Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant content provided. Core Views - The price of nickel is expected to continue narrow - range fluctuations. The Indonesian nickel ore policy and smelting - end inventory performance may limit the downside elasticity, while the upside elasticity may be constrained by conversion economics and long - term surplus expectations [1]. - Stainless steel has weak marginal supply and demand, may oscillate at a low level in the short term, and has a slight chance of recovery in the medium term. The valuation of stainless steel still centers on cost, and cost support may underpin the bottom space [2]. Summary by Related Catalog Nickel Fundamentals - Indonesian high - grade nickel ore shortage drives up the cost of integrated pyrometallurgy. The premium of 1.6% nickel ore rises by $2 to $27 - 28 per wet ton, and the total price increases by 25% year - on - year to $53.6 per wet ton [1]. - Due to the impact of restocking demand, the short - term inventory accumulation at home and abroad under the expectation of refined nickel surplus is less than expected, and the inventory even shows a slight decline [1]. - The negative feedback of stainless steel exerts pressure on ferronickel, and ferronickel inventory starts to accumulate again. In mid - May, the SMM ferronickel inventory was 29,554.5 tons, a year - on - year and month - on - month increase of 36% and 4% respectively [1][4]. - The conversion window from ferronickel to high - grade nickel matte has opened on the futures market, which may drag down the upper valuation of refined nickel [1]. Stainless Steel Fundamentals - Stainless steel has weak marginal supply and demand. The seasonal destocking speed of stainless steel is slower than in previous years under the previous high - production pattern. Although tariff relaxation may relieve some export pressure, there is no substantial change in the overall negative feedback stage [2]. - In May, the stainless steel production plan of Zhonglian Jin was 3.425 million tons, a year - on - year and month - on - month increase of 2% and 0% respectively, with a cumulative year - on - year increase of 5%. Among them, the production plan of 300 - series stainless steel in May was 1.706 million tons, a year - on - year and month - on - month decrease of 2% and 3% respectively, with a cumulative year - on - year increase of 3%, and the year - on - year growth rate has converged, especially for the 300 - series [2]. - The profit margin of stainless steel is difficult to expand significantly, and its valuation still centers on cost. After the price of ferronickel decreases, the futures steel price is still lower than the spot cost. If calculated at 950 yuan per nickel, the cash cost of stainless steel is about 13,000 yuan per ton [2]. - The contradiction in the ore end may limit the bottom space of ferronickel. In late May, the premium of nickel ore may rise by another $2 to $27 - 28 per wet ton, and the total price increases by 25% year - on - year to $53.6 per wet ton. According to the full - cost estimate of Indonesian ferronickel, Indonesian ferronickel may have suffered certain losses [2]. Inventory Changes - China's refined nickel social inventory decreased by 763 tons to 42,928 tons. Among them, warehouse receipt inventory increased by 75 tons to 23,501 tons, spot inventory decreased by 838 tons to 12,957 tons, and bonded area inventory remained unchanged at 6,470 tons. LME nickel inventory decreased by 2,448 tons to 195,222 tons [3]. - The ferronickel inventory at the end of mid - May according to Yousewang was 29,554.5 tons, a year - on - year and month - on - month increase of 36% and 4% respectively, and the inventory pressure increased marginally [4]. - The stainless steel social inventory was 1,108,250 tons, a week - on - week decrease of 0.42%. Among them, the cold - rolled stainless steel inventory was 675,382 tons, a week - on - week decrease of 3.71%, and the hot - rolled stainless steel inventory was 432,868 tons, a week - on - week increase of 5.17% [4]. - The nickel ore inventory at 14 Chinese ports increased by 97,200 wet tons to 7.0624 million wet tons. All the nickel ore was from the Philippines. By grade, the low - nickel and high - iron ore was 3.4012 million wet tons, and the medium - and high - grade nickel ore was 3.6612 million wet tons [6]. Market News - The Indonesian government has proposed relevant adjustment suggestions for non - tax national revenues. The resource tax rates for nickel ore, ferronickel, nickel pig iron, and nickel sulfide have been increased from 10%, 2%, 5%, and 2% to the floating ranges of 14% - 19%, 5% - 7%, 5% - 7%, and 4.5% - 6.5% respectively. The new nickel product royalty policy was officially signed by the Indonesian President on April 11 and implemented on April 26 [7]. - On March 3, Ontario Premier Ford in Canada proposed that Ontario's minerals are also crucial in the tariff struggle and may stop exporting nickel to the United States in response to the US tariff threat [7]. - On April 27, the first - phase project of the Indonesian CNI ferronickel RKEF, EPC - contracted by China ENFI, successfully produced ferronickel, marking the project's entry into the trial - production stage. The project is located in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, producing 22% - grade ferronickel, with an annual output of about 12,500 tons of nickel metal per line [7]. - An important nickel smelter in an Indonesian metal processing park has resumed production. In March this year, the plant almost halted all production due to a fatal landslide in the tailings reservoir area. As of now, the production capacity of PT QMB New Energy Materials, jointly held by GEM Co., Ltd., Tsingshan Holding Group, and Guangdong Brunp Recycling Technology Co., Ltd., has recovered to 70% - 80% [8]. - In February, the Philippine media reported that the parliament was discussing a bill to ban nickel ore exports, which was in the deliberation stage of the two - house committee. Once signed into law, it will take effect in five years. On May 9, there was news that the Philippine government planned to implement a nickel ore export ban starting from June 2025, but the authenticity and start date are still to be verified [8]. - From May 10 to 11, high - level China - US economic and trade talks were held in Geneva, Switzerland. On May 12, the two sides issued a joint statement. The US promised to cancel 91% of the tariffs imposed on Chinese goods according to Executive Orders No. 14259 on April 8, 2025, and No. 14266 on April 9, 2025, and modify the 34% reciprocal tariffs imposed on Chinese goods according to Executive Order No. 14257 on April 2, 2025. Among them, 24% of the tariffs will be suspended for 90 days, and the remaining 10% will be retained. Correspondingly, China will cancel 91% of the counter - tariffs on US goods, suspend 24% of the 34% counter - tariffs on US reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, and retain the remaining 10%. China will also suspend or cancel non - tariff counter - measures against the US [9]. Weekly Key Data Tracking The report provides a table of weekly key data tracking for nickel and stainless steel, including closing prices, trading volumes, premiums, and other indicators of futures contracts and related products [11].