Nickel Supply & Demand Balance Table
(September 2002)
World supply and demand of nickel, including metal and its compounds, remained fairly balanced for most of September 2002. Global nickel production for the month was estimated to be 1.05 million metric tons, while demand was estimated to be 1.05 million metric tons. This parity has kept the global nickel market relatively stable, with some analysts predicting that it could remain in a state of equilibrium for some time.
The United States accounted for approximately 8.9 percent of global nickel production and 10.7 percent of global demand in September 2002. World production of nickel in the US stood at 91,972 metric tons, while demand was estimated at 115,461 metric tons. The US supply-demand gap for nickel was estimated to be around 23,489 metric tons for the month.
In September 2002, Europe ex-the US accounted for 33.4 percent of world nickel production and 37.2 percent of global demand. Europe’s nickel production for the month was estimated to be 350,604 metric tons, while demand was estimated at 397,353 metric tons. The total gap in Europe’s nickel supply and demand balance was estimated to be 46,750 metric tons.
The Asia-Pacific accounted for 38.7 percent of global nickel production and 36.2 percent of world demand in September 2002. Production in the region stood at 416,942 metric tons, while demand was estimated at 383,225 metric tons. The gap between the two was estimated to be 33,717 metric tons.
In September 2002, Africa accounted for 6.1 percent of global nickel production and 5.2 percent of world demand. The region’s nickel production stood at 63,597 metric tons, while demand was estimated at 55,820 metric tons. The region’s estimated supply-demand gap was 7,777 metric tons for the month.
Other parts of the world, such as the Middle East, Latin America, and Russia, have a combined share of global nickel production and demand of 13.8 percent and 10.7 percent, respectively. Nickel production in these regions stood at 140,264 metric tons, while demand was estimated at 112,259 metric tons. The estimated gap between the two was 27,005 metric tons for the month.
In September 2002, the global nickel market remained balanced due to the steady supply and demand of the metal and its compounds. With production and demand in the US and the rest of the world generally in balance, global supplies and demands of nickel are expected to remain in check over the medium term. Any changes in the level of production or demand may lead to significant price adjustments in the global nickel market.
