AlCircle News Edited By "Aranya Mondal"
Aranya Mondal is a content writer with two years of professional experience in business writing, technical writing, web content, editing, and research. She handles content creation and editing for online and offline channels to support brand growth and global engagement.
Alba’s 2025 performance report: Higher LME prices and operational discipline drive 18.5% YoY profit growth
If 2025 were to be summed up in one word for Alba, the world’s largest aluminium smelter, it would be momentum - a year that started steadily and closed with record-breaking confidence. By the final quarter, the numbers were no longer just improving; they were making history. Across 2025, Alba delivered a net profit of BD 218.7 million (USD 581.6 million), an 18.5 per cent increase over BD 184.5 million (USD 490.8 million) in 2024. Total comprehensive income reached BD 213.2 million (USD 567 million), up 16.2 per cent year-on-year - a reflection of strengthening fundamentals as the year progressed. The year’s defining moment came in Q4, when profit surged to BD 108.7 million (USD 289.2 million), up 193.4 per cent from BD 37.1 million (USD 98.6 million) in Q4 2024. Total comprehensive...
LME aluminium cash offer eases to $3,014/t as opening stocks drop 0.42% to 477,550t on February 17
LME aluminium prices declined on February 17 compared to the previous session, while warehouse stocks also registered a drop, accompanied by a rise in cancelled warrants. On February 17, the LME aluminium cash bid price stood at USD 3013.5 per tonne and the cash offer price at USD 3014 per tonne, down from USD 3037 per tonne and USD 3037.5 per tonne on February 16. This marks a decline of 0.77 per cent in the cash bid and 0.77 per cent in the cash offer day-on-day. The three-month aluminium contract also softened. On February 17, the three-month bid price was USD 3046 per tonne and the offer price USD 3047 per tonne, compared with USD 3072 per tonne and USD 3074 per tonne, respectively, on February 16. The three-month bid fell by 0.85 per cent, while the offer declined by 0.88 per cent....
US aluminium imports from India rose 17.2% in 2025 despite tariffs - with 90% of costs borne domestically, is the US reassessing the tariff?
In 2025, India-US aluminium trade did not simply slow - it changed direction. What began as a policy intervention quickly evolved into a broader supply-chain shift. In March, Washington imposed a 25 per cent tariff on aluminium products under Section 232, citing the need to protect domestic industry. Before businesses had time to adjust, another decision followed on June 4, 2025, the White House raised tariffs on aluminium and steel imports - including derivative products to 50 per cent. The message to exporters was clear: the cost of accessing the US market had just climbed sharply. Tariffs are not new, but the scale of the increase this time is striking. In 2018, India faced a 10 per cent duty, but negotiations resulted in temporary quota arrangements. Aluminium exports were capped at...
Global aluminium extrusion leaders 2025: Top producers with their output capacity and expansion plans
Aluminium extrusion begins with a heated billet pushed through a precision steel die under intense pressure. What comes out can be something as simple as a rod or tube - or as complex as a structural component for an aircraft or a crash-management system in a vehicle. Its appeal lies in a rare mix of strength, light weight and design freedom, which is why extrusion continues to sit at the centre of modern manufacturing. Across Europe, North America, India and the Gulf, extrusion players are adjusting capacity, investing in downstream capabilities and fine-tuning operations to stay aligned with demand that is increasingly specialised rather than purely volume-driven. The top extrusions companies are listed below: Hydro Extrusions Hydro Extrusions is one of the industry’s largest players by...
LME aluminium cash offer price drops 3.88% to $2,996/t; opening stock slips 0.41%
LME aluminium prices recorded a sharp decline on February 13 compared to February 12 across cash and futures contracts. The LME aluminium cash bid price fell to USD 2,995 per tonne on February 13 from USD 3,116.5 per tonne on February 12, marking a decline of 3.90 per cent. The cash offer price dropped to USD 2,996 per tonne from USD 3,117 per tonne, down 3.88 per cent. The aluminium price deficit is mainly due to stock market declines, profit-taking, position squaring, strong US labour data, and reduced China demand before Lunar New Year. In the three-month contract, the LME aluminium 3-month bid price decreased to USD 3,027 per tonne on February 13 from USD 3,145.5 per tonne on February 12, a fall of 3.77 per cent. The 3-month offer price slipped to USD 3,028 per tonne from USD 3,146...
Weekly recap: Recycling momentum, policy debates and energy shifts shape aluminium sustainability
The global sustainability narrative continues to evolve as policymakers, industries and communities reassess how resources are produced, reused and managed. Over the past week, developments across Europe and Asia -along with policy signals from India, reflected opportunities embedded in the transition toward a more circular and low-carbon future. Policy and industry Aluminium scrap exports have become a point of contention within Europe, dividing policymakers and recyclers. A global recycling industry body stated that the European Commission's proposed limits on scrap aluminium exports are unnecessary and could harm the circular economy. The restriction, implemented in November, was designed to keep more metal within the European Union (EU) so the domestic industry does not face...
