The United States' nickel briquette premium widened in the week to Tuesday August 6 with regional premiums on material offered in a greater range, while China's nickel premium market declined on a lack of import incentive and Europe remained quiet amid summer slowdowns.
US briquette premium widens with business concluded at a variety of levels Chinese premiums down on widened arbitrage loss and good supply European premiums flat on sustained seasonal illiquidityUS briquette premium widens on LME nickel price volatilityThe US nickel briquette premium range widened in the week to Tuesday August 6 amid a volatile London Metal Exchange nickel three-month price, which exacerbated already-erratic premium levels and physical market conditions for briquettes in the region.Fastmarkets' assessment of the nickel briquette premium, delivered Midwest US was at $0.18-0.26 per lb on Tuesday August 6, widening from $0.20-0.24 per lb the previous week.Although many deals were reported within the range, there were some outside on both the high and low ends amid market reports that the US nickel briquette market is becoming increasingly unpredictable. "Prices are all over the place," one seller said. "On one day I can make two offers at the...