Towards the end of 2019, it could have been carelessly thought that the big upsets caused by the Sino-American trade war were finally on a constructive path towards a solution and the new year of 2020 would bring about a little more consistency. Before even being able to think, or even dream, this, lessons were going to be learned…

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雅加达正慢慢沉入大海

Last month’s correction of nickel prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME), from the highs of over USD 18,000/mt to below USD 16,000/mt can only be described as Act One. Since then the market has slid further, especially since it gradually became clear that the buying spree of the ominous nickel buyer on the LME, and the continual warehouse stock depletions had come…

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英雄吹哨人

The nickel price on the London Metal Exchange (LME) had to give way finally. The high rates of over USD 18,000.00/mt could not hold. However, the highs had also been viewed rather sceptically by quite a proportion of the market. The general economic data, and the stainless steel climate especially, did not really give…

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老大哥正在关注你

The nickel price on the London Metal Exchange (LME) is holding up well – and so far successfully – against the general macroeconomic downward trend. It seems, therefore, somewhat surreal that the LME nickel market, precisely now, finds itself in a backwardation situation. This means that the spot price for immediate delivery is above the futures price (for example delivery in three months), despite good physical availability. In contrast to the 3 months future price, the spot contract is dealing with…

The advance in nickel prices continues. Fired on by repeatedly new rumours about the export ban of Indonesian nickel ores, nickel continually reached new highs. In the middle of August, experts were of the opinion that a decision by the Indonesian President, Joko Widodo about the ban would not be made before October, the beginning of his second term of office. A short time later however, the media was reporting that the export ban was being brought forward…