LME nickel prices: The short squeeze

A summary of what happened to nickel trading in March and the impact this had on the publication and display of the LME nickel data on the Fastmarkets platform

  • What happened to nickel trading in March?
  • What is the LME methodology for nickel averages?
  • How to access LME nickel averages on Fastmarkets

During March, LME nickel trading was suspended and then disrupted once trading resumed. Watch this 16-minute summary with Callum Perry, European nickel reporter, and Ben Trotter, product director, describing what happened and the impact this had on the publication and display of the LME nickel data on the Fastmarkets platform.

What to read next
The publication of Fastmarkets’ assessments for nickel 4x4 cathode, nickel briquette and nickel uncut cathode premiums in-whs Rotterdam was delayed on Tuesday July 16 because of a reporter error.
Fastmarkets launched two new price assessments for Indonesia’s domestic trade in nickel ore on Tuesday July 15. The two price assessments are for domestic trades of Indonesian laterite ores with 1.6% and 1.2% nickel content. Indonesia now accounts for 60% of the global nickel supplies and while there is an official government reference price, known […]
Nickel pig iron (NPI) is a key feedstock material used for stainless steel production, and the CIF has grown to become one of the mainstream trading methods for the Chinese market. The proposed price assessment will allow Fastmarkets to bring more transparency to the Chinese NPI market. Fastmarkets has been tracking spot and DDP China […]
In the weeks following confirmation that the cobalt market will face an additional three months of no exports from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), metal prices have consolidated as participants point to the future for bullish sentiment.
LME copper prices took a significant hit following US President Donald Trump's announcement of a potential 50% tariff on copper imports. The uncertainty surrounding the timeline and implementation of the tariff has left market participants hesitant, with analysts noting its immediate impact on price momentum and trading activity.
To increase the transparency of our methodology, Fastmarkets clarifies that the quotation period of the MHP nickel payable indicator is the month of delivery, or the month M. Any data points Fastmarkets received otherwise will be normalized to the M month based on the monthly spreads of the prevailing exchange-traded Class-1 nickel reference price, or […]