In the first half (H1) of 2026, the US imported a total of 1.68 million metric tons of unwrought aluminum (HSN code: 7601), of which 16.96% was sourced from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). How has H1 2026 fared for the momentum of unwrought aluminum exports from the UAE to the US? Year-on-year cooling in trade can be noticed, largely owing to the temporary shutdown of the Emirates Global Aluminium’s (EGA’s) Al Taweelah smelter for repair and maintenance. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: “ Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook ” H1 aluminum trade snapshot: 2026 vs 2025 vs 2024 Comparing the H1 2026 figures of unwrought aluminum exported by the UAE to the US, a mixed result...
Norsk Hydro’s earnings outlook for 2027 is facing mounting pressure from falling aluminium premiums, rising operating costs and easing supply tightness in Europe, prompting Goldman Sachs to downgrade the Norwegian producer from ‘buy’ to ‘neutral’ and reduce its price target from NOK 100 (USD 10.71) to NOK 79 (USD 8.46). Goldman said weaker premiums and higher costs were making further earnings growth harder to achieve in 2027. The bank also lowered its core earnings (EBITDA) forecasts for 2026 and 2027 by 6 per cent each, citing lower aluminium prices and rising costs. The changing market conditions come as additional metal from the Middle East reaches the market and Indonesian aluminium supply expands faster than expected, easing European supply constraints sooner than Goldman had...
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LME aluminium prices moved higher on August 7 compared with the previous trading day, while warehouse stocks declined slightly. The LME aluminium cash bid price rose to USD 3,279 per tonne from USD 3,260 per tonne on August 6, an increase of 0.58 per cent. The cash offer price increased to USD 3,279.5 per tonne from USD 3,261 per tonne, up 0.57 per cent. The LME aluminium 3-month bid price stood at USD 3,279 per tonne on August 7, compared with USD 3,258 per tonne on August 6, marking a 0.64 per cent rise. The 3-month offer price increased to USD 3,280 per tonne from USD 3,260 per tonne, up 0.61 per cent. For December 27 aluminium, the bid price rose to USD 3,205 per tonne on August 7 from USD 3,188 per tonne on August 6, an increase of 0.53 per cent. The December 27 offer price also...
BMW is proving that building a greener car is about much more than replacing a petrol engine with an electric motor. With the latest X5, the German carmaker has redesigned much of the vehicle's manufacturing process, using recycled materials, renewable energy and a circular production model that it says can reduce emissions by up to 40 per cent. Rather than focusing only on emissions from driving, BMW is tackling the carbon footprint created long before the vehicle reaches a customer, from sourcing raw materials to manufacturing, battery production and eventual recycling. Recycled aluminium and steel take centre stage Around half of the steel used in the vehicle's body now comes from electric arc furnace (EAF) steel, which relies heavily on recycled material and renewable electricity...
Vedanta Group's Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd (BALCO) has secured Odisha's Karlapat bauxite block after a fiercely contested auction pushed the final bid premium to a record 175 per cent, highlighting the intensifying competition among India's aluminium producers to secure long-term bauxite resources. Located in Kalahandi district, the Karlapat block contains more than 200 million tonnes (mnt) of bauxite spread across 3,100 hectares, making it the largest virgin bauxite resource currently offered by the Odisha government. The block was among 11 virgin mineral blocks auctioned on May 29, attracting strong interest from some of India's biggest industrial groups. Record auction reflects growing race for bauxite The bidding began with an opening premium of 108 per cent but quickly gathered...
The aluminium industry has entered a new race. It is no longer just about producing lower-carbon metal but about securing the scrap, infrastructure and policy support needed to keep circular supply chains competitive. For years, recycling has been one of aluminium's strongest sustainability advantages. Recycled aluminium requires up to 95 per cent less energy than primary production, making it central to global decarbonisation efforts. Yet the industry's priorities are evolving. The key question is no longer how much aluminium can be recycled, but who will control the scrap that makes recycling possible. Recent developments across Brazil, the United States, Europe, the Middle East, India and Australia point to the same conclusion. Governments are reassessing scrap exports, recyclers are...
