LME aluminium cash climbs to $2,985.5/t as opening stocks ease 0.49% to 509,250t

LME aluminium prices firmed between December 31, 2025 and January 2, 2026, while exchange inventories slipped slightly. On January 2, 2026, the LME aluminium cash bid price stood at USD 2,985.5 per tonne and the cash offer at USD 2,986 per tonne, rising about 0.61 per cent from USD 2,967.5 per tonne and USD 2,968 per tonne on December 31, 2025.

The LME aluminium 3-month contract also strengthened. The 3-month bid price was USD 3,010 per tonne and the 3-month offer was USD 3,010.5 per tonne on January 2, 2026, up roughly 0.74 per cent and 0.69 per cent respectively from USD 2,988 per tonne and USD 2,990 per tonne on December 31, 2025.

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Further along the curve, the December 2026 contract quoted a bid of USD 3,043 per tonne and an offer of USD 3,048 per tonne on January 2, compared with USD 3,010 per tonne and USD 3,015 per tonne on December 31 - gains of around 1.10 per cent and 1.09 per cent.

The LME aluminium 3-month Asian Reference Price on January 2 stood at USD 3,015.5 per tonne.

On the stocks side, LME aluminium opening inventory slipped to 509,250 tonnes on January 2, 2026 from 511,750 tonnes on December 31, 2025 - a decline of about 0.49 per cent. Live warrants were unchanged at 447,475 tonnes, while cancelled warrants dropped to 61,775 tonnes from 64,275 tonnes, a fall of roughly 3.89 per cent.

LME alumina Platts was reported at USD 304 per tonne.

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