AlCircle News Edited By "Staff Editor"
LME aluminium prices decline on June 10 amid lower inventories and weaker contract values
The LME aluminium price graph showed a broadly weaker trend on June 10, with cash, three-month and December 2027 contracts all recording declines compared to the last date. The LME aluminium cash bid price fell to USD 3,488 per tonne on June 10 from USD 3,607 per tonne on June 9, marking a decline of around 3.30 per cent. The LME aluminium cash offer price also decreased by 3.30 per cent to USD 3,489 per tonne on June 10 from USD 3,608 per tonne in the previous session. In the three-month contract, the LME aluminium 3-month bid price stood at USD 3,480.5 per tonne on June 10, down 2.92 per cent from USD 3,585 per tonne recorded on June 9. The 3-month offer price slipped 2.93 per cent to USD 3,481 per tonne from USD 3,586 per tonne. Meanwhile, the December 2027 aluminium contract also...
How high aluminium prices and energy costs are reshaping Europe's aluminium market
Europe's aluminium market is facing fresh pressure as higher energy costs and tightening global supply combine to create a more challenging environment for producers and consumers alike. The disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has raised concerns over energy security, while reduced aluminium availability outside China has kept physical markets tight and premiums elevated. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important trade routes for oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Any disruption to traffic through the waterway quickly feeds into global energy markets, and Europe is already feeling the effects through higher gas and electricity prices. For aluminium smelters, where power is one of the largest operating costs, that creates an additional burden at a time...
West Asia tensions drive 35% surge in solar cell prices, squeezing project economics
The ongoing conflict in West Asia is beginning to raise the cost of India's clean energy transition, with industry executives warning that higher raw material prices and supply chain disruptions are making solar projects more expensive. According to industry estimates, rising prices of aluminium and copper, along with supply constraints affecting key petrochemical raw materials, have pushed up costs across the solar power industry by around 20 per cent. The increase in input costs is putting pressure on project economics, reducing expected returns and increasing financing costs for solar developers, industry executives said. Solar cells have seen some of the steepest price increases. Locally manufactured solar cells are currently priced at around INR 12-14 (USD 0.13-0.15) per watt peak,...
Elopak adopts low-carbon aluminium for cartons, cuts packaging emissions by nearly 8%
Paper-based packaging company Elopak has begun using low-carbon aluminium produced with renewable electricity in carton packaging manufactured at its facilities in the Netherlands, Denmark and Ukraine, as part of its efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its products. The company said the switch lowers the carbon footprint of its standard packaging by nearly 8 per cent. Based on cradle-to-gate calculations, the carbon footprint of a standard aseptic Pure-Pak carton has been reduced from 53 grams of CO₂ to 49 grams per carton. Emilie Olderskog, Global Head of Sustainability at Elopak, said, "The introduction of low-carbon aluminium delivers an immediate and measurable reduction in the footprint of our standard ambient cartons, while allowing us to retain the functional properties...
Alcoa valuation back in focus as UBS flags aluminium supply risks and stronger demand
Alcoa has come into focus after UBS highlighted the potential impact of supply disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict and growing global demand for aluminium, prompting investors to take a fresh look at the company's valuation. The renewed attention comes as aluminium prices remain supported by supply concerns and increasing demand from electrification and industrial sectors. Alcoa's shares have seen some recent volatility, falling 1.40 per cent over the past day and 13.58 per cent during the last week. Despite the pullback, the stock remains up 14.61 per cent over the past 30 days and 28.07 per cent since the start of the year, while its one-year total shareholder return stands at 154.14 per cent. One widely followed valuation model estimates Alcoa's fair value at USD 73.87 per...
Aluminium prices unlikely to return to past lows, says Axis Securities
Aluminium prices may have eased from their recent peak, but they are unlikely to return to the lower levels seen in earlier years, according to Axis Securities, which expects the market to remain supported by tight supply, rising production costs and steady demand growth. The metal had climbed to nearly USD 3,800 per tonne before retreating to around USD 3,500 per tonne. Aditya Welekar, Senior Research Analyst for Metals at Axis Securities, said the correction followed stronger-than-expected economic data from the United States, which strengthened expectations that the US Federal Reserve could maintain a tighter monetary stance. Higher interest rates typically weigh on commodity prices by supporting the US dollar. Even after the recent decline, Welekar believes the underlying fundamentals...
