
According to SMM statistics, as of September 17, aluminium billet inventory in major domestic consumption areas recorded 152,500 tonnes, down 500 tonnes from last Thursday (September 10) and down 5,000 tonnes from this Monday (September 14). The persistent upward trend in inventory since mid-August has shifted slightly, turning into a modest pullback from highs. On a Y-o-Y basis, inventory was approximately 17,500 tonnes higher than the same period in 2025, about 31,000 tonnes higher than 2024, and roughly 61,000 tonnes higher than 2023, with total inventory still at the highest level for the same period over the past four years. From the perspective of warehouse withdrawals, aluminium billet withdrawals during September 7–September 14 recorded 38,900 tonnes, up 2,800 tonnes W-o-W, ending...
Saudi Arabia’s aluminium consumption could climb to as much as 1.8 million tonnes a year by 2030, as the Kingdom ramps up infrastructure and industrial development ahead of the 2034 FIFA World Cup. Ahmad Al-Alshaikh, executive vice president of Maaden’s Aluminum Business Unit, said demand is expected to reach at least 1.6 million tonnes annually by 2030, up from around 1 million tonnes currently. Consumption could potentially double over the next five to seven years, he said. Speaking on the sidelines of the Fastmarkets International Aluminium Conference in Budapest, Al-Alshaikh said construction of 15 new stadiums for the football tournament is helping to support aluminium demand, Reuters reported. Major exhibitions and preparations for the World Cup are also expected to contribute to...
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Several news in the primary aluminium industry have made round ups this week, but among them what has gained the most attention is China’s year-high aluminium imports within the 11 months of 2021, as limited domestic aluminium production due to power usage restrictions underpin demand for overseas metal. According to China customs data, arrivals of unwrought aluminium and products, including primary metals and unwrought, alloyed aluminium, recorded a 15-month peak at 397,915 tonnes in November. That was 34 per cent up month-on-month from 297,043 tonnes and 109.3 per cent higher on the year. Total imports in 11 months amounted to 2.97 million tonnes, beating the previous annual record of 2.7 million tonnes in 2020. To know more:...

According to the latest data revealed by the Indian Aluminium Institute (IAI), primary aluminium production in Africa stood at 131,000 tonnes in November 2021, down by 6,000 tonnes or 4.38 per cent from 137,000 tonnes in October. But the output in October saw a month-on-month rise of 5,000 tonnes or 3.79 per cent from 132,000 tonnes. On a year-on-year calculation, primary aluminium production in Africa during November 2021 stood up by 2,000 tonnes or 1.55 per cent from 129,000 tonnes. In the past three months, Africa churned out 400,000 tonnes of primary aluminium, only 1,000 tonnes less than 401,000 tonnes during June-August 2021. From January to November, primary aluminium output in Africa totalled 1.452 million tonnes, which reflected a downfall of 1.22 per cent from 1.470 million...

According to China customs data, the country’s prebaked anode exports soared by 63.3 per cent month-on-month to 234,100 tonnes in November 2021. On a year-on-year calculation, the exports stood even higher by 178.1 per cent, hitting the highest level in 2021. But amid the sharp hike in export volume, the average export price of China’s prebaked anode increased by only 2.08 per cent, far less than the rise in domestic benchmark price by RMB 440 per tonne in November. Shandong was the main exporter with the volume of 171,300 tonnes, accounting for 73 per cent of the total exports. Jiangsu exported 20,400 tonnes, accounting for about 9 per cent of the exports. Among the main importers, Malaysia ranked first with the import volume of 82,900 tonnes, accounting for about 36 per cent of the...

Norsk Hydro ASA, a Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company, has reportedly planned for an investment of NOK60 million to upgrade the electrolysis cells at the aluminium plant in Ardal, Norway. The project will improve the working environment for the operators at the metal plant, reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions, and contribute to increased profitability. Work on the upgrade is slated to start in the spring of 2022. The investment will also allow Hydro Ardal to use next-generation cell control system, developed from the technology used in Hydro’s technology pilot at Karmøy. New cell control system is expected to be introduced at the end of 2022, which will save energy of around 860 MWh annually. “The aluminum plant in Årdal is core to Hydro's Norwegian production...

LME aluminium opened at US$ 2,817.50 per tonne on Thursday and closed at US$2,850 per tonne, an increase of US$26 per tonne or 0.92 per cent. On Thursday, December 23, LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME aluminium official settlement price continued to move up, although lower, by US$7 per tonne to stand at US$2,817.50 per tonne and US$2,818 per tonne, respectively. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price for the same day stood at US$2,829 per tonne and US$2,830 per tonne, up by only US$1 per tonne from the previous day. December 22 bid price and December 22 offer price hovered around US$2,790 per tonne and US$2,795 per tonne. LME aluminium opening stock decreased to 968650 tonnes. Live warrants and Cancelled warrants totalled at 731500 tonnes and 237150 tonnes. LME aluminium 3-month...

