Global nickel usage may gain 10% in 2008 from expected increased demand from stainless steel mills in the U.S. and China, suggests Sven Tollin, chief statistician of the Lisbon-based International Nickel Study Group. If his global demand model holds, expanded Sino-American purchasing alone would erode the supply surplus to 100,000 metric tons next year from 130,000 metric tons this year.