Nickel Market Report February 2012
2012-04-01 16:59:01 【Print】
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Index
Nickel market report February 2012 4
Introduction 4
1. Financial overview 4
1.1. Chinese CPI of January heightens due to Spring Festival 4
1.2. Chinese PMI of February keeps rising with obvious signs of soft landing for domestic economy 5
1.3. Greece salvation agreement concluded with smooth European national bonds auctioning 6
1.4. US economic data positive but lacks consolidation for economy recovery 6
2. International market review 7
2.1. Middle East political situation worsens with crude oil price climbing 7
2.2．European economy situation eases with weak DINIW 8
2.3. Weak USD supports gold price at a high level 9
3. Global spot market review 10
3.1 lateritic nickel ore market 10
3.2 Nickel cathodes market 13
3.3 Ferronickel market 16
3.4 Nickel salt market 19
4 Monthly production data 19
4.1 Electrolytic nickel production 19
4.2 Statistics of Chinese nickel pig iron in February 20
5 Customs data 20
5.1 Imported nickel ore decreases by 36.62% MOM in January in China 20
5.2 Imported refined nickel and alloy decrease by 32.9% MOM in January in China 21
5.3 Top10 unrolled non-alloy nickel enterprises in China in January 21
5.4 Chinese imported ferronickel in January 25
6. Nickel industry developments 27
6.1 Lateritic nickel ore industry developments 27
6.1.1 Indonesia Antam net profits up by 13.5% in 2011 27
6.1.2 Indonesian government requires mines of submitting long-term plan to increase additional value 27
6.1.3. Mnari Nickel sales down by 46% in Q4 of last year due to production halts 28
6.1.4 Indonesia to ban export of non-processing metal minerals in advance 28
6.2 Electrolytic nickel industry developments 29
6.2.1 World’s top 10 nickel producers in 2011 29
6.2.2 Ji’en Nickel lowers base price 30
6.2.3 SMSP and Jinchuan Group talks to build joint venture 30
6.2.4. US nickel export volume elevated by 20.0% and the import volume decreased by 17.9% in December 31
6.2.5 The gap between the supply and demand of global nickel market was 10,900 tons in 2011. 31
6.2.6 SMSP and Jinchuan Group talks to build joint venture 32
6.3 Ferronickel industry developments 32
6.3.1 Xinhai Science and Technology Company plans to expand production for ferronickel 32
6.3.2 Sancai Ferroalloy Group plans to resume production for ferronickel 33
6.3.3 Huaguang Smelting plans to resume production for ferronickel 33
6.3.4 Shunfa Electric Smelting plans to resume production for ferronickel 33
6.3.5 Xinyi Metallurgy postponed to restart ferronickel production 33
6.3.6 Indonesia will put three new ferronickel smelters into operation before 2017 33
7. Stainless steel industry developments 34
7.1 Stainless steel scrap 34
7.2 Stainless steel grade 300 34
7.3 Stainless steel grade 300 34
8 Outlooks for March 34
8.1 Outlooks for lateritic nickel ore market 34
8.2 Outlooks for electrolysis nickel market 35
8.3 Ferronickel market outlook 36
8.4 Nickel salt market outlook 36
Picture
Picture 1 CPI and PPI trends of 2011-2012 5
Picture 2 Chinese PMI in 2011-2012 trend 6
Picture 3 US crude oil futures mainstream contract market price trend 8
Picture 4 USDX trend 9
Picture 5 International gold price trend 10
Picture 6 nickel on LME futures price trend in February, 2012 10
Picture 7 Chinese lateritic nickel ore (nickel content of 1.8%) delivered-at-ports price trend in February: RMB/t 12
Picture 8 Nickel cathodes of Jinchuan brand EXW price trend 15
Picture 9 Nickel cathodes of Jinchuan brand price trend on Chinese spot market 15
Picture 10 Nickel of Norilsk brand price trend on Chinese spot market 16
Picture 11 Nickel of Inco brand price trend on Chinese spot market 16
Picture 12 Ex works price trend of ferronickel 10%min in Feb in China: RMB/mtu 18
Picture 13 Ex works price trend of ferronickel 4-6%min in Feb in China: RMB/mtu 18
Picture 14 Ex works price trend of ferronickel 7-9%min in Feb in China: RMB/mtu 19
Table
Table 1 Inventory quantity and vessel mooring situation 12
Table 2 Statistics of electrolytic nickel production in China in February 19
Table 3 Leading nickel ore and nickel concentrate 10 import enterprises in China 20
Table 4 China top 10 un-Forging non-alloy nickel import enterprises review in February 22
Table 5 un-Forging non-alloy nickel import enterprises in Feb 2012 22
