A closed arbitrage window between the Shanghai and London exchanges forced nickel premiums in China lower, while a push for market participants to clear stock by year-end in the United States moved premiums lower there as well.
Closed arbitrage between the Shanghai Futures Exchange and the London Metal Exchange moved premiums in Shanghai lower.An emphasis on year-end destocking in the US pushed down the briquette premium there.European nickel premiums remain flat despite LME Rotterdam inflows.
Chinese premiums dip on closed import window
In China, nickel full-plate cathode premiums slid over the week owing to a less profitable import arbitrage.
Fastmarkets assessed the nickel, min 99.8%, full plate premium, cif Shanghai at $80-120 per tonne on Tuesday December 10, down from $100-130 per tonne on December 3, with one deal reported at the new low end.
The nickel, min 99.8% full plate premium, in-whs Shanghai was at $80-120 per tonne on Tuesday, down from $110-140 per tonne last Tuesday.
The import arbitrage between the...