Steel and aluminium markets moved in different directions during the third quarter of 2026, with carbon steel prices reaching multi-year highs while aluminium prices softened as expectations for future supply began to normalise. Recent financial results from metals companies, including Constellium SE and Ryerson Holding Corporation, reflect the changing pricing environment and its impact on business performance and market outlooks. Carbon steel prices continued to rally during the quarter, supported by trade policy, tight domestic supply, extended lead times and service centre inventories at multi-year lows, according to metals distributor Ryerson. Demand during the period was also stronger than anticipated. Aluminium prices, however, remained volatile and moved lower as expectations...
Canyon Resources, the Australian mining company developing Cameroon’s Minim Martap bauxite project , has recommended the re-election of Director Gaurav Gupta, who also serves on the board of its largest shareholder, A2MP Investments FZCO. The recommendation comes as the company prepares for its annual general meeting on November 30, 2026, where shareholders will also consider a separate board nomination that has not received directors’ support. The developments follow recent proceedings before Australia’s Takeovers Panel concerning A2MP’s unsuccessful attempt to acquire the remaining Canyon shares and a proposed AUD 170 million (USD 115.7 million) financing package. In an October 28 decision, the Takeovers Panel examined the relationship between Canyon and A2MP following the latter’s...
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The marine industry on both sides of the border in North America is warning that the U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium and the metal trade war are taking a mounting toll on its business. According to the marine business owners, tariffs and counter tariffs are making the products expensive for them. Andy Blenkarn, owner of Desmasdon’s Boat Works in Ontario said the retaliatory tariffs of 10 per cent Canada imposed on U.S.-made boats have made the products expensive and the cost is also being passed on to consumers. Bill Yeargin, CEO of Correct Craft, a Florida-based maker of recreational boats also talked about their manufacturing costs going up due to metal tariffs and this has driven prices for the company’s Canadian dealers. The Canadian government retaliated to US steel and aluminium...
According to the data showed by International Aluminium Institute (IAI), world primary aluminium output rose 2.5% year-on-year in September to stand at 5.301 million tonnes. The figure was down 3.4% from 5.485 million tonnes in August, while on a daily basis production was down month-on-month at 176,700 tonne per day. The total primary aluminium production stood at 48.02 million tonnes in January to September 2018 as against 47.86 million tonnes in January to September 2017.The figure was up by 0.3% year-on-year. In China, the primary aluminium production increased 3.6% year-on-year to 3 million tonnes in September. For the period January-September, the country produced 27.17 million tonnes of white metal, down 0.7% year on year. Europe primary aluminium production totalled at 644,00...
The United Kingdom-based ferry company SeaLink said that it would build the first new vessel at Richardson Devine Marine (RDM) in Goodwood, Hobart, adding that the service of the new vessel would expectedly start in December 2019. The service of the second new vessel is expected to launch in 2021. SeaLink general manager Paul Victory said both single-deck vessels could have an extra storey added to cope with future demand. "Both vessels will have growth potential, so both vessels will have ramp infrastructure … that we can add onto as the market grows on Bruny Island," he said. Until the new ferries are launched, the company has decided to continue operating its 44-year-old ferry, the MV Moongalba. Today, on October 23, SeaLink also announced it would immediately be adding a third ferry...
The Aluminum Association, in cooperation with the Aluminium Association of Canada, reported primary aluminium production in North America (U.S. and Canada) was at an annual rate of 3.83 million tonnes during September 2018, advancing 11,272 tpy (+0.3%) over the August 2018 rate of 3.82 million tonnes. The production rate in the U.S. was up 4.4 per cent m/m, while the Canadian rate fell 1.0 per cent. On a YoY comparison, the North American annual rate was down 2.8 per cent from September 2017. Actual production in September 2018 totalled 314,921 tonnes. According to the Association, net new orders of aluminium mill products or semi-finished products for September 2018 dropped 9.6 per cent from August 2018. Orders for flat roll products (sheet, plate, can stock and foil) were off 8.3 per...
Indonesia’s alumina production is boosting with time. The sole smelter-grade alumina refinery in the country PT Well Harvest Winning (WHW) has reportedly hit the production of more than 2 million metric tonnes of smelter-grade alumina (SGA) since June 2016 or the month of SGA refinery’s maiden operation. WHW public relations executive Hen Roliya said that 98.5 percent of the production was exported and the remaining was for state energy holding PT Inalum, which needs SGA to produce their aluminium ingot. "We have been selling [our SGA] to Inalum, which is 1.5 percent of our production. [...] And there will be an increase of sales to Inalum in November to 28,000 metric tonnes of SGA," she told The Jakarta Post on Friday. Inalum bought 31,179 metric tonnes of SGA from WHW in December 2017...
