SPARKLING NICKEL

A worker uses the tapping process to separate nickel ore from other elements at a nickel processing plant in Sorowako, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. Nickel prices climbed to three-week highs on Friday as worries about low inventories and potential sanctions against major producer Russia fuelled supply fears. Benchmark nickel on the London Metal Exchange (LME) was up 0.6 per cent at $24,035 a tonne, having earlier touched its highest since January 24 at $24,140. — Reuters