LME aluminium slips as cash offer hits USD 3,093.5 per tonne, while stocks quietly build

After the close of the previous session, the London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price declined across major contracts. However, there was a significant rise on the inventory front with a slight decline in the cancelled warrants on January 22.

The LME cash bid declined by USD 19 per tonne or 0.6 per cent, moving from USD 3,112 per tonne to USD 3,093 per tonne. Alongside, the cash offer also inched down by USD 20.2 per tonne, shifting from 3,114 per tonne to USD 3,093.5 per tonne.

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At the futures market, both the 3-month bid and offer inched down by USD 9 per tonne or 0.3 per cent, where the bid went down to USD 3,113.5 per tonne from USD 3,122.5 per tonne and the offer to USD 3,114 per tonne from USD 3,123 per tonne.

At the forward contract, the December 27 bid slipped from USD 3,110 per tonne to USD 3,097 per tonne and the offer from USD 3,115 per tonne to USD 3,102 per tonne, both showing a difference of USD 13 per tonne or 0.4 per cent.

The 3-month Asian Reference Price widened by USD 17.5 per tonne or 0.6 per cent, moving up from USD 3,115 per tonne to USD 3,132.5 per tonne.

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The LME inventory is, on the other hand, on an upward trajectory where the opening stock on January 22 stood at 509,275 tonnes from 507,175 tonnes, reflecting an increase of 2,100 tonnes or 0.4 per cent. Live warrants also expanded from 478,375 tonnes to 482,475 tonnes, an increase of 4,100 tonnes or 0.9 per cent. However, the cancelled warrant edged down from 28,800 tonnes to 26,800 tonnes, presenting a variation of 2,000 tonnes or 7 per cent.

On January 22, the LME alumina platts price stood at USD 306.71 per tonne.

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