10 Chinese nickel cathodes output in 2014-15 : 11
Picture 11 Nickel cathodes output in Gansu, Jilin, Sichuan, Xinjiang and Guangxi from 2014-2015 12
Picture 12 Chinese ferronickel output in 2014-15 : 13
Picture 13 Ferronickel outputs in August 14
Picture 14 Chinese nickel ore and concentrate imports in 2014-15 : 15
Picture 15 Chinese nickel ore and concentrate imports from the Philippines in 2014-15 16
Picture 16 Chinese refined nickel and nickel alloy imports in 2014-15 19
Picture 17 Chinese refined nickel imports from Russia, Canada and Japan in 2014-15 20
Picture 18 Chinese ferronickel imports in 2014-15: 23
Picture 19 Chinese ferronickel imports from Indonesia, Colombia, Brazil and Japan from 2014-15 24

Table

Table 1 Lateritic nickel ore market import prices in China 5
Table 2 Ferronickel 10%min purchase prices from some major stainless steel plants in August and July 9
Table 3 Nickel cathodes outputs in China in August 12
Table 4 Ferronickel outputs in August 13
Table 5 Lateritic nickel ore stocks on 28 August 2015 14
Table 6 Chinese lateritic nickel ore import origins in July 16
Table 7 Main Chinese nickel ore/concentrate importers in July 2015 17
Table 8 Chinese nickel ore sand and nickel concentrate imports in July 17
Table 9 Chinese refined nickel and nickel alloy import origins in July 19
Table 10 Main Chinese other unwrought nickel cathode importers in July 2015 20
Table 11 Chinese unwrought non-alloy nickel import enterprises in July 21
Table 12 Chinese ferronickel import origins in July 2015 24
Table 13 Main Chinese ferronickel importers in July 2015 25
Table 14 Chinese ferronickel import origins in July 25

.Asian Metal Copyright43% MOM in July 23 6Asian Metal Copyright