PRICING NOTICE: Proposal to change publication day of NPI, laterite ore, nickel sulfate prices

Fastmarkets proposes to move the weekly publication day of five price assessments - two nickel pig iron (NPI) prices, two laterite nickel ore prices and one nickel sulfate price - from Tuesday to Friday.

The proposed specifications are listed in full below:

Assessment: Laterite nickel ore 1.8% cif China $/tonne
Quality: Loose mud. 1.8% Ni, 15-20% Fe, Water content 30-35%, Si:Mg ratio <2
Quantity: Min 50,000 tonnes 
Location: CIF China
Timing: 2-3 weeks delivery window
Unit: USD per tonne
Payment terms: Letter of credit
Publication: Weekly, Friday 2-3pm London time

Assessment: Laterite nickel ore with 1.5% nickel content cif China US$ per tonne
Quality: Loose mud. 1.5% Ni, 15-20% Fe, Water content 30-35%
Quantity: Min 50,000 tonnes 
Location: CIF China
Timing: 2-3 weeks delivery window
Unit: USD per tonne
Payment terms: Letter of credit
Publication: Weekly, Friday 2-3pm London time

Assessment: High-grade NPI Ni content 10-15% CNY/tonne delivered duty paid contract price
Quality: Lump. Ni 10-15%, Fe 80%, P 0.04% max, S 0.03% max, Si 4.5% max, C 4% max
Quantity: Min 1,000 tonnes 
Location: DDP China
Timing: Spot
Unit: CNY/tonne
Payment terms: Cash
Publication: Weekly, Friday 2-3pm London time

Assessment: High-grade NPI, Ni content 10-15%, spot delivered duty paid China CNY/ tonne
Quality: Lump. Ni 10-15%, Fe 80%, P 0.04% max, S 0.03% max, Si 4.5% max, C 4% max
Quantity: Min 500 tonnes
Location: DDP China
Timing: Spot
Unit: CNY/tonne
Payment terms: Cash
Publication: Weekly. Friday 2-3pm London time

Assessment: China nickel sulfate, ex-works, CNY/tonne price
Quality: Crystalline. Ni content min 21%, max 22.5%; cobalt 10ppm max
Quantity: Min 1 tonne 
Location: Ex-works China
Timing: Spot
Unit: CNY/tonne
Payment terms: Bank acceptance (other payments normalized)
Publication: Weekly. Friday 2-3pm London time

The consultation period for the proposed change in publication date above will end two weeks from the date of this pricing notice on Monday June 10.

Subject to feedback, the earliest date these changes would take effect is from Friday June 14.

To provide feedback on this proposal or if you would like to provide price information by becoming a data submitter to this price, please contact Violet Li by email at: violetli@fastmarkets.com. Please add the subject heading ‘FAO: Violet.Li, re nickel prices publication date change.’

To see all Fastmarkets pricing methodology and specifications documents go to https://www.metalbulletin.com/prices/pricing-methodology.html

What to read next
This consultation, which is open until April 8, 2026, seeks to ensure that our methodologies continue to reflect the physical market, in compliance with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) principles for Price Reporting Agencies (PRAs). This includes all elements of our pricing process, our price specifications and publication frequency. The price under review […]
The publication of Fastmarkets’ assessments for copper grade A cathode warrant premiums and aluminium P1020A warrant premiums was delayed on Wednesday March 11 because of a procedural lapse. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.
This decision was proposed in a methodology note published on February 9, which you can view here. This decision follows preliminary discussions with the market as well as internal meetings to review relevant Fastmarkets data, which suggested that there was low spot liquidity and price volatility. No negative feedback was received during the consultation period. The […]
This consultation was done as part of our published annual methodology review process. No feedback was received about a methodology change during the consultation period and therefore no changes will be made to the methodologies at this stage. This consultation sought to ensure that our methodologies continue to reflect the physical CFR Manila steel billet market, in […]
The prices that will be affected are AG-SAF-0006 sustainable aviation fuel (SAF max), base cost, exw Netherlands (incl. HBE-IXB credits), $ per tonne, and AG-SAF-0007 sustainable aviation fuel (HVO max), base cost, exw Netherlands (incl. HBE-IXB credits), $ per tonne. Following the update by the Netherlands to its current biofuel mandate ahead of its full implementation of […]
Fastmarkets has suspended its pricing for Iran steel billet and slab exports following the escalation of the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran and because relevant, relative pricing data is not immediately available.