俄罗斯诺镍：高利率和贸易争端将带来负面影响

Core Viewpoint - Nornickel anticipates a decline in financial performance for the year due to low metal prices, high interest rates, a strong ruble, and global trade disputes [1] Group 1: Financial Performance - Nornickel expects significant negative impacts on financial indicators due to high geopolitical uncertainty, escalating trade disputes, risks of global economic slowdown, and tightening monetary policies [1] - The company faces challenges from a strong ruble, low metal prices, inflation, and high debt servicing costs [1] - The Russian central bank's key interest rate of 20% is seen as a major drag on the economy, leading to a substantial slowdown this year [1] Group 2: Investment and Dividends - Difficult conditions have forced Nornickel to reduce investments and postpone certain projects [1] - The board of directors has recommended not to pay dividends for the 2024 performance, stating that increasing debt levels to pay dividends is inappropriate [1] Group 3: Market Outlook - Nornickel's vice president, Anton Berlin, predicts that the palladium market will remain balanced in 2025, while the nickel market will be oversupplied [2] - The automotive industry, a major consumer of these metals, is still in crisis [2] - Berlin criticized Indonesia for flooding the global market with cheap nickel, harming other producers, and noted that approximately 40% of nickel producers are currently operating at a loss [2] - Nornickel aims to ensure that global trade disputes do not affect its export volumes and intends to sell all of its produced products [2]