Chinese aluminium producers are planning a major expansion overseas, with at least 15 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of new primary smelting capacity announced or planned across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. The expansion could push the global aluminium market into surplus , although tighter scrutiny from Beijing and concerns over project profitability may limit how much capacity is built. Around 2.85 MTPA of the planned capacity is already under construction or being brought into operation. This represents 3.8 per cent of the current global annual smelting capacity of 73.78 million tonnes. The new projects, combined with recovering aluminium output in the Middle East, are expected to change the global supply balance. Morgan Stanley forecast in July that the...
As the global aluminium supply chain continues to swing between shifts and crunches, how has Europe fared on the production front in the 2026 year-to-date calendar? Substantially well, going by the output figures. Between January and September 2026, the European continent, including Russia, has produced a total of 5.56 million tonnes of primary aluminium, building a significant year-on-year growth chart. The nine-month growth chart Set against the same period of 2025, the first nine months of 2026 show a clear lift in output. From January to September 2026, Europe, including Russia, produced 5.56 million tonnes of primary aluminium, raising the annual growth rate by 5.69 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) over the 5.26 million tonnes produced in 2025. Explore the production, demand and...
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On August 6, Shenhuo Group officially inaugurated its Innovation and Development Research Institute and Renewable Energy Research Institute. These institutes will concentrate on advancing and utilising renewable energy, producing electrolytic aluminium in an efficient and low-carbon manner, promoting green, intelligent, and efficient coal mining practices and controlling mine disasters. They will also focus on researching and promoting new aluminium-based materials, fostering green, intelligent, and high-end technologies, and spearheading research and development in key core technologies and leading products. In recent years, Shenhuo Group has actively pursued an "innovation-driven" strategy, significantly increasing scientific research and application investments. This approach has...
Aluminium is an essential component of the global economy. The rising demand for green metal clearly shows that no matter how many setbacks or blips come across, the market or the need for this green metal will never decrease. The upstream aluminium sector, encompassing bauxite, alumina, and primary aluminium recorded some important events. Top companies like NACLO, Century Aluminium, Ma’aden, ALRO and Hindalco released their financial results, reflecting significant growths. To begin with, Ma'aden, Saudi Arabia's premier mining company, announced a remarkable 160 per cent increase in profitability owing to a notable rise in sales volumes, particularly in primary aluminium and gold. ALRO reported a positive turnover of RON 1.697 billion, driven by stronger London Metal Exchange (LME)...
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), China's primary aluminium production in July 2024 hit a more than two-decade high, with producers ramping up operations, particularly in Yunnan. China, the world's biggest aluminium producing country, churned out 3.68 million tonnes of primary aluminium, a 6 per cent increase year-on-year and the highest monthly output since at least 2002. The continued increase in the monthly production of primary aluminium in China could be attributed to new projects coming online in the northern region of Inner Mongolia in late Q2 2024, while smelters in other regions maintain strong production due to market profitability. Data from a Beijing-based aluminium consultancy, ALD, showed that the industry's average profit in June 2024 stood at about RMB...
On Thursday, LME 3M aluminium opened at US$2,325 per tonne, with a high of US$2,370 per tonne, a low of US$2,321.5 per tonne, and closed at US$2,356 per tonne, up US$29 per tonne, an increase of 1.25 per cent. On Thursday, August 15, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price moved up by US$3.5 per tonne or 0.15 per cent and US$2 per tonne or 0.08 per cent to settle at US$2,300.50 per tonne and US$2,301 per tonne. LME aluminium 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price added US$2 per tonne or 0.08 per cent and US$1 per tonne or 0.04 per cent to clock at US$2,349 per tonne and US$2,350 per tonne. December 25 bid price and December 25 offer price moved down by US$1 per tonne or 0.04 per cent to clock at US$2,487 per tonne and US$2,492 per tonne. LME...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, China’s domestic A00 aluminium ingot price has increased by RMB 60 per tonne to exceed RMB 19,000 per tonne. On Thursday, August 15, China’s domestic primary aluminium ingot price has clocked at RMB 19,010 per tonne, marking a week-on-week rise of RMB 230 per tonne from RMB 18,780 per tonne. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 18,990 per tonne and RMB 19,030 per tonne, with a spot contract to be traded at a discount price of RMB 30 per tonne and a premium price of RMB 10 per tonne. Region-wise analysis While the increase of A00 aluminium ingot price has touched upon all the provinces in China, Hangzhou, Tianjin, and Linyi have witnessed a hike of RMB 90 per tonne to RMB 19,040 per tonne, RMB 19,060 per tonne, and RMB 19,040...