On 22 nd December 2021, the official gazette of the government of the largest country in South America and Latin America, Brazil notified that it has sanctioned a duty-free import quota for non-alloyed aluminium of 350,000 tonnes for 2022. However, on 21 st December a conclusive decision was drawn by the executive management committee (Gecex) of Brazil’s foreign trade chamber (Camex), a part of the Ministry of Economy, Govt. of Brazil. Following the inflow of 350,000 tonnes of P1020 aluminium into the nation exhausting the duty-free import quota, the remaining import will be levied with a 5.4% import duty. In recent past, the Brazilian aluminium industry associates market participants overhear that the import quota could be as around 230,000-260,000 tonnes, as the overall anticipation was...

Primary aluminium inventories in China have continued to decrease by over 40,000 tonnes week-on-week as of Thursday, December 23. According to the Shanghai Metals Market, the inventories this week have shed by 46,000 tonnes to come in at 864,000 tonnes across the eight major Chinese consumption areas, including SHFE warrants. Last week on December 16, China’s primary aluminium inventories fell by 42,000 tonnes to stand at 910,000 tonnes. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: In Wuxi, primary aluminium inventories have plunged by 28,000 tonnes this week to come in at 326,000 tonnes, while the inventories in Nanhai have decreased by 14,000 tonnes to settle at 197,000 tonnes as of December 23. In Hangzhou, primary...

Hindalco Industries Limited increased its aluminium ingot and aluminium products prices with effect from Wednesday, December 22, after a cut on the previous day. Hindalco’s aluminium ingot price came in at INR 238,250 per tonne on December 22 after being grown by INR 3,000 per tonne from INR 235,250 per tonne on December 21. The price on December 21 was cut by INR 4,500 per tonne from December 18. The hike on December 22 brought Hindalco’s aluminium wire rod price to INR 249,350 per tonne, meaning the price saw an increase of INR 3,000 per tonne from INR 246,350 per tonne on December 21. Hindalco’s aluminium billets price stood at INR 252,350 per tonne as of December 22, in comparison with INR 249,350 per tonne on the previous day. Hindalco links its aluminium ingot and aluminium products...

According to a labour union spokesman, Aluminium Dunkerque Industries France has reduced metal output in the last two weeks due to a rise in power rates. According to union official Laurent Geeraert, the reductions correspond to around 3% of Aluminium Dunkerque's manufacturing capacity. Since the beginning of November, the plant has lost nearly 20 million euros ($22.6 million), and more curtailments may be necessary if electricity prices continue high, he added. The cuts were verified by a second source familiar with the activities. While aluminium prices have increased by more than 40% this year, and demand for the plant's goods is increasing, profitability has been undercut by a significantly higher increase in electricity rates in recent weeks. The electricity needed to create one...

PT Adaro Energy based in Indonesia signed a letter of intent this week to invest in a smelter project to be developed at the Green Industrial Park Indonesia in North Kalimantan province. Adaro Energy, an Indonesian coal business, said in a statement on Thursday that it aims to build a $728 million aluminium smelter in a new industrial zone on Borneo Island. According to a release, Adaro ENergy signed a letter of intent this week to invest in a smelter project to be developed at the Green Industrial Park Indonesia in North Kalimantan province. The new estate is being developed by PT Kalimantan Industrial Park Indonesia, a group managed by Adaro's President Director Garibaldi Thohir. The park has been designated as "green" by the government owing to a proposal to power industrial activity...

A00 aluminium ingot price in China has jumped by RMB 510 per tonne on Thursday, December 23, marking hike for the second consecutive day after an intermitted decline on December 21. According to the Shanghai Metals Market, the growth today has again sent the primary aluminium ingot price to above RMB 20,000 per tonne. With average prices to range between RMB 20,050-20,090 per tonne, A00 aluminium ingot price is standing at RMB 20,070 per tonne as of December 23. The spot contract is likely to be traded at a premium price of RMB 180-140 per tonne. In Tianjin, A00 aluminium ingot price has expanded sharply by RMB 540 per tonne to RMB 20,030 per tonne, while the price in Foshan and Shenyang has hiked by RMB 520 per tonne to RMB 20,170 per tonne and RMB 20,020 per tonne, respectively. In...

