Nickel Powder Price Trend and Forecast

Nickel Powder Regional Price Overview

Get the latest insights on price movement and trend analysis of Nickel Powder in different regions across the world (Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa).

Nickel Powder Price Trend for the Q3 of 2024

The price trend of nickel powder during Q3 2024 reflects broader market dynamics driven by factors such as oversupply, fluctuating demand, and geopolitical tensions. In Asia, weak fundamentals in the nickel market, particularly in the stainless steel and nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery sectors, have constrained the upside potential for nickel powder prices.
 

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Downstream demand for these key applications remained subdued, especially in China, where stainless steel production and NMC battery manufacturing saw declines. This reduced demand has contributed to weak buying activity in the nickel powder market, despite supply disruptions in Indonesia and New Caledonia.

Indonesia and China, key global producers of primary nickel, increased imports of nickel ore from the Philippines to mitigate supply disruptions caused by delayed mining licenses and weather-related issues. Despite these efforts, nickel powder prices in the region faced downward pressure due to excess primary nickel output, a factor that significantly influenced market sentiment in Q3 2024. Meanwhile, stainless steel production in China was forecasted to decrease, further capping the potential for any significant price rise in nickel powder.

In Europe, the nickel powder market was impacted by supply chain disruptions, particularly due to the Red Sea crisis, which caused shipping delays and rerouting. While these disruptions temporarily limited supply, the overall weak demand from the stainless steel and battery sectors weighed on nickel powder prices. European market activity remained cautious, as buyers awaited clearer signals on market direction amidst volatile global trade conditions. However, rising costs in upstream nickel products, such as nickel sulfate and mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP), added some upward pressure on prices.

In North America, geopolitical developments, such as the classification of Indonesian refineries as foreign entities of concern by the U.S. government, added uncertainty to the nickel market. The U.S. is expected to become a significant consumer of nickel, particularly for battery applications, which may provide long-term support for nickel powder prices. However, in Q3 2024, the market remained cautious as participants adjusted to the evolving supply landscape.

Analyst Insight

According to procurement resources, the price of Nickel Powder is thus the market's direction will likely depend on the market sentiments of EV markets and supply crunches in the months coming ahead.
 

Nickel Powder Price Trend for the Q2 of 2024

Nickel powder prices showcased a dynamic run throughout the second quarter of the year 2024. After a long slumping trail in the previous months, nickel prices surged significantly on both the London Metal Exchange (LME) and the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) In the early months of the quarter. This rise was influenced by factors such as the limited availability of Indonesian nickel ore, extended US and UK sanctions on Russian raw materials, and a decrease in expected nickel production by the International Nickel Study Group (INSG) despite strong demand for stainless steel and EV batteries. Additionally, serious unrest in New Caledonia, linked to its mining industry, has further impacted prices.

Nickel prices have rallied significantly in April, however, this improvement in sentiment comes as low prices have forced multiple nickel producers to close or reduce capacity, particularly due to the rise of lower-cost production in Indonesia. Therefore, the nickel powder prices started stabilizing in China in the latter phase of the quarter. BHP Group warned that 30% of Australian mine capacity is offline, with another 30% at risk. Although the reduction in supply has lessened the market surplus, the International Nickel Study Group (INSG) still predicts a nickel oversupply for the third consecutive year.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, given the current supply and demand scenario, the Nickel powder market appears tugged for the immediate future. Globally, the oversupply is still looming; however, other driving factors are able to push the market positively.
 

Nickel Powder Price Trend for the Q1 of 2024

During the first quarter of 2024, nickel powder experienced a dynamic price trajectory. Factors such as supply chain adjustments, geopolitical developments and turbulences, and market sentiment played a pivotal role in maneuvering this price trend. The nickel market witnessed fluctuations, with both upward and downward movements in different regions.

Stakeholders closely monitored production levels in key regions, while demand from industries like electric vehicles and stainless steel remained influential. As Q1 unfolded, nickel powder prices navigated a complex landscape, reflecting the delicate balance between supply dynamics and global economic conditions. Owing to these dynamics, the key Asian suppliers are looking at increasing production in the coming months. China saw a growing EV demand during the Chinese New Year, and a 13% growth in the stainless-steel sector in the past year is also a positive indicator for nickel powder prices.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, as Indonesia and China are constantly making efforts to increase nickel supplies, Nickel Powder price trends are likely to be impacted in the coming months.
 

Nickel Powder Price Trend for the October - December of 2023

Since Nickel powder is produced by processing nickel metal for a heightened reactivity because of increased surface area, the price trend for Nickel Powder are also directly dependent on nickel metal prices. During the given span of the fourth quarter of the year 2023, the nickel metal prices were observed to be wavering on the lower side of the price graph.

The fall in the nickel powder prices is a direct reflection of the falling downstream demands during the said period, which was primarily caused by the downfall in industrial activities because of the commencement of the year-end holiday season. So, with sluggishness in the market demands, the market prices for Nickel Powder were observed to be swinging downwards. Overall, dull market sentiments were witnessed.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, given the current demand dynamics and the inventory levels, Nickel Powder prices are expected to continue showcasing mixed market trend in the coming months as well.
 

Nickel Powder Price Trend for the July - September of 2023

During the third quarter of the year, the nickel powder prices were observed to fluctuate heavily. Since the nickel metal is used to make nickel powder, the price trend for both of these align closely with each other. From July to September’23, the nickel powder prices were largely found to be wavering downwards.

Since the market demands dipped and the inventories started overflowing, the suppliers were forced to discount the prices in order to sustain some positive stock movement. The geopolitical disturbances and freight disruptions hurdled international trade and thus resulted in further curtailment of price trend. Overall, dull market trend were witnessed in Q3’23.

Analyst insight

According to Procurement Resource, the Nickel Powder price trend are likely to continue to fall in the coming months since the demand outlook doesn’t seem to be improving anytime soon.
 

Nickel Powder Price Trend for the First Half of 2023

In the Asia Pacific region, the price trend for nickel powder inclined and remained in the green zone in the first quarter of 2023 but plummeted in the second quarter. The trend in the first quarter of 2023 was supported by the slow supply of the product amid high demand as the traders looked forward to stocking up their stations before the onset of the holiday season. In addition, the opening of the nickel import window led to a deficit in trading activities, which further reduced the availability of nickel metal in the region and thus led to the rise in nickel powder prices.

However, the second quarter did not follow in these footsteps, and the trend fluctuated heavily. The influx of Russian imports and rise in the level of inventories negatively impacted the prices of nickel and nickel powder and thus resulted in an oscillating trend.

According to the London Metal Exchange, after a long period of up and downs in the first quarter of 2023, the prices of nickel metal ultimately declined in the second quarter of 2023. The fall in demand from the end-user industries, coupled with the disruptions in the supply chain, hampered the market dynamics of the nickel powder market, and thus, it experienced a mixed trend in terms of its prices.

Analyst Insight

According to procurement resources, the price trend of Nickel Powder is estimated to oscillate in the upcoming quarter as the demand for nickel and, in turn, nickel powder is expected to remain uncertain.

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