
Social inventories of primary aluminium in China have recorded a week-on-week decline today, August 29, after rising for four consecutive weeks. According to Shanghai Metals Market, the inventories across the eight major Chinese consumption areas, including SHFE warrants, have fallen by 30,000 tonnes from a week ago to stand at 1.033 million tonnes. On last Thursday, August 22, the inventories were at 1.063 million tonnes, marking a rise for the fourth straight week.
The major reason for the decline in inventories today is the lowered arrivals of stocks in most regions.
{alcircleadd}Since, the primary aluminium stocks arrivals have lowered in most of the regions, the inventories have registered a drop in almost all the major markets. For instance, the inventories in Wuxi, Jiangsu; Shanghai; Nanhai, Guangdong; and Tianjin have fallen by 12,000 tonnes, 5,000 tonnes, 15,000 tonnes, and 1,000 tonnes week-on-week to stand at 309,000 tonnes, 194,000 tonnes, 287,000 tonnes, and 53,000 tonnes, respectively.
The chart below indicates the current status of inventories in China in more details:

But despite the fall in primary aluminium inventories, the A00 aluminium ingot price showed no sign of rise today, August 29, according to Shanghai Metals Market. The SMM data shows, the price has dwindled by RMB 80 per tonne to RMB 14,260 per tonne, followed by two consecutive rises on August 27 and August 28 from RMB 14,250 per tonne to RMB 14,340 per tonne. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 14,240 per tonne and RMB 14,280 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a discount price of RMB 10 per tonne and premium price of RMB 50 per tonne.

The aluminium alloy (A356) price has also dropped today to RMB 14,900 per tonne, buoyed by the decline in aluminium ingot price.
Continuous decline in demand for primary aluminium and aluminium alloys in the Chinese market could be attributed to the fall in prices. Also, the aluminium price on London Metals Exchange has been showing slowdown throughout the month. On August 28, the aluminium price on LME clocked at US$1,724 per tonne after declining by US$20 per tonne from the previous day.
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