Nickel market outlook

Released four times a year on a subscription basis, the Quarterly Nickel Market report will keep you abreast of rapidly evolving developments in the nickel and nickel sulphate markets, providing you with a competitive edge with SFA's forecast for nickel prices.

The content of each nickel market report will vary according to nickel industry events and market developments but will be tailored to incorporate an individual client’s specific strategic requirements. Typically, the nickel reports will include:

Nickel demand impacts and new market threats:

• Macroeconomic developments on nickel supply-demand fundamentals and technology (global, US, EU and China).

• The impact of powertrain technology trends, specifically electric vehicle (EVs) forecast risks including global powertrain evolution and electrification, automaker announcements and implications for commodities, EU CO₂ emission targets and opportunities for EVs, hybrid technology developments, China’s policies and the new energy vehicle market, and US market risks.

• Lithium-ion battery technology shifts and EV powertrain developments and their impact on nickel demand.

• Future evolution of the nickel supply chain, battery raw materials and development of other industrial uses, both emerging and in decline.

• Nickel and nickel sulphate price developments, the evolution of Li-ion batteries and nickel sulphate requirements, and stainless steel versus Li-ion battery demand.

• Supporting demand data on:

  • Nickel demand by end-use.

  • Nickel electric vehicle demand by region.

Nickel supply and production economic impacts:

• Class 1 and class 2 nickel supplies, new projects and availability of class 1 nickel for nickel sulphate production.

• Updates on the present and future stability and growth of primary nickel supply, supply response, nickel reserves and resources, factors influencing cost inflation and exchange rate and volume impacts.

• Producer economics of nickel production.

• Comments on the political and socio-economic risks impacting primary nickel supply in politically sensitive producing regions.

• Supporting nickel supply data on nickel supply by region, producer and operation, and from probable and possible nickel projects.

Nickel price forecast:

• Five-year price outlooks for nickel and nickel sulphate.

• 'What-if' scenario analysis and nickel price risk assessment.

Who should read this report?

• All industry stakeholders and new business entrants who need to keep abreast of the evolving influences on the nickel market and prices, including end-users, mining companies and juniors. 

• Investors and financial institutions needing to understand and quantify the risks and opportunities in the industry, future costs of production and short- to medium-term nickel prices.

Live Q&A with the analysts

• Each quarterly nickel market report is supported by a video call, most often hosted through MS Teams, which is led by Beresford Clarke, along with our team of expert Battery Metals analysts, to run through our latest powertrain metals outlook for nickel and nickel sulphate markets, and address any further questions your team may have.

• Often additional Client project teams join SFA's special meetings to hear our latest thoughts on the nickel market.