AlCircle News Edited By "Debanjali Sengupta"
Debanjali Sengupta is a passionate content writer with 10 years of experience in Business writing, Web Content writing, Blogging, Editing and Research. She is responsible for generating and editing content for AlCircle Newsletter and other online and offline content for enhancing the brand value and its visibility among global users.
India’s aluminium scrap imports from US fall 19% in 1Q2021; Imports in March improve 9% M-o-M
Of 170,000 tonnes of the United States total aluminium scrap exports in March 2021, India imported 29,700 tonnes, according to the US Geological Survey’s latest data. India’s aluminium scrap imports from the US in March recorded an increase of 2,500 tonnes or 9.20 per cent month-on-month from 27,200 tonnes, while on the year decreased by 4,400 tonnes or 12.9 per cent from 34,100 tonnes. In the first quarter of 2021, India’s aluminium scrap imports from the US totalled 81,000 tonnes - quarter-on-quarter down by 18,600 tonnes or 18.67 per cent from 99,600 tonnes and less year-on-year by 14,900 tonnes or 15.54 per cent than 95,900 tonnes. The United States total aluminium scrap exports in March 2021 registered a month-on-month hike of 10,000 tonnes or 6.25 per cent from 160,000 tonnes. On a...
Operating rates at China’s major aluminium processors increase to 77.1%, bolstered by aluminium extrusion orders
Operating rates at major aluminium processors in China rose 2.3 percentage points from a week ago to 77.1 per cent last week, ended on Friday, May 21. The overall growth was due to the significant increase in aluminium construction extrusion orders due to real estate recovery. Orders for aluminium formwork also saw a significant spike. Aluminium plate, strip and foil companies maintained full production. Operations at wire and cable companies were also stable relying on orders on hand. More than one month of backlog orders allowed major aluminium sheet and strip companies to maintain full production in May. Orders for can stock also remained robust. Small and mid-sized enterprises reported fewer orders, leading to a slight fall in operating rates. Major aluminium plate and strip...
NALCO extends aluminium ingot price cut by INR5200/t with effect from May 22
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) extended its aluminium ingot and aluminium products price cut last week, albeit lower than the previous day, with effect from May 22. NALCO reduced its aluminium ingot price by INR 5,200 per tonne or 2.5 per cent to INR 200,350-203,850 per tonne on Saturday, May 22. On Wednesday, May 19, NALCO’s aluminium ingot price stood at INR 205,550-209,050 per tonne, decreasing by INR 8,800 per tonne from May 11. Since the latest cut, NALCO’s aluminium wire rod price has been hovering around INR 203,850-208,200 per tonne, also down by INR 5,200 per tonne from INR 209,050-213,400 per tonne on May 19. The company is currently selling is aluminium billets price at INR 203,800-206,450 per tonne, with effect from May 22, compared to INR 209,000-211,650 per tonne...
LME aluminium price nosedived by US$98/t to close at US$2305/t; SHFE grew to US$2858/t
Three-month LME aluminium advanced 0.44 per cent to settle at US$ 2,390 per tonne on Monday, and it is likely to fluctuate between US$ 2,250-2,350 per tonne today. LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price nosedived by US$ 98 per tonne on Monday, May 24, to settle at US$ 2,305 per tonne, following a rise of US$ 11 per tonne on the previous day to US$ 2,403 per tonne. 3-months bid price and 3-months offer price decreased by US$ 97 per tonne to stand at US$ 2,337 per tonne. Dec 22 bid price and Dec 22 offer price came in at US$ 2,347 per tonne on Monday compared to US$ 2,435 per tonne on Friday, May 21. The LME aluminium opening stock continued to decline from 1750350 tonnes on May 21 to 1741825 tonnes on May 24. Live Warrants totalled 1149875 tonnes, while Cancelled...
