China’s aluminium production in May registers an increase of 4% M-o-M to 3.435 Mt

According to the Shanghai Metals Market, China produced 3.435 million tonnes of aluminium in May (31 days), which registered an increase of 4.15 per cent from 3.298 million tonnes in April (30 days). On a year-on-year basis, the output in May grew 3.6 per cent from 3.32 million tonnes.

The daily average production of aluminium amounted to 110,800 tonnes in May’22, up by 800 tonnes month-on-month and 3,900 tonnes on the year.

During January-May 2022, aluminium production in China totalled 16.199 million tonnes, a decrease of 0.39 per cent from 16.25 million tonnes during the same period last year.

In May, China’s domestic aluminium saw both increase and decrease in supply and a slight hike in production capacity. Enterprises in Yunnan, Guangxi and Henan resumed operations and put new productions of about 408,000 tonnes into operation, boosting domestic supply, while output in Yunnan, Shandong and other places decreased by 252,000 tonnes due to capacity replacement and maintenance.

As of early June, the domestic operating aluminium capacity reached 40.498 million tonnes, with a valid installed capacity at 44.365 million tonnes. So, the average operating rate stood at 91.50 per cent. Some smelters in Gansu, Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan and other places are expected to restart their operations or put new productions into effect in June.

It is expected the domestic aluminium production capacity will be around 40.76 million tonnes by the end of June, and the output is estimated to reach 3.34 million tonnes, recording a year-on-year rise of about 3.7 per cent.

In May, primary aluminium inventories fell by less than 70,000 tonnes, far lower than the monthly plunge of 140,000 tonnes last year. In June, it is expected that inventories will fall to 850,000 tonnes.