
A strong Conference Board (CB) Consumer Confidence index for August lowered the US dollar index by 0.07% last night. Most LME and SHFE base metals gained. Tight supplies and higher purchasing prices of alumina in the overseas market pulled up LME aluminium, which soared to an intraday high of US$2,142 per tonne. It rose 2.35% higher from Monday closing price of US$ 2088 per tonne and closed at US$2,133 overnight. With open interests up 1,921 lots to 626,000 lots, Shanghai Metals Market expects LME aluminium to trade at US$2,110-2,130 per tonne.

As on August 28, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2087.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2088 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2114 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2115 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2147 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at US$ 2152 per tonne.
The LME aluminium opening stock dropped to 1089275 tonnes. Live Warrants totalled at 809550 tonnes, and Cancelled Warrants were 279725 tonne.
LME aluminium 3-months Asian Reference Price is hovering at US$ 2112.50 per tonne.
SME and SHFE Aluminium Price Trend
The benchmark aluminium price on Shanghai Metal Exchange increased slightly to US$ 2175 per tonne on August 29, from US$ 2145 per tonne on August 28.
As longs flooded in, the SHFE 1810 contract soared to an intraday high of RMB 15,000 per tonne yesterday. This came after news that Alcoa’s and South32’s alumina refineries in Western Australia (WA) have delayed their shipments. Workers continued their strike at Alcoa refinery plants and bauxite mines in WA. Meanwhile, maintenance at South32’s Worsley alumina refinery in WA affected output by some 200,000 tonnes. All these factors lifted the contract 1.18% during the trading day and it closed at RMB 14,970 per tonne. The contract strengthened further to a high of RMB 15,100 per tonne overnight and closed at RMB 14,955 per tonne. We expect the contract to trade at RMB 14,850-15,050 per tonne today with spot discounts at RMB 80-40 per tonne.
Market participants should monitor data including the US GDP and its personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index for the second quarter.
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