
Commodity price volatility continues to create a significant commercial challenge for aluminium recyclers, affecting inventory valuation, purchase decisions, sales commitments and margins. As businesses navigate increasingly dynamic metal markets, understanding how to identify and manage price...
China’s aluminium industry is running close to its limits in 2026. As Shanghai aluminium prices near a three-month high, historically low raw material costs and strong smelter margins encourage producers to operate at maximum capacity. National aluminium output remains above Beijing’s...
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Aluminium scrap: This week, the aluminium scrap market stayed high while moving sideways, with overall limited price fluctuations. On July 23, SMM A00 spot aluminium prices closed at RMB 23,260 per tonne, up slightly by RMB 90 per tonne W-o-W. Regarding the price spread between primary aluminium...

The effects of the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict are now being felt beyond global shipping lanes, reaching supermarket shelves in India through a higher-priced Diet Coke. Supply disruptions affecting aluminium cans have prompted Coca-Cola to change its packaging strategy, illustrating how...

This week, the operating rate of leading Chinese aluminium downstream processors fell to 61.1 per cent, down 0.2 percentage points W-o-W. The off-season effect deepened, putting broad-based pressure on various sectors. Aluminium plate/sheet and strip, aluminium wire and cable, and aluminium foil...

Macro Front The US-Iran conflict continues to escalate, maintaining disruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Regional geopolitical risk premiums persist and supply uncertainties linger. The US CPI monthly rate turned negative for the first time in six years, dampening market expectations of...

Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) reported stronger second-quarter earnings, supported by improved profitability in Europe despite a slight decline in global beverage can shipments, and raised its full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance. The company posted revenue of USD 1.71 billion for the quarter ended...

The US Federal Reserve has kept the interest rates unchanged, keeping the benchmark federal funds rate at 3.50-3.75 per cent for the fourth consecutive meeting. The decision, approved unanimously in a 12-0 vote by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), was widely expected by financial markets...

For the people in the aluminium casting industry , the metal is the single largest line on the cost sheet. So, when aluminium moves, casting moves with it and in 2026, aluminium is moving in ways the industry has rarely seen. Tariffs, regional premiums and the evolving energy costs have pulled the...

The global aluminium industry is increasingly tying growth to decarbonisation, supply security and circularity. North America is prioritising stronger scrap recovery and domestic supply chains, Europe is balancing scrap retention with climate goals under CBAM, while Asia is driving demand through...

Executive Summary: The component cost crisis: Driven by the explosive demands of Artificial Intelligence data centres, global smartphone memory prices skyrocketed. This pushed flagship Bill of Materials (BOM) costs up by nearly USD 300, forcing smartphone OEMs to cut costs in their structural...

The most-traded SHFE aluminium 2609 contract closed at RMB 23,345 per tonne today, up RMB 85 per tonne or 0.37 per cent on the day. Trading volume increased notably from the previous session, reaching 208,200 lots intraday. Volume expanded during the bottom-out rebound, indicating buying support at...

Sonoco Products Company reported higher second-quarter sales as gains in its industrial packaging business and improving metal packaging demand helped offset inflationary pressures and softer volumes in parts of its consumer packaging operations. The global packaging producer posted net sales of...

Australia’s aluminium industry is entering a defining phase of its transition. As demand for low-carbon aluminium accelerates worldwide, the country is seeking to leverage its abundant renewable energy resources, supportive policy framework and growing industrial investment to emerge as a major...

On March 28, the US-Iran tension took a new turn as Iranian missiles struck the Khalifa Economic Zone in Abu Dhabi, damaging the alumina refinery that feeds Emirates Global Aluminium’s Al Taweelah smelter, the largest aluminium production complex in the Gulf. Four hundred kilometres south-west,...

Primetals Technologies will supply rolling mill technology to Lidao New Energy for a new battery aluminium foil production facility in Wuhe County, Bengbu City, Anhui Province, China. The plant will produce battery aluminium foil for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, energy storage...

Brazilian aluminium and steel exporters are stepping up efforts to measure, verify and certify product emissions as the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) begins to influence trade with Europe. What was initially viewed as a future compliance requirement is now affecting...

India's imported aluminium scrap prices increased w-o-w, supported by slightly stronger LME aluminium prices. According to BigMint's latest assessment for CFR Nhava Sheva deliveries, UK-origin zorba 95-5 scrap prices rose by USD 15/t w-o-w to USD 2,700 per tonne, while LME aluminium edges up W-o-W...

Futures: SHFE aluminium closed at RMB 23,280 per tonne, slightly down 0.02 per cent, with prices above MA5 (23,197) and MA10 (23,192.5), and the closing price of 23,280 exactly matching MA30 (23,276.67). Short-term moving average support is effective, while the mid-term moving average pressure...

With the rising growth story of the global aluminium extrusion market, there is an equally important fact that remains constant: The growing demand for aluminium billets. The demand for aluminium extrusion mainly comes from construction, electric vehicles, renewable energy and industrial...