The future of one of Africa's largest undeveloped bauxite deposits has entered a new phase of uncertainty after A2MP Investments launched a takeover bid for Canyon Resources, raising questions over whether the company's flagship Minim Martap project will proceed as originally planned. A2MP, Canyon Resources' majority shareholder with a 55.56 per cent stake, has launched an unsolicited off-market takeover offer of AUD 0.05 (USD 0.035) per share, valuing the Australian mining company at approximately AUD 103 million (USD 72.1 million). The offer represents a 42.5 per cent discount to Canyon's closing share price of AUD 0.087 (USD 0.061) on July 28. While the proposal centres on acquiring the remaining shares in Canyon, it also signals a potential shift in strategy for the Minim Martap...
Europe's duty-paid aluminium premium has fallen sharply from the highs recorded earlier this year as the supply concerns that dominated the first half of 2026 continue to ease. The Rotterdam in-warehouse duty-paid premium has dropped from its mid-May peak of roughly USD 600 per tonne to around USD 490 per tonne for the August contract, while the forward curve suggests the market could see further easing through 2027. The market has changed considerably over the past few months. Fears that the Middle East conflict could disrupt aluminium supplies have eased, more smelting capacity has returned, buyers have diversified their import sources and downstream demand across Europe remains weak. Together, these factors have gradually removed the geopolitical premium that had pushed physical...
Japan's aluminium market is facing another setback after major automakers suspended production following the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck the Kyushu region on Tuesday, July 28. The temporary shutdowns come at a time when demand for both primary and secondary aluminium was already subdued during the seasonal slowdown in automotive sales, further weighing on spot restocking activity. Although most market participants expect only a limited immediate impact on aluminium consumption, the disruption has added to an already bearish outlook for the sector. That is because the earthquake hit Kyushu, one of Japan's key manufacturing hubs for automobiles, semiconductors, electronic components and flat-rolled steel products, making the region an important source of aluminium demand. Major...
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The campaign imperative: The global aluminium extrusion sector is bifurcating. Facilities relying on historical intuition and manual trial-and-error are facing severe margin compression, while digital-first extruders are capturing record profitability. AL Circle’s Extrusion Campaign is actively tracking this transition. The Asian acceleration (die design): Driven by the need for massive scale, Chinese manufacturers pioneered Machine Learning Surrogate Models. By automating the minimisation of extrudate curvature, they have cut die design lead times from weeks to milliseconds. The European vanguard (advisory & automation): To combat high energy costs and labour shortages, European facilities initiated their digitalisation push early. They now lead the globe in AI-driven...
Futures: The aluminium alloy 2610 contract opened today at RMB 23,440 per tonne, with an intraday fluctuation range of RMB 23,420–23,545 per tonne, and closed at noon at RMB 23,520 per tonne, up 55 yuan from the settlement price, an increase of 0.23 per cent. Intraday futures drifted higher, with multiple shots up to test highs during the session, and overall trading remained firmly above the average price line. Trading volume for the day was 6,114 lots, while open interest increased to 18,342 lots, up 307 lots, with continuous fund inflows pushing the market higher. Spot: Today, ADC12 market quotes predominantly consolidated on a strong note, with the SMM ADC12 price edging up by RMB 50 per tonne. Primary aluminium prices still provided cost support, and enterprises' willingness to hold...
The European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) entered its definitive regime on January 1, 2026, turning what had been a reporting exercise during 2023-2025 into a mechanism with an eventual financial liability. Aluminium sits alongside iron and steel, cement, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen among the sectors covered. The European Commission fixed the CBAM certificate price at EUR 75.36 per tonne of CO₂ for Q1 2026 , followed by EUR 75.28 per tonne of CO₂ for Q2 . The prices are calculated from the weighted average auction clearing price of EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) allowances. Four quarterly prices will apply during 2026 before the system moves to weekly pricing from 2027. That does not mean every tonne of imported aluminium simply attracts its total carbon...
Quaker Houghton has strengthened its position in the aerospace manufacturing sector by securing Boeing BAC 5008 approval for its Hocut 4260 metalworking coolant, expanding its portfolio of certified solutions for machining aluminium alloys and other high-performance aerospace materials. The approval reinforces the product’s suitability for critical aerospace production, where manufacturers require high-performance coolant technologies that improve machining efficiency, extend tool life and comply with stringent environmental standards. Jonathan Dilley, Global Director of Aerospace and Defence at Quaker Houghton, stated, “Earning Boeing’s BAC 5008 approval is a significant milestone for Hocut 4260 and a testament to the fluid’s consistent performance in the most demanding aerospace...