Primary aluminium production in East & Central Europe inches down 1% during Jan-Apr’21; Output in West Europe grows marginally
Primary aluminium production in East & Central Europe stood at 341,000 tonnes in April 2021, reflecting a downfall of 12,000 tonnes or 3.40 per cent month-on-month. However, in March, the output stood up by 34,000 tonnes or 10.66 per cent from 319,000 tonnes in February to 353,000 tonnes. East & Central Europe’s primary aluminium production in Q1 2021 totalled 1.025 million tonnes, down by 1.54 per cent from 1.041 million tonnes in Q1 2020. On a year-on-year calculation, primary aluminium production in East & Central Europe in April 2021 stood down by only 1,000 tonnes from 341,000 tonnes. Total production during January-April 2021 amounted to 1.366 million tonnes, down by 1.23 per cent from 1.383 million tonnes during the same period last year. Primary aluminium production in West Europe...
China’s aluminium price rally leads to a dip in secondary aluminium operating rates by 0.25 percentage point in April 2021
In April 2021, operating rates at China's secondary aluminium producers stood at 41.35 per cent, inching down by 0.25 percentage point month-on-month but up by 17.92 percentage points year-on-year. Operating rates at large enterprises increased slightly as furnaces resumed normal operation from maintenance in April. However, small and mid-sized enterprises saw a dip in their operating rates due to the aluminium price rally of as much as RMB 2,000 per tonne month-on-month in April. Hence, downstream aluminium die-casting enterprises saw pressure in terms of raw material costs, resulting in narrow profit margins and even losses. In addition, the “core shortage” of automobiles continued to restrict the growth of secondary aluminium orders. On the supply side, the market for circulating scrap...
Africa’s primary aluminium production declines by only 2% YoY to 130,000 tonnes in April 2021
The International Aluminium Institute found primary aluminium production in Africa stood at 130,000 tonnes in April 2021, reflecting a marginal drop of 1,000 tonnes month-on-month. On a year-on-year calculation, the output in April recorded a downfall of 3,000 tonnes or 2.26 per cent from 133,000 tonnes. In March 2021, Africa produced 131,000 tonnes of primary aluminium, bringing the total production for Q1 2021 to 385,000 tonnes. The output in March was up by 10,000 tonnes or 8.26 per cent from 121,000 tonnes in February 2021 but down by 8,000 tonnes or 5.76 per cent from 139,000 tonnes in March 2020. Africa’s aluminium production in Q1 2021 stood down by 7,000 tonnes or 4.23 per cent from 402,000 tonnes a year ago. In the first four months of 2021, primary aluminium production in Africa...
Alumina spot price in China grows for the second consecutive day to RMB2449/t; A00 aluminium ingot price sheds RMB110/t
The average alumina spot price in China has recorded a rise for the second day in a row, albeit lower than the previous day, by RMB 18 per tonne, found the Shanghai Metals Market. So, as of Monday, May 24, the price is standing at RMB 2,449 per tonne. In Shanxi, alumina price has increased by RMB 25 per tonne to RMB 2,465 per tonne, while the price in Henan has grown by RMB 20 per tonne to come in at RMB 2,455 per tonne. In Shandong and Bayuquan, alumina spot price has inched up by RMB 5 per tonne to come in at RMB 2,435 per tonne and RMB 2,480 per tonne, respectively. Australian alumina FOB price, on the other hand, has continued to hover at US$ 276 per tonne, according to the Shanghai Metals Market. A00 aluminium ingot price, however, has extended the downfall for the fourth consecutive...
Weekly Downstream Recap: EU suspends tariffs on US aluminium & steel; Indian companies cut aluminium products prices
The global downstream aluminium sector has been eventful this week, with the European Union’s decision to suspend tariffs on the United States aluminium and steel exports to Constellium, a global manufacturer of aluminium rolled products, announcing new members to the Board and China’s unwrought aluminium and aluminium products imports grown to record high. Let us here take a quick recap of each event spotted this week during May 17-21. According to a report this week, the European Union and the United States have mutually agreed to discuss and resolve trade disputes around aluminium and steel, and until then, the former has decided to suspend tariffs on the latter. Following the United States announcement of additional tariffs on the European Union’s aluminium and steel in March 2018,...
