Global Nickel Market Analysis

SUMMARY

RNCOS, the leading market research company, has released a detailed and extensive research report, "Global Nickel Market Analysis", for consultants, nickel players, market experts, and international executives related closely with the nickel industry. The report has been made analyzing the macroeconomic factors, such as nickel production and consumption by product, price movements, import levels, and supply and demand analysis.

According to the report, global nickel consumption is constantly increasing as it is used in more industrialized products. Stainless steel remains the dominant nickel consuming sector, followed by alloys. Strong demand from stainless steel producers, laterite projects, and China will drive the buoyant global nickel market.

Developing countries such as China and India will play a major role in the growth of global nickel industry. But the developed countries such as the US, the UK, and Germany will also witness strong demand as these countries have large automotive and aerospace industries.

This report will help the client to analyze the leading-edge opportunities critical to the success of the nickel industry at global level as well as in selected countries. The forecast given in this report is based on a correlation between past market growth and growth of drivers, such as stainless steel demand, industrial production performance etc.

Key Findings

• Nickel consumption is dominated by stainless steel, which accounts for 64% of the global consumption of primary nickel. This trend is likely to continue with robust stainless steel demand in near future.
• Global supply-demand balance of nickel is expected to ease up with new nickel capacities coming up in 2008.
• China's demand for nickel will slowdown due to overcapacity in domestic steel industry but the country will remain a major driving force for global nickel industry.
• There are immense opportunities in the global nickel industry, especially in aerospace and nickel-based batteries sector.

Key Issues & Facts Analyzed

• What is the supply and demand situation of nickel at global level?
• What are the trends in the global nickel market with respect to market value, production, consumption, price etc?
• What are the driving forces for the nickel industry?
• What are the challenges associated with the global nickel industry?
• What are the future opportunities for the players?

Key Players

This section provides the overview and financials of several players like Xstrata, Norilsk Nickel, BHP Billiton, LionOre Mining International and CVRD Inco.

Research Methodology Used

Information Sources

Information has been sourced from many sources like, books, newspapers, trade journals, white papers, industry portals, government agencies, trade associations, industry news and developments, and through access to more than 3000 paid databases.

Analysis Methods

The analysis methods include ratio analysis, historical trend analysis, linear regression analysis using software tools, judgmental forecasting, and cause and effect analysis.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Analyst View

2. Global Nickel Industry

• 2.1 Production
• 2.2 Demand
• 2.3 Players
• 2.4 Investment
• 2.5 Price

3. Nickel Industry - Geographical Spread

• 3.1 America
  • 3.1.1 US
  • 3.1.2 Canada
• 3.2 Asia-Pacific
  • 3.2.1 Australia
  • 3.2.2 South Korea
  • 3.2.3 India
  • 3.2.4 China
  • 3.2.5 Japan
  • 3.2.6 Taiwan
• 3.3 Europe
  • 3.3.1 Russia
  • 3.3.2 Germany
  • 3.3.3 Italy
  • 3.3.4 Spain

4. Industry Analysis

• 4.1 Demand-Supply Balance
• 4.2 Driving Forces
  • 4.2.1 Buoyant Demand from Stainless Steel Producers
  • 4.2.2 China Factor
  • 4.2.3 Laterite Projects
  • 4.2.4 Non-corrosive Nature of Nickel
  • 4.2.5 Global Economic Growth
• 4.3 Challenges
  • 4.3.1 Delay in Projects
  • 4.3.2 Short-term Production Constraints
  • 4.3.3 Fluctuating Nickel Prices
• 4.4 Opportunities
  • 4.4.1 Growing Hybrid Vehicle Market
  • 4.4.2 China - The Potential Market
  • 4.4.3 Growing Aerospace Industry

5. Key Players

• 5.1 Norilsk Nickel
• 5.2 CVRD Inco
• 5.3 BHP Billiton
• 5.4 Xstrata
• 5.5 LionOre Mining International

List of Figures:

• Figure 2-1: Global - Production of Nickel Ore by Region (%), 1996 & 2006
• Figure 2-2: Global - Production of Primary Nickel by Region (%), 1996 & 2006
• Figure 2-3: Global - Production Capacity of Refined Nickel by Country (%), 2006
• Figure 2-4: Global - Committed Production Capacity of Refined Nickel by Country (%)
• Figure 2-5: Global - Production of Nickel by Country (%), 2006
• Figure 2-6: Global - Demand of Primary Nickel by Region (%), 1996 & 2006
• Figure 2-7: Global - Consumption of Primary Nickel by First Use (%), 2006
• Figure 2-8: Global - Consumption of Nickel by End Use (%), 2006
• Figure 2-9: Global - Production of Nickel by Player (%), 2007E
• Figure 2-10: Global - Share of Top 5 Players in Nickel Production (%), 1960 to 2000* & 2007E
• Figure 2-11: Global - Metal Investment Flow (%), 2006
• Figure 2-12: Global - Number & Value of Nickel Projects by Region (%), 2007
• Figure 2-13: Global - Price of Nickel (in US$/Ton), 1997-2007
• Figure 3-1: US - Consumption of Nickel by First Use (%), 2006
• Figure 3-2: US - Import of Nickel by Country (%), 2006
• Figure 3-3: US - Production of Austenitic Stainless Steel (in Million Tons), 2004 & 2005
• Figure 3-4: Canada - Production of Nickel Concentrates from Mines (in Tons), 2005 & 2006*
• Figure 3-5: Canada - Production of Refined Nickel (in Tons), 2005 & 2006*
• Figure 3-6: Australia - Export of Nickel (in Million A$), 2006-2008F
• Figure 3-7: South Korea - Production of Nickel (in Tons), 2002-2006E
• Figure 3-8: South Korea - Import of Refined Nickel by Country (%), 2006
• Figure 3-9: India - Import of Nickel (in Tons), 2006 & 2007E
• Figure 3-10: India - Consumption of Stainless Steel (in Tons), Q3 2007 & Q4 2007E
• Figure 3-11: China - Production of Nickel (in '000 Tons), 2001-2006
• Figure 3-12: China - Consumption of Nickel (in '000 Tons), 2001-2006
• Figure 3-13: China - Share in Global Nickel Consumption (%), 2000, 2006 & 2011F
• Figure 3-14: Japan - Consumption of Refined Nickel (in '000 Tons), 2005-2007E
• Figure 3-15: Japan - Forecast for Consumption of Refined Nickel (in '000 Tons), 2008 & 2009
• Figure 3-16: Japan - Production of Refined Nickel (in '000 Tons), 2005-2007E
• Figure 3-17: Japan - Forecast for Production of Refined Nickel (in '000 Tons), 2008 & 2009
• Figure 3-18: Taiwan - Production of Refined Nickel (in Metric Tons), 2002-2006
• Figure 3-19: Russia - Production of Nickel (in Metric Tons), 2006
• Figure 3-20: Germany - Consumption of Refined Nickel (in '000 Tons), 2001-2005
• Figure 3-21: Germany - Turnover of Aerospace Industry (in Billion Euro), 2005 & 2006
• Figure 3-22: Italy - Consumption of Refined Nickel (in '000 Tons), 2001-2005
• Figure 3-23: Spain - Consumption of Refined Nickel (in '000 Tons), 2001-2005
• Figure 4-1: Global - Demand-Supply Balance of Nickel (in '000 Tons), 1990-2006
• Figure 4-2: Global - Mine Production (in '000 Tons), 2004-2007E
• Figure 4-3: Global - Forecast for Mine Production (in '000 Tons), 2008 & 2009
• Figure 4-4: China - Production of Stainless Steel (in '000 Tons), 2001-2006
• Figure 4-5: OECD Area - Industrial Production & Leading Indicator (%), 1995 to 2005
• Figure 4-6: Europe, US & Japan - Hybrid Vehicle Sales (in Million Units), 2005-2012F

List of Tables:

• Table 2-1: Global - Reserves of Nickel by Country (in '000 Tons), 2006*
• Table 2-2: Global - Production of Primary Nickel by Region (in '000 Tons), 2005-2008F
• Table 2-3: Global - Demand of Primary Nickel by Region (in '000 Tons), 2005-2008F
• Table 3-1: Australia - Production Statistics of Nickel (in '000 Tons), 2006-2008F
• Table 4-1: Global - Production of Stainless Steel by Country (in '000 Tons), 2006 & 2007E
• Table 4-2: Global - Delay in Project
• Table 5-1: Norilsk Nickel - Financial Overview (in Million US$), 2006 & June 2007
• Table 5-2: CVRD Inco - Financial Overview (in Million BRL), 2005, 2006 & Sep 2007
• Table 5-3: BHP Billiton - Financial Overview (in Million US$), 2006 & 2007
• Table 5-4: Xstrata - Financial Overview (in Million US$), 2005 & 2006
• Table 5-5: LionOre Mining International - Financial Overview (%), 2006 & Mar 2007