Former industrial sites across Kentucky, including an aluminium smelter, are being repurposed as hyperscale data centres as developers seek locations with existing high-capacity power infrastructure to support artificial intelligence (AI) projects. One of the most prominent examples is the former Century Aluminum smelter in Hancock County, which stopped production in 2022 after more than 50 years of operation because of high electricity costs. The closure resulted in the loss of more than 600 jobs, but the site's 482 MW grid connection capacity remained intact. That existing power capacity has now attracted hyperscale data centre developer TeraWulf, which acquired the property earlier this year. The company plans to convert the former aluminium smelter into a 482 MW AI-focused data...
Whether it's a soft drink, an energy drink or an imported beer, aluminium cans are increasingly becoming the packaging of choice. New market data analysed by Bank of America (BofA) shows the material continues to gain market share, while glass packaging loses ground across several beverage categories, reflecting changing consumer preferences and packaging trends. According to BofA's analysis of Nielsen scanner data for the week ended July 25, 2026, non-alcoholic beverage volumes rose 0.7 per cent during the latest four-week period, with aluminium cans outperforming other packaging formats. Aluminium can volumes increased 2.6 per cent year-on-year over the latest four weeks, while maintaining positive growth of 1.3 per cent over 13 weeks and 2.2 per cent over the past year. In comparison,...
Century Aluminum has reported record second-quarter (Q2) 2026 financial results, backed by stronger aluminium prices, increased shipments and higher production driven by the completion of the Mt Holly restart and the recovery of operations at its Grundartangi smelter. The robust quarterly performance also lifted the company’s first-half (H1) earnings well above the corresponding period last year, indicating improved market conditions and operational execution. Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Report Financial performance comparison: H1 2026 vs H1 2025 Combining the first and second quarters, Century Aluminum reported H1 2026 with gains by wide margins in...
Less than two months after beginning its journey as an independent listed company, Vedanta Aluminium is raising about ₹13,500 crore (USD 1.62 billion) from a consortium of Indian banks to refinance inherited debt, marking its first major financing initiative since the Vedanta Group's demerger. According to people familiar with the matter, Axis Bank has signed a loan agreement worth ₹5,500 crore (USD 658.3 million) with Vedanta Aluminium Metal Ltd., while HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank will jointly lend about ₹8,000 crore (USD 84.04 million) . Axis Bank is expected to launch the process, with the participating lenders subsequently distributing a portion of the financing. The loan carries a tenure of six-and-a-half to seven years, with interest rates expected to range between 7.9 per cent and 8...
Brazil's aluminium industry is facing a growing shortage of scrap as exports to Asia, particularly China, continue to increase, raising concerns over domestic recycling, decarbonisation and future competitiveness. Aluminium recycling plays a key role in reducing emissions, with recycled aluminium requiring up to 95 per cent less energy than primary production. However, Brazilian producers say increasing exports of aluminium scrap are making it more difficult to secure raw materials for domestic recycling. According to the Brazilian Aluminium Association (Abal), around 80 per cent of Brazil's aluminium scrap exports are now shipped to Asia, while China accounts for nearly one-quarter of the country's total scrap exports. Shipments have increased by 590 per cent since 2022, reflecting...
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices rebounded on the August 6 session, with cash, forward and longer-dated contracts all recording gains over the previous trading day. LME aluminium inventories, however, continued to decline, while the LME alumina Platts price also moved higher. The LME aluminium cash bid increased by 0.97 per cent day-on-day on August 6, rising from USD 3,228.5 per tonne to USD 3,260 per tonne, while the cash offer gained 0.99 per cent, climbing from USD 3,229 per tonne to USD 3,261 per tonne. On August 6, the LME aluminium three-month bid price rose from USD 3,229 per tonne on August 5 to USD 3,258 per tonne, marking a 0.90 per cent increase. The three-month offer advanced by 0.94 per cent, moving up from USD 3,229.5 per tonne to USD 3,260 per tonne ....
China's alumina imports continued to rise sharply in the first half of 2026, but expanding domestic production and rising inventories have created a supply surplus that is expected to keep alumina prices volatile and largely range-bound in the near term, according to SunSirs. China imported 2.277 million metric tonnes of alumina between January and June 2026, a 749.1 per cent increase year-on-year, according to data from the General Administration of Customs. During the same period, alumina exports reached 1.609 million metric tonnes, up 19.8 per cent, leaving cumulative net imports at 668,000 metric tonnes as the country's reliance on imported alumina continued to grow. On August 4, the most-traded alumina futures contract was quoted at RMB 2,644 per metric tonne, up 0.38 per cent during...