Weekly alumina update: China’s alumina price gains RMB33/t; Alcoa receives $8.8 million grant for renewable energy use in alumina refining
The average alumina spot price in China recorded total growth of RMB 33 per tonne this week on Tuesday, May 18, and Friday, May 21, while on the other days remained muted, according to the Shanghai Metals Market data. Other major activities in the global alumina sector included Alcoa Corporation received $8.8 million (A$11.3 million) grant from The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to test the potential use of renewable energy and Nhan Co alumina refinery achieved remarkable results after five years of commercial operation. Let us here recapitulate some of those news in a brief detail. As updates by the Shanghai Metals Market on May 18, the average alumina spot price in China inched up by RMB 9 per tonne to settle at RMB 2,407 per tonne. In Henan, the price increased by RMB 15...
Vedanta reduces its aluminium wire rod & billet prices by over 2% with effect from May 20
Vedanta Limited has decreased its aluminium products and aluminium ingot prices on May 20, following a raise on a day ago. Vedanta is now selling its aluminium wire rod at INR 210,000-217,500 per tonne, which is INR 5,500 per tonne or 2.5 per cent less than INR 215,500-223,000 per tonne on May 19. With effect from May 20, Vedanta’s aluminium billet price has come in at INR 210,500 per tonne, also reduced by INR 5,500 per tonne from INR 216,000 per tonne on May 19. Vedanta’s aluminium ingot price is ranging between INR 202,500-215,500 per tonne as of May 20, in comparison with INR 208,000-221,000 per tonne on May 19. Vedanta links its aluminium products and aluminium ingot prices to the three-month futures of aluminium on the London Metal Exchange, which on May 20 extended its decline to...
World primary aluminium production shrinks 3% M-o-M to 5.56MT in April but increases 5% over the year
World primary aluminium production stood at 5.560 million tonnes in April 2021, reflecting a month-on-month downfall of 3.20 per cent from 5.744 million tonnes, showed the International Aluminium Institute. On a year-on-year calculation, the output in April edged higher by 5.26 per cent from 5.282 million tonnes. In the first four months of 2021, world primary aluminium production totalled 22.215 million tonnes, down by 3.91 per cent from 21.347 million tonnes during the same period last year. In China, the world’s largest aluminium producer, primary aluminium output in April 2021 came in at 3.223 million tonnes – 3.21 per cent less than 3.330 million tonnes in March 2021 but up by 7.68 per cent from 2.993 million tonnes in April 2020. In total four months of the year, China produced...
LME aluminium price inched down by $10.50/t to close at $2392/t; SHFE fell for the third day in a row to $2893/t
Three-month LME aluminium fell 2.49 per cent to close at US$ 2,554 per tonne on Thursday. It is expected to trade between US$ 2,400-2,480 per tonne today. The contract will keep fluctuating weakly following SHFE aluminium. LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price continued to decline by US$ 10.50 per tonne to close at US$ 2,392 per tonne on Thursday, May 20. 3-months bid price and 3-months offer price decreased by US$ 13.50 per tonne to stand at US$ 2,419 per tonne. Dec 22 bid price and Dec 22 offer price stood at US$ 2,421 per tonne on Thursday compared to US$ 2,427.59 per tonne on Wednesday, May 19. The LME aluminium opening stock decreased from 1759675 tonnes on May 19 to 1757350 tonnes on May 20. Live Warrants totalled 1218950 tonnes, while Cancelled Warrants...