Istanbul has installed reverse vending machines at metro stations that allow commuters to add credit to their subway cards by depositing aluminium beverage cans and plastic bottle into the machine. According to news by the Istanbul-based Hurriyet news organization, İTÜ-Ayazağa metro station in Istanbul is the first station to receive a newly launched vending machine. The reverse vending machine is expected to spread to other metro stations in the city soon. Image Source:hurriyetdailynews.com “With these smart machines, our waste management department and the municipality’s Smart City Technologies Company [İsbak] will contribute to the protection of the environment,” the municipality said on Twitter. “We are continuing to pioneer in solid waste management,” it added. Aluminium beverage...
The US dollar rose on Monday as the pound fell on news that Brexit negotiations with the European Union over Northern Ireland remain in flux and as uncertainty over Italy's budget continued to lower the euro. LME base metals ended in the black across the board overnight. Aluminium edged up 0.17%. LME aluminium contract closed lower at US$ 2002.50 per tonne on October 22 from US$ 2022.50 per tonne on October 19. LME aluminium fell to an intraday low of US$2,002 per tonne from a high of US$2,032 per tonne on Monday morning, reports Shanghai Metals Market. The contract is expected to trade at US$1,990-2,030 per tonne. As on October 22, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2002 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2002.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$...
According to the report by Reuters, the lightweight aluminium products manufacturer Arconic Inc’s board of directors is mulling US$11 billion worth acquisition offer which it received last Friday from buyout firm Apollo Global Management LLC. Apollo’s offer values Arconic at between $23 and $24 per share, one of the sources familiar with the matter said. Arconic shares ended trading on Monday at $21.45. Arconic had $6.3 billion in total debt and cash of $1.46 billion as of the end of June. Another bidding group, comprising buyout firms like Blackstone Group LP, Carlyle Group LP, Onex Corp and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, is yet to submit an offer for Arconic, the sources said. But it is not clear whether the group will submit a bid to rival Apollo’s in the coming days or not....
According to the Shanghai Metals Market report, spot aluminium discounts narrowed across the Shanghai market on the first trading day of the week as future prices fell in the morning trading hours. The SHFE contract for November delivery initially fell before it climbed in the morning trading hours. Spot discounts in Shanghai were heard at RMB50-70 per tonne against the SHFE 1811 contract, compared with RMB90-70 per tonne on Friday morning. Most transactions in Shanghai and Wuxi occurred at RMB14,100-14,120 per tonne and that in Hangzhou at RMB14,130-14,140 per tonne. Transactions in Guangdong were heard at RMB14,110-14,130 per tonne, with Guangdong-Shanghai spreads narrowing to RMB10-20 per tonne from RMB20-30 per tonne on Friday morning. Processing fees for billet in Guangdong were...
Qatar Aluminium (Qatulum) has revealed its total revenue during first six months of the year 2018 ended on June 30, which according to the report has jumped 10.72 per cent year-on-year to $0.74mn. Asia, Middle East, and North Africa have reportedly contributed 57 per cent to the revenue. Earnings before interest taxes depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) stood $0.28mn with an Ebitda margin of 39% at the end of June 30, 2018, said the initial public offering (IPO) prospectus of Qatar Aluminium Manufacturing Company (Qamco). It also said The Asia and Mena regions’ revenue accounted for $0.42mn, while North America $0.15mn or 21%, Europe $0.14mn or 20% and Qatar $0.03mn or 3%. This shows revenues from Asia and Mena reported an 8.8% increase, Europe 26.36%, Qatar 36.92% and North America...
The proposed Braidy Industries aluminium rolling mill complex near Ashland, Kentucky, will reportedly receive a US$4 million grant from the federal government to finance the construction process. An Associated Press news story says the money has been awarded by the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Division of Abandoned Mine Lands to the Northeast Kentucky Regional Industrial Park Authority, the owner of the land for the Braidy mill. The fund will be used to prepare a reclaimed coal strip mine to support the company's planned mill. The company also received a significant boost from taxpayers when the state gave it $15 million through an unusual direct investment in 2017. The funding announcement was jointly made by the U.S. Representative Hal Rogers, U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell...
