Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd is expected to face weaker smelting margins in the second half of 2026 as aluminium supply constraints ease, input costs rise and market sentiment shifts towards a potential surplus in 2027, according to Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) Research. “The narrative now is increasingly shifting to a potential surplus in 2027. Coupled with falling Japan-Port (MJP) premium and rising alumina as well as carbon anode costs, we foresee sequentially weaker smelting margins in 2H2026,” the research house said in a note on Monday. HLIB Research estimates that Press Metal’s core earnings for the third quarter of 2026 will range between MYR 600 million (USD 146.85 million) and MYR 650 million (USD 159.09 million), representing a decline of 10 per cent to 17 per cent...
South Asia’s beverage-can manufacturing capacity continues to expand, with Bangladesh preparing to enter the industry through a USD 100 million aluminium beverage can plant while new and expanded facilities advance across India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, the planned Bangladeshi project still faces a key infrastructure hurdle: securing a gas connection before production begins. Chinese-owned Alu Hi-Tech Industries Ltd is developing Bangladesh’s first aluminium beverage can plant at Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park in Gazipur, north of Dhaka. The facility is designed to produce around 1 billion cans annually, with approximately 90 per cent of its output earmarked for export markets. The company registered with the hi-tech park in 2024, when work on the project began. Construction has...
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Europe's efforts to reduce its dependence on imported critical minerals gathered momentum after METLEN Energy & Metals signed a long-term agreement to supply a leading US technology company with approximately 25 per cent of the annual gallium output expected from its planned production facility in Greece. The agreement also highlights the growing strategic importance of Europe's aluminium value chain. Gallium is commercially recovered during alumina refining from bauxite rather than mined directly, making integrated aluminium operations central to global gallium supply. According to METLEN, the agreement is the first major commercial gallium supply deal between a European producer and a US technology company. Europe looks beyond China for gallium The deal comes as European countries...
Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd (BALCO) has inducted its second Bogie Tank Alumina Powder (BTAP) M-1 (B12) railway rake at its railway yard, strengthening the movement of alumina to support its aluminium production expansion. BALCO introduced the new rake as it works to increase its aluminium production capacity to 1 million tonnes a year. Alumina is the main raw material for making aluminium, so its transport must be smooth and regular for smelter operations. The rake has been inducted under Indian Railways' Liberalised Special Freight Train Operator (LSFTO) Scheme, allowing BALCO to increase the share of rail transport in its logistics network. The company said greater use of rail will improve the movement of bulk alumina while reducing dependence on road transportation. To know the...
The sharp aluminium price rally , propelled by geopolitical tensions from the Middle East conflict and resulting supply-side disruptions , has renewed investor interest in India’s metal sector. According to a report by PL Capital , elevated London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices , coupled with lower alumina costs, are expected to boost earnings for aluminium producers, placing companies such as Hindalco Industries and National Aluminium Company (NALCO) in the spotlight. While aluminium prices have climbed to record highs, PL Capital noted that the global alumina market is still oversupplied. The weaker alumina price and stronger LME aluminium price ratio is likely to help Chinese aluminium smelters post healthy financial performance in calendar year 2026. Explore- Most comprehensive...
LME aluminium prices moved higher on August 4, with gains across cash, three-month and December 2027 contracts, while exchange inventories continued to decline. The combination of firmer prices and lower warehouse stocks reflected a market that remained supported by near-term supply concerns despite mixed demand signals from China. The LME aluminium cash bid price rose to USD 3,270 per tonne on August 4 from USD 3,259 per tonne on August 3, while the cash offer price increased to USD 3,271 per tonne from USD 3,260 per tonne. Both prices were up 0.34 per cent. The LME aluminium three-month bid price climbed to USD 3,236 per tonne from USD 3,210 per tonne, marking a 0.81 per cent increase. The three-month offer price also strengthened, rising to USD 3,236.5 per tonne from USD 3,212 per...