Table 6 Detailed data of Chinese imported ferronickel in January 25
Nickel market report February 2012 4
Introduction 4
1. Financial overview 4
1.1. Chinese CPI of January heightens due to Spring Festival 4
1.2. Chinese PMI of February keeps rising with obvious signs of soft landing for domestic economy 5
1.3. Greece salvation agreement concluded with smooth European national bonds auctioning 6
1.4. US economic data positive but lacks consolidation for economy recovery 6
2. International market review 7
2.1. Middle East political situation worsens with crude oil price climbing 7
2.2．European economy situation eases with weak DINIW 8
2.3. Weak USD supports gold price at a high level 9
3. Global spot market review 10
3.1 lateritic nickel ore market 10
3.2 Nickel cathodes market 13
3.3 Ferronickel market 16
3.4 Nickel salt market 19
4 Monthly production data 19
4.1 Electrolytic nickel production 19
4.2 Statistics of Chinese nickel pig iron in February 20
5 Customs data 20
5.1 Imported nickel ore decreases by 36.62% MOM in January in China 20
5.2 Imported refined nickel and alloy decrease by 32.9% MOM in January in China 21
5.3 Top10 unrolled non-alloy nickel enterprises in China in January 21
5.4 Chinese imported ferronickel in January 25
6. Nickel industry developments 27
6.1 Lateritic nickel ore industry developments 27
6.1.1 Indonesia Antam net profits up by 13.5% in 2011 27
6.1.2 Indonesian government requires mines of submitting long-term plan to increase additional value 27
6.1.3. Mnari Nickel sales down by 46% in Q4 of last year due to production halts 28
6.1.4 Indonesia to ban export of non-processing metal minerals in advance 28
6.2 Electrolytic nickel industry developments 29
6.2.1 World’s top 10 nickel producers in 2011 29
6.2.2 Ji’en Nickel lowers base price 30
6.2.3 SMSP and Jinchuan Group talks to build joint venture 30
6.2.4. US nickel export volume elevated by 20.0% and the import volume decreased by 17.9% in December 31
6.2.5 The gap between the supply and demand of global nickel market was 10,900 tons in 2011. 31
6.2.6 SMSP and Jinchuan Group talks to build joint venture 32
6.3 Ferronickel industry developments 32
6.3.1 Xinhai Science and Technology Company plans to expand production for ferronickel 32
6.3.2 Sancai Ferroalloy Group plans to resume production for ferronickel 33
6.3.3 Huaguang Smelting plans to resume production for ferronickel 33
6.3.4 Shunfa Electric Smelting plans to resume production for ferronickel 33
6.3.5 Xinyi Metallurgy postponed to restart ferronickel production 33
6.3.6 Indonesia will put three new ferronickel smelters into operation before 2017 33
7. Stainless steel industry developments 34
7.1 Stainless steel scrap 34
7.2 Stainless steel grade 300 34
7.3 Stainless steel grade 300 34
8 Outlooks for March 34
8.1 Outlooks for lateritic nickel ore market 34
8.2 Outlooks for electrolysis nickel market 35
8.3 Ferronickel market outlook 36
8.4 Nickel salt market outlook 36
Picture
Picture 1 CPI and PPI trends of 2011-2012 5
Picture 2 Chinese PMI in 2011-2012 trend 6
Picture 3 US crude oil futures mainstream contract market price trend 8
Picture 4 USDX trend 9
Picture 5 International gold price trend 10
Picture 6 nickel on LME futures price trend in February, 2012 10
Picture 7 Chinese lateritic nickel ore (nickel content of 1.8%) delivered-at-ports price trend in February: RMB/t 12
Picture 8 Nickel cathodes of Jinchuan brand EXW price trend 15
Picture 9 Nickel cathodes of Jinchuan brand price trend on Chinese spot market 15
Picture 10 Nickel of Norilsk brand price trend on Chinese spot market 16
Picture 11 Nickel of Inco brand price trend on Chinese spot market 16
Picture 12 Ex works price trend of ferronickel 10%min in Feb in China: RMB/mtu 18
Picture 13 Ex works price trend of ferronickel 4-6%min in Feb in China: RMB/mtu 18
Picture 14 Ex works price trend of ferronickel 7-9%min in Feb in China: RMB/mtu 19
Table
Table 1 Inventory quantity and vessel mooring situation 12
Table 2 Statistics of electrolytic nickel production in China in February 19
Table 3 Leading nickel ore and nickel concentrate 10 import enterprises in China 20
Table 4 China top 10 un-Forging non-alloy nickel import enterprises review in February 22
Table 5 un-Forging non-alloy nickel import enterprises in Feb 2012 22
Table 6 Detailed data of Chinese imported ferronickel in January 25
