Nickel Price in 1986

In 1986, the price of nickel averaged $3,881 per tonne, down 20.8% from the year before. This page covers the 1986 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that nickel would be worth in today's dollars.

1986 Average

$3,881

LME annual average, USD/tonne

Change vs 1985

-20.8%

from $4,899 in 1985

What happened to the nickel price in 1986

Nickel averaged $3,881 per tonne in 1986, sliding 20.8% from the $4,899 average of 1985. The notable development of 1986: Cyclical low in mid-1980s..

The early-1980s recession pressured nickel, but a stainless-steel demand surge and low inventories produced a dramatic spike to nearly $13,800 in 1988, up about 185% in a single year.

Adjusted for inflation, nickel's 1986 average of $3,881 equals about $11,413 in today's dollars. The conversion uses US Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U annual averages, so treat it as a close approximation rather than an exact figure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the price of nickel in 1986?

Nickel averaged $3,881 per tonne in 1986, based on World Bank and LME annual average data. That average was down 20.8% from $4,899 in 1985.

What is a 1986 nickel price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, nickel's 1986 average of $3,881 works out to roughly $11,413 in today's dollars, using 2025 as the CPI base year. The conversion uses BLS CPI-U annual averages, so treat it as a close approximation rather than an exact figure.

What moved the nickel price in 1986?

The defining story of 1986: Cyclical low in mid-1980s.. Against that backdrop, the annual average fell 20.8%, from $4,899 in 1985 to $3,881.

Annual averages are World Bank and LME nickel prices per tonne in US dollars (LME cash and settlement basis). Values before the LME nickel contract launched in April 1979 are producer and reference prices, and the 2025 figure is preliminary. Where daily data exists, the per-year high, low, and close come from MetalCharts historical data. Inflation adjustments use BLS CPI-U annual averages.