Sunlite Recycling Industries posted a strong start to FY27, with its aluminium business emerging as one of the key growth drivers during the quarter ended June 30, 2026. The company reported consolidated revenue of INR 7.84 billion (USD 90.1 million), up 74.62 per cent year on year, supported by robust demand across its aluminium and copper recycling businesses. The quarter also marked the first full reporting period following the integration of Sunlite Aluminium Private Limited as a wholly owned subsidiary, strengthening the company's position as an integrated producer of copper and aluminium products. The business update was submitted to the National Stock Exchange of India Limited on August 3, 2026, in compliance with Regulation 30 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing...
Ford Motor Co. reported a double-digit decline in U.S. vehicle sales for July as production constraints linked to an aluminium shortage continued to limit F-Series truck availability, although the automaker said demand for its high-margin pickup trucks and SUVs remains resilient. Ford sold 169,951 vehicles in the U.S. during July, down more than 10 per cent year-on-year. The decline was attributed to a combination of constrained F-Series production following disruptions in aluminium supply, the discontinuation of the Escape crossover and a planned reduction in low-margin rental fleet sales. The aluminium shortage stemmed from multiple fires that halted production at aluminium supplier Novelis Inc.'s hot mill last autumn. Although the facility resumed operations in June, Ford said F-Series...
Malaysia is considering easing its restrictions on exports of unprocessed rare earths as global competition for critical minerals intensifies, with the government assessing whether conditional exports could strengthen the country's position in the international supply chain while continuing to promote domestic value addition. The Southeast Asian nation imposed a moratorium on exports of raw rare earths in 2024 to encourage greater investment in local processing. However, growing interest from countries including the United States, Australia, France and India has prompted authorities to review whether limited exports should be allowed under specific conditions. Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh said the government is evaluating the...
Ball Corporation reported a stronger second quarter for 2026 as higher demand for aluminium beverage packaging lifted global shipment volumes, supporting earnings growth and reinforcing the company's long-term outlook for sustainable aluminium packaging. Global aluminium packaging shipments increased 4.3 per cent year-on-year during the quarter, accelerating from the previous quarter and driven by higher beverage can demand across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South America. The company also benefited from growing preference for recyclable aluminium packaging, while higher beverage consumption during the football World Cup supported can demand in several markets. Ball reported comparable net earnings of USD 276 million, or USD 1.03 per diluted share, in the second...
Aluminium cans continued to gain ground in Romania's Deposit Return System (DRS), accounting for 29.3 per cent of beverage packaging placed on the market during the second quarter of 2026, as brands expanded canned beverage offerings and consumers increasingly favoured recyclable packaging. According to official RetuRO data analysed by Every Can Counts, aluminium's share of DRS packaging increased from 21.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2024 to 29.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2026. Over the same period, aluminium's share of returned packaging rose from 18.7 per cent to 28.8 per cent, reflecting growing participation in can recycling. The increase comes as plastic's share of DRS packaging declined from 61 per cent to 51 per cent, while glass remained broadly stable at around 20...
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) has collaborated with the Nasser Centre for Science and Technology (NCST) to deploy an artificial intelligence (AI)- based monitoring system for gas turbines at Power Station 4. The initiative aims to improve predictive maintenance capabilities as well as operational efficiency. Developed by NCST’s AI research and development team, the platform would be continuously monitoring the GT-51, GT-52, GT-61 and GT-62 gas turbines, offering advanced analytics to help minimise the risk of unexpected equipment failures while backing faster, data-based maintenance choices. Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Report The AI system evaluates critical...
Australian Vanadium Ltd has entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Alcoa to explore the use of long-duration vanadium flow battery (VFB) technology at the company's alumina refinery operations in Western Australia. The agreement also includes Australian Vanadium's wholly owned subsidiary, VSUN Energy, which will jointly lead the assessment. The partnership will begin with a scoping study to determine whether a VFB system rated at 50-80 megawatts, capable of storing energy for six to eight hours and potentially longer than eight hours, can be integrated into Alcoa's refining operations. The assessment will focus on how such a system could enhance operational reliability, reduce energy use during peak demand and enable greater use of renewable electricity across...