LME aluminium opened at US$2,760 per tonne on Wednesday and closed at US$2,822 per tonne, an increase of US$53.5 per tonne or 1.93 percent. On Wednesday, December 22, LME aluminium cash (bid) price surged by US$115.5 per tonne or by 4.28 percent to clock at US$2,810.50 per tonne. LME aluminium official settlement price escalated by US$115 per tonne or by 4.26 percent to stand at US$2,811 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price for the same day stood at US$2,828 per tonne and US$2,829 per tonne. December 22 bid price and December 22 offer price registered at US$2,798 per tonne and US$2,803 per tonne. LME aluminium opening stock was recorded at 970425 tonnes. Live warrants and Cancelled warrants totalled at 754300 tonnes and 216125 tonnes. LME aluminium 3-month Asian Reference...

The President of the trade union within Alro Slatina, Constantin Popescu stated that integrated aluminium producer, Alro has initiated a program of a complete shutdown of the production activity due to the surge in electricity prices. Alro remains one of the biggest aluminium companies of Romania and also the largest producers in continental Europe excluding Russia and the Scandinavian Peninsula. Alro Slatina is also a substantial energy consumer of Romania. However, it has been reported that the aluminium smelter has already commenced the closedown procedure, as it has planned to slash down 60% of the production during the first phase. Constantin Popescu commented: "We are facing exorbitant prices in the energy market and a lack of energy in the market. We have already started the...

On Wednesday, December 22, the average alumina spot price in China has remained restrained to stand at RMB 2,818 per tonne, found the Shanghai Metals Market. The average alumina price in Shandong and Henan has also remained the same to come in at RMB 2,915 per tonne and RMB 2,815 per tonne, for the same day. On the other hand in provinces like Shanxi, Guizhou, and Guangxi the price has stood the same as well. The price has been recorded at RMB 2,815 per tonne, RMB 2,850 per tonne and RMB 2,735 per tonne. In Lianyungang and Bayuquan also the price has stood the same at RMB 2,925 per tonne and RMB 2,975 per tonne. The Australian alumina FOB price has remained the same to clock in at RMB 345 per tonne. The price of A00 aluminium ingot has surged by RMB 140 per tonne to register at RMB 19,560...

On 21 st December 2021, the state-owned power transmission system operator of Montenegro, Crnogorski Elektroprenosni Sistem (CGES) said that it will disconnect aluminium smelter KAP from the grid on 31 st December 2021. CGES stated in a notice that they have sent to the owner of the smelter, Uniprom: “Following the applicable regulations, if the contract for the supply of power to KAP in 2022 is not signed by December 25, we will be obliged to issue an order to completely suspend the delivery of electricity via the transmission system on December 31.” “Uniprom is not entitled to any compensation by CGES based on possible damage to the technological process at KAP caused by the suspension of power supply to the electrolytic cells at the aluminium smelter” highlighted by the power...

On Tuesday, December 21, LME aluminium cash (bid) price hiked by US$50 per tonne or by 1.89 percent, while LME aluminium official settlement price for the same day soared up by US$50.5 per tonne or by 1.90 percent, respectively. The prices stood at US$2,695 per tonne for LME aluminium cash (bid) and US$2,696 per tonne for LME aluminium official settlement price. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price for the same day closed at US$2,714 per tonne and US$2,716 per tonne. December 22 bid price and December 22 offer price totalled at US$2,698 per tonne and US$2,703 per tonne. LME aluminium opening stock stood at 971600 tonnes. Live warrants and Cancelled warrants was recorded at 754300 tonnes and 217300 tonnes. LME aluminium 3-month Asian Reference Price registered at US$2,686.63 per...

The leading aluminium producer of India, Vedanta’s aluminium smelter expansion plan in Jharsuguda has been obstructed by Odisha High Court on the environment clearance grounds. The mining and metal company based in India is projected to augment its annual production capacity from 16 lakh MT to 18 lakh MT and captive power plant (CPP) capacity to 1,215 megawatts and for this reason, the land required to be acquired in Brundamal, Katikela, Purna and Kurebaga. However, the land acquisition procedure has been intertwined in a legal dispute over the public hearing for the project. Although, the Odisha State Pollution Control Board has held a public hearing to hear the grievances of the people to be impacted in regards to the expansion of the aluminium smelter, as the disputes were raised over...
National Aluminium Company Limited has increased its aluminium ingot and aluminium products prices, with effect from Tuesday, December 21, since the last hike of INR 3,000 per tonne on December 10. With the latest hike, NALCO’s aluminium ingot price has come in at INR 231,950- 235,450 per tonne, up by INR 2,700 per tonne or 1.18 per cent from INR 229,250- 232,750 per tonne on December 10. NALCO’s aluminium wire rod price is now ranging between INR 234,450-238,800 per tonne, compared to INR 231,750- 236,100 per tonne on December 10. Aluminium billets price has also seen a rise of INR 2,700 per tonne from INR 232,700- 235,350 per tonne on December 10 to INR 235,400- 238,050 per tonne on December 21. NALCO links its aluminium ingot and aluminium products prices to the three-month futures of...