Hindalco Q3 FY26 performance: Profit drops 45% YoY amid Oswego fire; India PAT reaches all-time high
Hindalco Industries Limited, the metals flagship of the Aditya Birla Group, reported its financial results for the third quarter of FY2026, highlighting sustained business momentum driven by a record performance in India. The company reported an all-time high India business profit after tax of INR 35.8 billion, underscoring strong domestic momentum. At the consolidated level, however, net profit for the quarter ended December 31, 2025 (Q3 FY2026), came in at INR 20.49 billion. This was sharply lower than INR 47.41 billion recorded in Q2 FY2026 - a sequential fall of about 56.8 per cent. If compared again with Q3 FY 2025, the net profit was INR 37.35 billion, down nearly by 45 per cent year-on-year. The decline was primarily attributed to operational disruptions at Oswego following fire...
India-Chile FTA talks signal strategic push to secure critical minerals
The India-Chile free trade agreement (FTA) talks are emerging as an important development for India’s manufacturing ambitions. Currently in advanced stages of negotiation, the proposed pact is widely viewed as a strategic move to secure access to critical minerals, with Chile holding some of the world’s richest reserves of lithium and other critical resources. This India-Chile FTA has attracted far less public attention than other headline trade discussions. While the spotlight remains on high-visibility negotiations such as the India–US framework and the long-awaited EU–India deal, this agreement has been progressing more quietly. At a time when control over mineral supply chains increasingly translates into geopolitical leverage, this partnership carries implications that extend well...
Inside China’s automotive shift: Aluminium becoming integral to vehicle design with usage nearing 8MT
China’s aluminium sector is often discussed in terms of capacity expansions and production numbers. But another force is shaping the demand, that is the China’s automotive industry. As vehicles evolve, aluminium is becoming harder to replace, not because of policy pressure but because modern vehicle design increasingly depends on it.Aluminium consumption in China’s automotive industry is projected to grow from 3.8 million tonnes in 2018 to nearly 7.5-8 million tonnes by 2025. On paper, it reads like strong industrial growth. In practice, it signals a shift in how vehicles are being built. Passenger cars reflect the redesign Passenger cars revealed the change first. Internal combustion engine (ICE) models used around 110.3 kg of aluminium in 2016. The figure rose to 115.7 kg in 2017 and...
LME aluminium price: Cash offer dips 0.66% to $3,063/t; opening stock falls 0.41%
The LME aluminium price recorded a broad decline on February 10 compared with the previous trading session, with cash, 3-month, and forward contracts all edging lower alongside a drop in warehouse inventories.On February 10, the LME aluminium cash bid price stood at USD 3062.5 per tonne, down 0.66 per cent from USD 3083 per tonne on February 9. The cash offer price was USD 3063 per tonne, also falling 0.66 per cent from USD 3083.5 per tonne. The LME aluminium price for the 3-month contract followed a similar trend. The bid price came in at USD 3091 per tonne, marking a 0.53 per cent decrease from USD 3107.5 per tonne, while the offer price slipped 0.48 per cent to USD 3093 per tonne from USD 3108 per tonne a day earlier. To know more about the global primary aluminium industry 2026...
Vedanta Aluminium expands billet production capacity at Jharsuguda to 830 KTPA
Vedanta Aluminium has scaled up billet production at its Jharsuguda facility in Odisha, lifting total capacity to 830 KTPA and pushing the operation into the league of the world’s largest billet manufacturing sites. The expansion reflects the company’s continued shift toward value-added aluminium products while reinforcing supply for both domestic and global customers.Located at what is recognised as the world’s largest aluminium plant, the Jharsuguda operation has gained additional muscle with the commissioning of 250 KTPA of fresh billet capacity, built on an existing base of 580 KTPA. The increase is expected to improve product availability for industries that depend heavily on extruded aluminium and to further anchor the company’s presence in India’s growing downstream ecosystem....
Ireland collects 2.4 billion bottles and aluminium cans through deposit scheme
Ireland’s effort to reshape recycling habits is showing scale. More than 2.4 billion plastic bottles and aluminium cans have been collected since the launch of the country’s deposit return scheme, according to new figures released as the initiative marks its second anniversary. The programme, managed by Re-turn, has rapidly built a nationwide collection network. Sensoneo - the Slovakia-based company that delivered the end-to-end IT solution for Re-turn - reported that 3,133 active collection points are now operating, supported by 2,798 reverse vending machines (RVMs) installed across the state in less than two years. Participation has broadened alongside the infrastructure. Nearly 12,200 products spanning PET plastic bottles and aluminium cans have been registered under the scheme, which...
