Nickel is a base metal primarily used in stainless steel production and increasingly in electric vehicle batteries. It is traded on major commodity exchanges like the London Metal Exchange (LME) and Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE).
Description: Nickel is a silvery-white metal with high corrosion resistance and heat tolerance. Historically, its main use has been in stainless steel, accounting for about 70% of demand. In recent years, nickel has become critical for lithium-ion batteries, especially nickel-rich cathodes (NMC, NCA) used in electric vehicles (EVs). The metal is mined mainly in Indonesia, Philippines, Russia, and Canada. Nickel futures are actively traded on the LME (contract code: NI) and SHFE. The market is influenced by supply disruptions, EV adoption rates, and stainless steel demand. Nickel prices can be volatile due to geopolitical risks and technological shifts.