CMR Green Technologies eyes strong IPO debut as 36% GMP fuels optimism
CMR Green Technologies is expected to make a strong debut on the stock exchanges after its initial public offering (IPO) received an overwhelming response from investors. The company, which focuses on aluminium and non-ferrous metal recycling, is currently commanding a grey market premium (GMP) of around 36 per cent. Based on the issue price of INR 192 (USD 2.02) per share, market observers expect the stock to list near INR 261 (USD 2.74). The IPO, valued at INR 6.31 billion (USD 66.3 million), was entirely an offer for sale and was subscribed more than 127 times. There was strong demand among institutional investors, while non-institutional and retail investors also showed significant interest. Ahead of the issue, the company raised INR 1.88 billion (USD 19.7 million) from anchor...
China’s aluminium exports gain momentum as global markets tighten
Trade flows across China’s major industrial commodities presented a mixed picture in May, with aluminium standing out as the strongest performer. Exports of aluminium and related products climbed to 632,000 tonnes, marking a 16 per cent increase compared with the same month last year and reaching their highest level since November 2024, according to data published by Morgan Stanley on Tuesday. The strength in aluminium exports appears to have been supported by disruptions to supply chains in the Middle East, which tightened availability in markets outside China. This helped push up prices on the London Metal Exchange, creating more attractive export opportunities for Chinese aluminium producers. At the same time, China domestic aluminium stocks have begun to ease, a trend that has been in...
Hyundai previews next-generation i20 with brushed aluminium badge and connected LED lighting
Hyundai has released the first teaser images of the next-generation i20 for the Brazilian market, giving an early look at the hatchback’s updated design. The biggest changes appear at the front and rear. The new i20 will feature connected LED daytime running lights at the front and a full-width LED light bar at the rear. The teaser also shows dual-pod LED headlamps with Y-shaped lighting elements and a redesigned grille that is no longer integrated with the headlight units. A brushed aluminium Hyundai badge has been placed on the bonnet, while the rear gets new C-shaped LED taillights connected by a light bar running across the tailgate. The new model is also expected to be slightly larger than the current i20. Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report –...
Fitch Ratings expects an oil market surplus after the Strait of Hormuz reopens
Oil prices have climbed following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, but Fitch Ratings believes the market could look very different once the key shipping route reopens. In its latest report, the ratings agency said the current disruption is affecting the movement of oil rather than permanently reducing global production capacity. Fitch expects the Strait of Hormuz to reopen by the end of July 2026. Based on that assumption, it forecasts an average Brent crude price of USD 87 per barrel for 2026. The agency said oil prices have risen because supplies are facing temporary transport disruptions. Once shipments resume, prices could come under pressure again. Fitch expects global oil markets to return to surplus from September 2026. The outlook is based on a recovery in Middle Eastern...
BLT drives the engineering validation of advanced aluminium AM alloys
Xi’an-based Bright Laser Technologies (BLT) has announced that its Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) additive manufacturing technology has supported the development and validation of a new family of high-strength aluminium alloys. The materials were developed by Chinese materials company AccMaterial in collaboration with researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Nature Communications published a paper addressing the challenge of developing aluminium alloys for additive manufacturing. To date, manufacturers have struggled to create a single material system that provides both high processability and both strength and ductility while achieving optimal performance across multiple factors, including manufacturing cost or efficiency and product performance. Using a design strategy...
India and the UK strengthen critical minerals cooperation with the GSCO launch
India and the United Kingdom have formally launched the Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory (GSCO), a joint initiative aimed at improving cooperation, information-sharing and technology collaboration in the critical minerals sector. The observatory was officially launched on June 5, 2026. It was first announced during the visit of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to India in October 2025 as part of efforts to “expand mineral coverage, integrate advanced technologies and unlock new bilateral investment opportunities.” The GSCO will be jointly operated by the Technology Innovation in Exploration & Mining Foundation (TEXMiN), the Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad and the University of Cambridge. The platform will function as a data-driven system for monitoring and...
