Nickel

Prabowo has retreated on implementing commodities reform amid prevailing market pressure. Previously, a state-owned agency had threatened to shake up the trade of several key commodities. These commodities include nickel, thermal coal, and palm oil.

Nickel prices dropped to their lowest point since mid-July due to speculation regarding Indonesia's potential decision. This speculation centers on Indonesia possibly granting a higher ore-production quota to one of the country's largest mines, which could increase overall supply.

Indonesia produces over 60% of the world’s nickel supply and has implemented a 'downstreaming' strategy for a decade to increase value-added processing. In 2026, the country will sharply reduce the amount of nickel ore companies can mine annually.

Tsingshan Group, a Chinese private firm, invested in Indonesia's nickel reserves in 2009, leveraging the country's vast resources to grow its operations. The company's focus on securing upstream nickel supplies has positioned it as a major player in the market, amid questions about the sustainability of China-Indonesia financial ties against resource nationalism.

ARM, chaired by Patrice Motsepe, has approved nearly $1 billion in investments for the Bokoni platinum mine and Nkomati nickel. The funds aim to capitalize on a potential rebound in platinum and nickel markets, despite platinum being in its fourth consecutive annual decline.

The UN is helping countries optimize the use of critical minerals like lithium, nickel, cobalt, and copper amid rising global demand driven by the transition to clean energy.

The US House has passed a bill that could introduce a new nickel design. The article suggests the nickel may have gained value in the absence of the penny.

The US may receive a new nickel following a bill passed by the House. The article suggests the nickel could gain value if the penny is removed and might be redesigned.

Nickel prices reached a three-week high due to reduced expectations of Federal Reserve rate hikes and uncertainty surrounding mining policy in Indonesia, the top producer. Supply outlook concerns from Indonesia's policy shifts contributed to the price movement.

The AI boom is driving increased demand for turbine blades and vanes used in aircraft engines and gas turbines powering data centers. Four specialized manufacturers—Howmet Aerospace, Precision Castparts, Consolidated Precision Products, and Doncasters Group—dominate Western production, benefiting from high technical barriers, long lead times, and pricing power, though expansion risks include material shortages and past industry downturns.

BYD's new Datang SUV achieved 150,000 pre-orders in 53 days in China without using nickel, impacting Indonesia’s nickel industry reliant on electric vehicles. The SUV's success highlights a shift in China's EV supply chain away from nickel.

The Philippines, a major nickel producer in Southeast Asia, faces a critical juncture in its nickel policy. Weak policy design risks depleting nickel resources instead of leveraging them for national industrialization.

Petrobras, Brazil's oil company, has partnered with the state development bank to research critical minerals like lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, and rare earths. The move marks a shift into battery metals and materials essential for wind turbines and electronics.

Brazilian Nickel is seeking an anchor investor for a $1.4bn nickel and cobalt mine in Brazil. The project represents a test of Western efforts to secure battery metals outside of China.

India's Steel Authority of India (SAIL) and National Mineral Development Corporation (NDMC Ltd) are exploring acquisitions of Russian coking coal assets and increasing nickel imports to reduce reliance on existing suppliers and support steel expansion and electric vehicle transition.

SAIL and NMDC are exploring sourcing coking coal and nickel from Russia, with SAIL establishing an internal panel to study the matter. Both entities are engaged in talks with Russian counterparts for raw material procurement.

Chinese firms and state-owned enterprises, including China First Heavy Industries, absorbed Indonesian assets of bankrupt stainless-steel producer Jiangsu Delong in 2024, highlighting China's strategy to secure upstream mineral resources like nickel for military-grade metals and nuclear submarine production.

Indonesia is the world's largest producer and exporter of palm oil and a major seller of thermal coal and nickel. The country's radical export experiment has impacted its commodity trade. Indonesia dominates the global market in these commodities.

Nickel prices have increased after a report of Indonesian NPI production cut. The cut in production is expected to impact the global nickel market. Nickel smelting is affected by this change.

Nickel prices have surged to a two-year high due to tightening supplies from Indonesia, driven by reduced exports and increased global demand for the metal used in electric vehicle batteries.

A nickel supply deficit is projected due to policy uncertainty in Indonesia and the war in Iran.