On Wednesday, the 3-month LME aluminum contract opened at US$2,332.50 per tonne, with a high of US$2,365 per tonne, a low of US$2,319 per tonne, and closed at US$2,327 per tonne, up US$1 per tonne or 0.04 per cent. On Wednesday, August 14, LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price rose by US$41 per tonne and US$42.50 per tonne, respectively, to stand at US$2,297 per tonne and US$2,299 per tonne. The gradual increase of LME prices over the past few days has brought the LME aluminium benchmark price 3.16 per cent higher than US$2,228.50 per tonne on August 1. However, on a month-on-month calculation, the LME aluminium benchmark price has still remained lower by about US$123 per tonne. On the same day, 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price stood at US$2,347...
The first half of 2024 witnessed significant developments in the Chinese aluminium industry, reflecting a blend of challenges, strategic shifts and growth. As a result, China's economic condition also witnessed significant changes during the H1 2024, owing to reasons like the demand production gap, which in turn resulted in higher aluminium prices. Apart from this, other specific reasons, like the ease of electricity shortage in the Yunnan province, also resulted in significant changes in the economic conditions. Another reason that brought about changes in the Chinese aluminium industry can be attributed to Rio Tinto's declaration of force majeure on alumina shipments from its Queensland refineries due to gas shortages, which in turn affected their operations, leading to supply risks...
On Tuesday, August 13, Hindalco Industries Limited announced the first quarter results of the financial year 2024-25 ended June 30. In the report, the company highlighted its robust fiscal growth, attributing to the jump of global aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange. The profit earned in Q1 FY2025 before exceptional items and tax was INR 5,178 crore, up by 55.54 per cent Y-o-Y from INR 3,329 crore and 25.19 per cent higher Q-o-Q from INR 4,136 crore. Net profit amounted to INR 3,074 crore, also up by 25.26 per cent annually from INR 2,454 crore but reflected a sequential dip of 3.15 per cent from INR 3,174 crore. The Q-o-Q fall in net profit could be because of the expenses to repair the flood-affected Novelis plant in Switzerland. The company has made a provision of INR 330...
On Tuesday, LME 3M aluminium opened at US$2,306.5 per tonne, hitting a high of US$2,340 per tonne and a low of US$2,290 per tonne, and closed at US$2,326 per tonne, up US$17 per tonne or 0.74 per cent. On Tuesday, August 13, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price dropped by US$11 per tonne or 0.48 per cent and US$11.5 per tonne or 0.50 per cent to clock at US$2,256 per tonne and US$2,256.50 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price also lost US$12 per tonne or 0.51 per cent to reach US$2,308 per tonne and US$2,309 per tonne. December 25 bid price and December 25 offer price descended by US$12 per tonne or 0.48 per cent to dock at US$2,453 per tonne and US$2,458 per tonne. LME aluminium opening stock came in at 899900 tonnes. Live warrants...
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the world’s largest aluminium smelter ex-China, has declared a steep growth in its financial landscape for the second quarter of 2024, owing to increased sales and higher global aluminium prices. After a year-on-year downfall in Q1 fiscal output, Alba has recovered all its backlogs in Q2 with a revenue of BD407 million (US$1,082.3 million), up by 5.2 per cent year-on-year from BD387 million (US$1,029.4 million). The company’s profit stood at BD68.5 million (US$182.2 million) in Q2, experiencing a skyrocketing surge of 129.2 per cent year-on-year versus a profit of BD29.9 million (US$79.5 million). Sequentially, the profit soared by 179.6 per cent from BD24.5 million (US$65 million) . The company’s basic and diluted earnings per share was fils 48, compared...
In its consolidated and separate financial results for H1 2024, ALRO, one of Europe's leading vertically integrated aluminium producers by production capacity, has demonstrated notable improvement in its financial performance. For the six months ending June 30, 2024, the Group reported a turnover of RON 1.697 billion, reflecting a 9 per cent increase compared to RON 1.559 billion during the same period in 2023. This growth was driven by stronger London Metal Exchange (LME) quotations and higher sales of value-added aluminium products. Marian Năstase, Chairman of the Board of Directors at ALRO, said, "The investments we made in technology, operational efficiency, portfolio diversification and capturing new markets helped us even better capitalise the upturn that the aluminium market...
