LIVE FUTURES 17/09: Lead down 4.9% over week, aluminium back above $2,900

Base metals price movements on the London Metal Exchange were mixed on Friday September 17 following a week marked by volatility, with copper, nickel and lead down, the last-named having been under selling pressure for most of the past five days.

Nickel’s three-month price reached $20,245 per tonne on Friday, while its volumes were at their highest since the start of the week, with more than 11,400 lots traded by 5pm. By the close, however, the price was $19,358 per tonne, only a slight decrease from Thursday’s $19,401 per tonne.

Physical nickel prices remained robust, however, spurred by reports that Indonesia was considering an export levy on certain nickel products, although no official statement had been made to that effect.