Nickel Seen by Macquarie Swinging to Deficit in 2015 on Ore Ban

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Nanthakumar Victor Emmanuel, P.Eng Leave a comment

The global nickel market may swing into a deficit next year as Indonesia’s ore export ban will constrain production of nickel pig iron, a lower-grade alternative to refined metal, said Macquarie Group Ltd.

A surplus may narrow to 35,000 metric tons in 2014 from 150,000 tons in 2013 as NPI output falls 1.5 percent to 475,000 tons, analysts including Jim Lennon said in a report today.