• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens

2

As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

1

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens

2

As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Finance

Nickel trading on the London Metal Exchange just melted down for a third time: ‘Credibility is very quickly slipping through their fingers’

Will Daniel
By
Will Daniel
Will Daniel
Down Arrow Button Icon
Will Daniel
By
Will Daniel
Will Daniel
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 17, 2022, 12:24 PM ET

The London Metal Exchange is now facing some serious credibility issues after nickel trading was halted for the third time in less than two weeks on Thursday.

The second computer glitch in as many days caused yet another shutdown for the 145-year-old metals exchange as it attempts to resume regular trading following last week’s historic short squeeze that caused prices to jump 250% in a single day to over $100,000 a ton.

This time, the halt in trading lasted only until 8:45 a.m. London time, but after Wednesday’s embarrassing series of false starts and more than a weeklong shutdown from March 8 to March 16, the LME will have its work cut out for it to restore confidence to traders in the market.

“Credibility is very quickly slipping through their fingers,” Keith Wildie, head of trading at Romco Metals, told Bloomberg. “It’s eroding very rapidly.”

Mark Thompson, executive vice chairman of the trading firm Tungsten West, had stronger words on Twitter, writing that “to cancel #Nickel trades between willing buyers and sellers is unforgivable. UNFORGIVABLE.”

Long-term confidence in the LME shaken

Nickel’s price sank 8% to $41,945 a ton on Thursday in limited trading after the LME widened its daily price change limit from the initial reopening level of 5% in hopes of assisting traders in discovering “the true market price.”

When asked how the LME can restore confidence in its exchange after its recent series of mishaps, Thompson—a 20-year veteran of nickel trading on the LME—told CNBC’s Squawk Box Asia:

“Long-term confidence in an exchange that’s canceled $3.9 billion in trades? I suspect that’s a very difficult position to be in, and I’m not sure they will ever be able to recover from this situation.”

While electronic nickel trading has been halted for several hours over the past two days, the LME was still able to operate its phone-based market and open-outcry floor, where dealers have gathered for over a century on red leather couches, barking orders over one another.

“It’s heartbreaking”

The LME clearly recognizes that continued computer glitches, trading halts, and canceled trades have led to a crisis of confidence at the exchange.

Matthew Chamberlain, the CEO of the LME, told CNBC’s Squawk Box Europe that he was focused on “making sure this never happened again” on Wednesday, just hours before issuing the third trading halt in less than two weeks.

Chamberlain added that the exchange is “absolutely mindful of the impact that this has had on so many people,” but now traders are beginning to question the credibility of the exchange and some are even packing up their bags and heading for the exit.

“The LME has been my bread and butter for a very long time, so it’s heartbreaking,” Luke Sadrian, portfolio manager of Commodities World Capital, told Bloomberg. “Given the current uncertainty, I am exiting all of my LME positions.”

Others have begun to question whether there will be contagion effects into other metals markets and if the LME has acted fairly when canceling trades.

“I don’t think there will be a contagion effect into other metal trading, but there is a long-term question around the methodology of the LME,” John Browning of the financial services firm BANDS Financial said in an interview with CNBC. “The way that the LME has acted in this crisis has created a crisis of confidence if it is seen to be fair, that it’s acting in a fair way to all parties.” 

Never miss a story: Follow your favorite topics and authors to get a personalized email with the journalism that matters most to you.

About the Author
Will Daniel
By Will Daniel
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Americans hurt in Kuwait as Trump sends mixed signals on war
PoliticsIran
Americans hurt in Kuwait as Trump sends mixed signals on war
By Kate Sullivan, Michelle Jamrisko, Gerry Doyle and BloombergMay 30, 2026
26 minutes ago
U.S. says deals with Iran for safe Hormuz transit are prohibited
PoliticsIran
U.S. says deals with Iran for safe Hormuz transit are prohibited
By Jack Wittels and BloombergMay 30, 2026
41 minutes ago
Trump’s ICE surge cost 668,000 jobs, Brookings report says
PoliticsICE
Trump’s ICE surge cost 668,000 jobs, Brookings report says
By Michael Sasso and BloombergMay 30, 2026
49 minutes ago
Russian spies are more aggressively trying to steal Western technology as sanctions add to mounting problems for Putin’s wartime economy
EuropeRussia
Russian spies are more aggressively trying to steal Western technology as sanctions add to mounting problems for Putin’s wartime economy
By Emma Burrows and The Associated PressMay 30, 2026
57 minutes ago
As part of her Citi turnaround, Jane Fraser cut management layers from 13 to 8. But the ‘great flattening’ doesn’t always work as intended
C-SuiteManagement
As part of her Citi turnaround, Jane Fraser cut management layers from 13 to 8. But the ‘great flattening’ doesn’t always work as intended
By Claire ZillmanMay 30, 2026
2 hours ago
Matt Rogers
Commentarystart-ups
I worked with Steve Jobs at Apple, where every OS update killed startups. AI founders are about to face the same thing
By Matt RogersMay 30, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
Magazine
As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
By Emma HinchliffeMay 27, 2026
3 days ago
As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales
Success
As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales
By Emma BurleighMay 28, 2026
2 days ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
9 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 29, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 29, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 29, 2026
1 day ago
UBS says Ron DeSantis has a problem with his plan to help 92% of homeowners save on property taxes: His own state's data
Personal Finance
UBS says Ron DeSantis has a problem with his plan to help 92% of homeowners save on property taxes: His own state's data
By Nick LichtenbergMay 28, 2026
2 days ago
Jamie Dimon tells Gen Z to 'learn how to think, learn how to earn respect' as he describes 'great meeting' with Zohran Mamdani
Success
Jamie Dimon tells Gen Z to 'learn how to think, learn how to earn respect' as he describes 'great meeting' with Zohran Mamdani
By Nick LichtenbergMay 29, 2026
23 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.