Rio Tinto launches ‘Forged Here’ campaign to promote Québec-made aluminium
Rio Tinto is turning the spotlight on locally produced aluminium with the launch of a new campaign in Québec, signalling a renewed push to connect its operations more closely with communities and consumers. Titled “Forged Here,” the campaign reflects the next phase of the company’s partnership with the Montréal Canadiens, while recognising employees and longstanding community ties. The initiative arrives as the collaboration reaches the midpoint of its current five-year term, offering an opportunity to showcase how the partnership has evolved both inside and outside the arena. One of the most visible examples of that influence is the use of Rio Tinto’s fully recyclable aluminium cups, manufactured from local low-carbon metal and integrated into the Canadiens’ “The Goal is Green” efforts....
Vietnam’s Lam Dong approves $2.3B for alumina plants’ expansion
Image source: VIETNAM.VN Vietnam’s Lam Dong Province has approved plans to expand two alumina projects with a total investment of VND 59.855 trillion (USD2.3 billion), a move that places the developments among the most significant industrial undertakings the province has seen to date. The decision was announced by the provincial administration which authorises the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited (Vinacomin) to proceed with the expansion of projects, both aimed at strengthening large-scale alumina production in the Central Highlands. The larger of the two investments will go into the Nhan Co alumina plant, located across Nhan Co and Kien Duc Communes. The expansion is estimated at VND 29.986 trillion (USD 1.16 billion) and centres on installing an...
LME aluminium cash offer slips 1.10% to USD 3014/t; opening stock down 0.44%
The LME aluminium cash bid price fell to USD 3013.5 per tonne on February 5 from USD 3047 per tonne on February 4, marking a 1.10 per cent decline. The cash offer price also slipped 1.10 per cent to USD 3014 per tonne, down from USD 3047.5 per tonne. In the futures segment, the 3-month bid price dropped to USD 3036 per tonne from USD 3075 per tonne, a 1.27 per cent decrease, while the 3-month offer price declined 1.27 per cent to USD 3037 per tonne from USD 3076 per tonne. For the December 27 contract, the bid price stood at USD 3003 per tonne on February 5 versus USD 3025 per tonne a day earlier, reflecting a 0.73 per cent fall. In contrast, the offer price declined by 0.7per cent to USD 3008 per tonne from USD 3030 per tonne. To know more about the global primary aluminium industry 2026...
Nirav Commercial approves sale of aluminium unit for $0.13M to Hind Aluminium
Nirav Commercial Limited has approved the sale of its aluminium business segment through a Business Transfer Agreement. The decision was taken at a board meeting held on February 04, 2026, at the company’s registered office, marking a strategic move for the Mumbai-based commercial entity. The board cleared the sale of the aluminium business operating under the “Elesar Focchi” brand to Hind Aluminium Industries Limited. The transaction, valued at INR 12.5 million (USD 0.13 million), is structured as a Material Related Party Transaction and will require regulatory compliance as well as shareholder approval. The company expects the deal to be completed by March 31, 2026. According to the last audited financial statements as of March 31, 2025, the Elesar Focchi aluminium unit formed a...
Guinea’s bauxite exports outpace production by 3.3%, routed to China - What drives China’s dominance and its market impact?
Guinea possesses a geological advantage few countries can rival . Beneath its terrain lies an estimated 7.4 billion tonnes of bauxite - nearly one-third of the world’s reserves. Yet despite this abundance, very little is refined domestically. Instead, the ore departs largely in raw form, feeding industrial chains abroad, mostly to China. As exports of bauxite continue to rise, a natural question follows: has Guinea’s mining engine begun to move in step with China’s industrial demand? The numbers increasingly suggest a relationship shaped by consistency rather than coincidence. By 2025, Guinea’s exports to the world are estimated at 190 million tonnes, with China absorbing the majority. In just the first eleven months, roughly 138 million tonnes were shipped there - about 74 per cent of...
Golkonda Aluminium reports $0.2M net sales in Q2 FY26, but balance sheet raises concern
From a distance, Golkonda Aluminium Extrusions’ Q2 FY26 numbers suggest movement but up close, they show how little of it there was. The micro-cap non-ferrous metals company, valued at INR 40 million (USD 0.44 million), reported net sales of INR 1.9 crores (USD 0.2 million) and a net profit of INR 0.5 million (USD 5525). That was an improvement from Q1 FY26, when revenue was nil. The year-on-year comparison only adds to the illusion. Sales were up 280 per cent from INR 0.5 million (USD 5525) in Q2 FY25, but the base was so low that the growth says more about arithmetic than execution. Revenue did reappear sequentially, yet the pattern across quarters remains uneven, with activity flickering on and off rather than building. Profit moved the same way, dropping sharply from INR 1.7 million...