China’s aluminium billet inventories shrink 15.8% to stand below 100,000 tonnes this week: SMM
Shanghai Metals Market data showed that aluminium billet inventories decreased by 16,600 tonnes or 15.8 per cent week-on-week across the five major consumption areas in China. That brought the inventories to 88,600 tonnes on May 20, compared to 105,200 tonnes on May 13. The fall in aluminium billet inventories this week could be attributed to active consumption on the occasion of domestic aluminium price plunge. The chart below indicates the current status of aluminium billet inventories across China this week in more details: In Foshan and Wuxi, aluminium billet inventories declined by 7,600 tonnes and 7,231 tonnes, respectively, to come in at 43,400 tonnes and 19,568 tonnes. In Huzhou, inventories dipped by 1,000 tonnes and in Nanchang by 900 tonnes to settle at 7,000 tonnes and 9,800...
Hindalco’s aluminium wire rod and billets prices experience further cut of INR3500/t on May 20
Hindalco Industries Limited has been reducing its aluminium products and aluminium ingot prices since last Wednesday, May 12, in tandem with the downfall of the LME aluminium benchmark price. The company has cut its aluminium wire rod price yet again with effect from May 20, bringing the price to INR 213,850 per tonne. This reflects a decline of INR 3,500 per tonne or 1.61 per cent from INR 217,350 per tonne on May 15. With the latest cut, Hindalco’s aluminium billets price has come in at INR 209,850 per tonne, also down by INR 3,500 per tonne from INR 213,350 per tonne. Hindalco is now selling its aluminium ingot price at INR 202,750 per tonne as of May 20 compared to INR 206,250 per tonne on May 15. Hindalco links its aluminium products and aluminium ingot prices to the three-month...
Primary aluminium inventories in China extend decline to 1.02 MT as purchase increases on price plunge
Shanghai Metals Market found a week-on-week decline of 41,000 tonnes in primary aluminium ingot inventories to stand at 1.02 million tonnes as of Thursday, May 20. Stocks fell across eight major consumption areas in China except for Chongqing as the last two consecutive days of decrease in A00 aluminium ingot price has bolstered the purchase and consumption of primary aluminium. Last Thursday, on May 13, primary aluminium inventories stood at 1.06 million tonnes, shrinking by 54,000 tonnes from the previous week. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: Primary aluminium inventories in Nanhai have seen the highest plunge of 18,000 tonnes to come in at 242,000 tonnes on May 20, found SMM. Inventories in Gongyi have shrunk...
Vedanta increases aluminium ingot price by INR1500/t w.e.f. May 19 after two consecutive cuts last week
Vedanta Limited has increased its aluminium ingot and aluminium products prices by INR 1,500 per tonne with effect from Wednesday, May 19, following two consecutive cuts last week on May 13 & 15. Vedanta’s aluminium ingot price has come in at INR 208,000-221,000 per tonne compared to INR 206,500-219,500 per tonne on May 15. Vedanta’s aluminium wire rod and billets prices are standing at INR 215,500-223,000 per tonne and INR 216,000 per tonne, respectively, since the latest increase on May 19. Vedanta links its aluminium products and aluminium ingot prices to the three-month futures of aluminium on the London Metal Exchange, which after the last week declined by US$ 52.50 per tonne to come in at US$ 2,402.50 per tonne as of May 19. However, on a month-on-month calculation, the price is...
A00 aluminium ingot price in China plummets by RMB440/t amid muted input costs: SMM
A00 aluminium ingot price in China has recorded a sharp fall of RMB 440 per tonne on Thursday, May 20, to come in at RMB 19,110 per tonne, found the Shanghai Metals Market. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 19,090 per tonne and RMB 19,130 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 10-30 per tonne. Among the major Chinese cities, Wuxi has seen the highest plunge in A00 aluminium ingot price by RMB 435 per tonne to RMB 19,115 per tonne on May 20. In Hangzhou and Gongyi, A00 aluminium ingot price has decreased by RMB 420 per tonne to RMB 19,020 per tonne and RMB 19,140 per tonne, while the price in Tianjin has declined by RMB 410 per tonne to RMB 19,120 per tonne. Chongqing has seen a plunge of RMB 385 per tonne to RMB 19,140 per tonne, while the...
