Talvivaara CEO: demand to return in H2 2010

HELSINKI Aug 27 (Reuters) - Nickel prices are likely to fall this year as no signs of demand improvment are yet visible, the chief executive of Finnish miner Talvivaara (TALV.L) said on Thursday. "In this quarter and until the end of the year, I would not be surprised if (nickel) prices would drop a bit ... in the shorter term it is quite likely prices will decline," CEO Pekka Pera told Reuters.

"No signs are yet visible that demand among end users is rising ... but everything indicates to that none of the long term fundamentals have changed," Pera said, adding he saw demand and prices picking up in the second half of 2010 as government stimulus packages start to kick in.

(Reporting by Eva Lamppu)