Alcoa announced on Wednesday, October 17, its intention to cease operations at its Avilés and La Coruña aluminium plants in Spain with a combined annual production of 180,000 tonnes. The Aviles and La Coruna plants were two of the least productive within the Alcoa system due to structural issues such as inefficient technology and high fixed costs and small production capacity. “Those problems, together with external market factors such as overproduction in China, high raw material prices and energy costs, have generated significant losses in these two plants in the last two years,” the company said. Per Spanish law, Alcoa will initiate a mandatory 30-day consultation period with the workers’ representatives to achieve the best possible outcome for the company and its workforce. “An...
Qatar Aluminum or Qatalum, a JV between Qatar Petroleum and Hydro Aluminium of Norway plans to sell 49 per cent of its shares in a public offering on Oct. 30. The state news agency QNA reported the news today. Norsk Hydro owns 50 per cent stake of Qatalum in the joint venture. State energy major and fifty per cent owner of Qatalum, Qatar Petroleum announced in May that it will list 49 per cent of its shares in the aluminium smelter plant Qatalum in a public offering during the last quarter of 2018. Qatar’s Financial Markets Authority had approved a request to publicly list shares of Qatar Aluminium (Qatalum) last week. The public offering will be priced at 10.1 Qatari riyals (US$2.77) a share, Qatar Petroleum said in a separate statement. Qatalum produces about 643,500 tons of primary...
According to data from the Aluminium Association of India (AAI), aluminium scraps import by India increased by 21.44 per cent during April-September period of financial year 2018-2019. The total volume of India’s aluminium scrap import rose from 541,000 tonne during the first half of financial year 2017-2018 to 6,57,000 tonnes during the first half of financial year 2018-2019. Aluminium Association of India urged Indian government to impose higher import duty on aluminium scrap to protect domestic primary aluminium industry. "We have a capacity of 4 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and our consumption is 3.6 MT which we are producing. So, what will be the situation in the market when import will start increasing. It will ruin the domestic aluminium industry," AAI said earlier. Aluminium...
Customers looking for the classic combo of smoked meat and black cherry soda at Schwartz’s will have to have something else to drink. The iconic Montreal deli ran out of cans of Cott Black Cherry soda around two weeks ago and hasn’t been able to get more from its supplier, which is facing a shortage of aluminum cans, Schwartz’s manager Frank Silva said. “That’s the situation now and it’s going to be another two weeks at least,” he said. Customers aren’t happy about being forced to make a substitution, Silva said. “They don’t think it’s funny, they say, ‘what do you mean, you have no Black Cherry, it doesn’t make any sense,’” he said. Because the problem is being caused by a shortage of aluminum cans, that’s led to speculation it was caused by tariffs on aluminum imports. In May, the...
Australian metals miner South32 Limited released production results for Q1 FY 2019 on 18 October, reporting lower outputs at both alumina and aluminium operations. In the just-ended September quarter, South32 refined 1.15 million tonnes of alumina, off by 11 per cent from the preceding quarter. Worsley Alumina contributed 854,000 tonnes which was down by 9 per cent year on year and 13 per cent from the previous quarter. Maintenance work at South32’s Worsley alumina refinery in WA affected output by some 200,000 tonnes in August. However, South32 continues to expect 3.96 million tonnes of alumina production from the refinery in FY19. Brazil Alumina contributed 305,000 tonnes to the total, down by 9 per cent YoY and 3 per cent QoQ. However, South32 says unplanned maintenance and power...
According to a Reuters report, China’s primary aluminium production fell to its lowest level in September since May. This is a consecutive fall for a second month in September attributed to weaker aluminium prices and higher input costs. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics released on Friday, China produced 2.79 million tonnes of aluminium last month, down 1.8 per cent from 2.84 million tonnes in August, but up 7.1 per cent YoY. September has one day lesser than in August and considering that, Reuters’ calculations determined China produced around 93,000 tonnes of primary aluminium daily in September. In the first nine months of 2018, China produced 25.0 million tonnes of aluminium, a rise of 4.2 per cent from YTD 2017. Primary Aluminium prices on the Shanghai Futures...
China's primary aluminium supply is expected to grow at 4.1% in 2019, while consumption is likely to grow at a slower pace of 3%, said Liu Xiaolei, SMM senior analyst. In 2018, primary aluminium capacity with higher costs ran in losses, driven by cash flow issues and falling aluminium prices. This prompted some smelters to suspend operation, to postpone the commissioning of new capacity or to commission less capacity, and supply shrank as a result. Output of primary aluminium in 2018 is estimated to grow 1.9% compared to 2017, Liu told the delegates in Shanghai on October 19 at an annual pricing conference organised by SMM. Newly-commissioned capacity would amount to 3.3 million mt in 2018, some 1 million mt less than estimated at the beginning of the year, showed SMM data. Output grew at...