As global demand for value-added aluminium products continues to rise across construction, automotive, renewable energy, electrical equipment and industrial manufacturing, aluminium bars, rods and profiles have become one of the most actively traded downstream products. Asia remains at the crucial juncture of this trade, serving both as the world’s largest production hub and one of its biggest consumption markets. Shaping this market from both the supply and demand sides, ten key Asian economies have gained prominence. On the export front, China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia emerged as the region’s top suppliers. On the import side, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India and Thailand ranked as the leading buyers. Meanwhile, Malaysia and Vietnam appear on both supplying and sourcing lists. A...
Ball Corporation has partnered with Unilever to launch a football-themed Rexona Maximum Protection aerosol range in Germany, using its Dynamark PRO printing technology to produce six different aluminium can designs in a single production run. The new packaging has been developed as part of Unilever's partnership with the German Football Association (DFB). Each can features stylised illustrations of players from Germany's men's national football team while maintaining the Rexona brand identity across the range. To learn the future of aluminium in the packaging industry, explore our report " ALuminium in Packaging: Consumer Trends and Market Dynamics " Six aluminium can designs in one production run Unilever wanted to introduce multiple packaging designs without affecting production...
NALCO shares were trading at INR 374.20 (USD 3.93) at 12:03 pm on August 4, up from INR 357.20 (USD 3.75) in the previous session. The stock was getting attention after the company posted higher revenue and profit for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. The company posted a strong quarter in June 2026, with consolidated revenue rising sharply to about INR 53 billion (USD 556 million) from INR 38 billion (USD 399 million) a year earlier. Net profit also climbed to around INR 20 billion (USD 210 million), and earnings per share nearly doubled to INR 10.91 (USD 0.11). To know the production, demand and consumption forecasts on bauxite and alumina, explore the report " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook " Revenue has increased steadily...
Speira is progressing with the redevelopment of its Rheinwerk facility in Neuss, Germany, as it continues transforming the site into an aluminium recycling hub. The aluminium rolling and recycling company has invested around EUR 40 million (USD 46 million) in a fourth recycling furnace, which is due to come on stream this autumn. It has also invested in the decommissioning and redevelopment of the site's former aluminium smelter. With the complete phase-out of electrolysis, Speira said it has set the course for a fundamental transformation of the Rheinwerk site. Instead of energy-intensive primary production, the company is now focusing on aluminium recycling and strengthening the circular economy. The new fourth recycling furnace is a key part of this transition. Aluminium scrap will be...
AMS Advanced Material Bhd, Malaysia, is set to enter the aluminium scrap recycling business after its subsidiary, AMS Ecogreen Sdn Bhd, obtained all the licences required to begin operations. This expansion takes the company into aluminium recycling and strengthens its existing aluminium processing business. The new business will collect, process and sell aluminium scrap from its facility in Johor. The plant will have an initial processing capacity of about 17 tonnes per month. To know the aluminium casting demand forecast in the construction sector, explore our report " Global Aluminium Casting Market 2026-2032: Plant Economics, Alloy Segmentation, Pricing Intelligence, Supply Chain Analysis & Strategic Recommendations " Managing Director Keh Teng Yang said receiving the required...
Vedanta Aluminium veteran Rajiv Kumar has been appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Jindal Steel after completing a successful stint as Chief Executive Officer of Vedanta Aluminium. Kumar, who brings more than three decades of experience in the metals and mining industry, will now oversee the company’s manufacturing and mining operations. In Vedanta Aluminium, Kumar served as Chief Executive Officer and played a key role in driving production capacity expansion, improving operational efficiency and advancing the company’s long-term growth strategy. His background includes extensive experience in large-scale aluminium manufacturing, operational excellence and business leadership. To learn about the market potential of aluminium dross, explore " ALuminium Dross Processing: Generation,...
The first trading session of August opened with the London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price graph exceeding the USD 3,200-per-tonne mark across both pricing and contract segments. Meanwhile, similar to the previous trading session , stocks continued to dip, indicating steady withdrawal from the aluminium inventory. The LME aluminium cash bid and offer prices jumped 2 per cent day-on-day on August 3. The bid rose USD 3,195 per tonne to USD 3,259 per tonne, and the offer shifted from USD 3,196 per tonne to USD 3,260 per tonne. Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Report On August 3, the LME aluminium three-month bid price improved by 0.99 per cent to USD 3,210...