China’s domestic aluminium production in July 2024 reached a new high, recording a 3.22 per cent increase year-on-year and a 3.66 per cent rise month-on-month, attributed to full production resumption at Yunnan smelters and new capacity commencement in Inner Mongolia. According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, China churned out a staggering amount of 3.683 million tonnes of aluminium, compared to 3.553 million tonnes in June. The continued increase led to a total production in seven month to over 25 million tonnes. However, amid the ongoing traditional off-season, the reduction or maintenance of billet factories and other aluminium processing plants has impacted the proportion of liquid aluminium, which again decreased by 1.1 percentage points M-o-M and 1.9 percentage points Y-o-Y to...
Ma'aden, Saudi Arabia's premier mining company, has announced a remarkable 160 per cent increase in profitability, achieving a net profit of SR2 billion ($532 million) for H1 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. The significant growth, highlighted in a statement on the Saudi stock exchange Tadawul, was fuelled by a notable rise in sales volumes, particularly in primary aluminium and gold, which contributed SAR 218 million to Q2 2024—a 3 per cent increase year-on-year. The company's net profit for Q2 2024 surged by 192 per cent, amounting to SAR 673 million, compared to the same quarter last year. This robust financial performance was underpinned by lower raw material costs, reduced depreciation expenses, and a series of one-off financial adjustments that further boosted profits. A...
The share of Russian aluminium stocks on the London Metal Exchange-approved warehouses continued to increase in July 2024, accounting for 65 per cent of the total stocks. In June, the share of stocks of Russian origin on the London Metal Exchange was 50 per cent after rising from 42 per cent in May. However, it is to be noted that the total aluminium stocks on LME have been decreasing month-on-month. In July, the total stocks amounted to 359,250 tonnes, down by 22.99 per cent from 466,500 tonnes in June, whereas the stocks in May were at 590,975 tonnes. Of the total stocks in July, Russian aluminium stocks on the LME warrant were 233,775 tonnes, up by 1,425 tonnes from 232,350 tonnes in June. The increasing proportion of Russian aluminium stocks in LME-approved warehouses results from the...
On Monday, LME aluminium opened at US$2,299 per tonne, with a high of US$2,331.5 per tonne, a low of US$2,297 per tonne, and closed at US$2,309 per tonne, up US$14 per tonne, or 0.61 per cent. Following a surge of US$58.5 per tonne on Friday, August 9, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price witnessed a sluggish growth on Monday, August 13. As per the data, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price opened the week with a growth of US$4.5 per tonne or 0.19 per cent and US$5 per tonne or 0.22 per cent. The prices settled at US$2,267 per tonne and US$2,268 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price also moved up by US$2 per tonne or 0.08 per cent and US$2.5 per tonne or 0.10 per cent to clock at US$2,320 per...
The Indian State-owned integrated aluminium company NALCO has reported a substantial 76 per cent increase in its first-quarter (APR-JUN FY25) profit, reflecting the impact of higher aluminium prices and reduced costs. For the quarter ending June 30, the state-owned firm's consolidated profit surged to INR 588.42 crore (approximately $70 million), up from the previous year's figures. The boost in profit comes as global prices for base metals, including aluminium, have climbed sharply during the quarter due to supply concerns and increased demand. This uptick in commodity prices generally leads to higher selling prices for metals, enhancing miners' profit margins. According to an exchange filing, Nalco reported a consolidated profit of INR 333.76 crore for the same period last year....
Century Aluminum Company, a US-based producer of primary aluminium, announced its second quarter 2024 results, revealing net sales of $560.8 million, up 14.57 per cent sequentially from $489.5 million, despite lower shipments. The higher average aluminium price, ranging above US$2,500 per tonne in May, primarily buoyed the sales figure. Century's adjusted EBITDA during the second quarter was recorded at $34.2 million, a sequential increase of $9.2 million, driven by favourable global aluminium prices on LME and regional price premiums of $21.8 million, offsetting lower volume of shipments. Century's gross profit in the June quarter was $20.4 million, up 23.64 per cent from $16.5 million in the March quarter. Operating income also increased sequentially from $1.9 million to $6.4 million....
LME aluminium opened at US$2,280 per tonne last Friday, reaching a high of US$2,329.5 per tonne and a low of US$2,280 per tonne. It closed at US$2,295 per tonne, up US$11 per tonne, an increase of 0.48 per cent. On Friday, August 9, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price skyrocketed by US$58.5 per tonne or 2.65 per cent to settle at US$2,262.50 per tonne and US$2,263 per tonne. LME aluminium 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price surged by US$60 per tonne or 2.65 per cent and US$58.5 per tonne or 2.58 per cent to dock at US$2,318 per tonne and US$2,318.50 per tonne. December 25 bid price and December 25 offer price hiked by US$55 per tonne or 2.27 per cent to peg at US$2,468 per tonne and US$2,473 per tonne. LME aluminium opening stock came in at...