Hindalco envisions close to 18% growth from the value-added aluminium business
Hindalco Industries is betting on its downstream aluminium business to drive the next phase of growth, with the company expecting annual operating profit from the segment to increase by 15-18 per cent over the next five years. According to Satish Pai, Managing Director of Hindalco Industries, the company is seeing strong opportunities in sectors such as transportation, energy storage, batteries and data centres, all of which are expected to increase their use of aluminium. Pai said Hindalco began shifting more investment towards downstream operations in 2018 and is now entering a phase where it expects to benefit from those investments. Unlike primary aluminium, which is heavily influenced by global commodity prices, downstream products involve additional processing and are made to meet...
Waaree Renewable lands a solar project order from a subsidiary
Waaree Renewable Technologies has received a contract to develop a 300 MW solar project, planned to be completed by FY27. The company has received the new order from its wholly owned subsidiary, Sunsational Power Private Limited (SPPL), for the development of the large-scale solar project. Under the agreement, Waaree will handle the construction of a 300 MW/450 MWp ground-mounted solar power project. The contract also includes operation and maintenance services for two years after the project is commissioned. The company said the project is expected to be completed during FY 2026-27. The order comes at a time when investors have been closely watching the company's project pipeline and order inflows. Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report – Global...
Estrella Damm marks 150 years with Barcelona-inspired aluminium can collection
Estrella Damm is marking its 150th anniversary in 2026 with a year-long programme of celebrations, including a large music festival held in Barcelona in May, limited edition can packaging and the launch of a refreshed visual identity for consumers worldwide. As part of the anniversary campaign, the beer brand partnered with Crown to introduce a limited-edition packaging range featuring seven different 440ml aluminium can designs. The campaign was developed in the UK, where Estrella Damm operates its first brewery outside the Iberian Peninsula through the Damm Eagle Brewery in Bedford, England. The limited-edition cans are fully recyclable and are inspired by Barcelona, the city where the brand originated. Each design highlights different elements of the city's culture, architecture and...
Canadian Research Council teams up with AnorTech to develop alumina-based carbon capture technology
AnorTech Inc. has announced a one-year research collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) to develop alumina-based catalysts for carbon dioxide (CO2) capture using the company's sustainable alumina. The collaboration follows testing carried out in 2025, during which AnorTech supplied several grades of alumina to the NRC for use in catalysts designed to capture CO2 and convert it into methane through a hydrogenation process. The alumina samples were produced from material sourced from AnorTech's Gronne Bjerg anorthosite project in Greenland and processed at the Lakefield laboratory of SGS Canada Inc. Under the agreement, AnorTech will jointly fund the project and provide all alumina samples required for the research programme. Over the next 12 months, NRC researchers...
Trimet expands German recycling capacity by 80,000 tonnes per annum
German aluminium producer Trimet has outlined plans for investments at its recycling operations, including the construction of a new aluminium recycling facility in Hamm and capacity expansions at existing sites in Gelsenkirchen and Essen. At its recycling plant in Gelsenkirchen, the company has expanded production capacity through the installation of new melting units. The additional equipment is expected to increase recycled aluminium output by up to 80,000 tonnes per year. The site is also incorporating renewable energy measures, with solar panels installed on building rooftops to supply electricity for operations. From August 2026, the melting furnaces at the facility will begin operating with hydrogen-rich process gas. According to the company, the fuel generates lower carbon dioxide...
Metro Mining's May bauxite shipments jump 45% as operations rebound
Metro Mining has reported improved operating performance at its Bauxite Hills Mine in Cape York, North Queensland, after weather-related disruptions affected activity earlier this year. Bauxite shipments reached 604,000 wet metric tonnes (WMT) in May, an increase of 45 per cent from April. The rise followed the return of the offshore floating terminal Ikamba after completing its statutory dry-dock programme. The terminal lifted shipping capacity despite undergoing recommissioning works and operating with a single crane while a luffing cylinder replacement was carried out. Higher throughput helped compensate for earlier setbacks, including adverse weather and an eight-day unplanned outage involving the TSA Skardon floating crane barge. Total shipments for the year to date stood at 1.12...
