Global primary aluminium production experienced a sequential recovery in the third quarter of 2026, supported by the gradual restoration of disrupted smelting capacity in the GCC countries, stronger operational performance in Europe and Oceania, and incremental production gains across Asia and China. But beneath this quarterly improvement lies a contrasting reality - global output remained below the corresponding levels of both 2025 and 2024. According to data from the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), global primary aluminium production reached 18.377 million tonnes in Q3 2026, an increase of 2.1 per cent from 18.003 million tonnes in the preceding quarter. However, compared with Q3 2025, when production totalled 18.683 million tonnes, output declined by 1.64 per cent. Production...
Europe's aluminium industry is facing mounting pressure from rising carbon costs, shifting trade policies and limited willingness among buyers to pay premiums for low-carbon metal. Yet, despite a series of crises since the Covid pandemic, producers remain committed to maintaining their presence in Europe and investing in decarbonisation, said Paul Voss, Director General of European Aluminium. In an exclusive interview with Fastmarkets at Aluminium Düsseldorf, Voss described the European aluminium industry's condition as bruised but resilient. He highlighted concerns over the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), the potential inclusion of indirect (Scope 2) emissions under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the treatment of aluminium scrap in carbon accounting. Reflecting on...
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New Zealand has claimed to be one of the nations who are COVID-19 free, whereas the whole world is in turmoil. The airlines had already started to fly again; schools are going to open by next week only. Tim Shadbolt, Mayor of Invercargill said: “But we should never be complacent. The battle to restore our economy has only just begun. So far our farms, the smelter and the SIT are keeping us afloat.” “However, one of our biggest earners of overseas funds, the tourist sector, has only just begun to face reality.” “The council aims to operate as an energised, fun and innovative team so it’s my duty to be positive even though New Zealand’s small businesses must feel as though they’ve been run over by a ten-ton tank.” He also said: “Despite the glitz and glamour of jets and the film industry, I...
Vedanta has raised its aluminium ingot and billets price by 2% on Saturday. This marks the second consecutive hike in price of same products. With effect from Saturday, 06 June 2020, the prices of some aluminium ingots are in the range of INR 135,500-148,500 per tonne, marking an increase of INR 2500 per tonne or 1.8% from INR 133,000-146,000 per tonne on May 28. With the latest hike, Vedanta’ billet now stands at INR 143,500 per tonne, an increase of INR 2500 per tonne or 1.77% from INR 141,000 per tonne on May 28. The Indian aluminium producers generally link prices of its products to the three-month futures of aluminium on London Metal Exchange. The three-month futures of aluminium are down nearly 16% so far in 2020 due to slower global demand following the coronavirus outbreak....
Vedanta Limited announced its audited consolidated results for the fourth quarter (Q4) and full year ended 31 March 2020 (FY2020). Revenue stood at ₹ 19,513 crore in FY2020, lower by 8% sequentially. This was due to lower commodity prices further impacted by COVID-19, lower volume at Aluminium business and lower power sales at TSPL, past exploration cost recovery at Oil & Gas business in Q3 FY2020 partially offset by higher sales volume at Zinc & Iron Ore business and rupee depreciation. For FY2020, revenue was at ₹ 83,545 crore, lower by 8% y-o-y. Mr Sunil Duggal, Chief Executive Officer, Vedanta said: “The Covid pandemic has hit the world and us in the last quarter of the year. We have taken a pro-active approach to keep our assets and people safe while ensuring optimum operations...
The Indian state-owned National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), celebrated World Environment Day on 5 th June’20. As a responsible CSR activity, NALCO’s commitment to environmental care and management has been its hallmark since its inception. To mark it as a great day, mass plantation drives were undertaken at the company’s units and offices. At Bhubaneswar, Sridhar Patra, CMD, NALCO, formally launched the plantation drive by planting a sapling in the NALCO residential colony. Directors of the company, representatives of various Unions and Associations also participated in the plantation drive adhering to social distancing norms and adequate precautionary measures because of the COVID 19 pandemic. The CMD recapitulated about Nalco’s continuous attempt towards nurturing nature and...
The US dollar on Monday, June 1, fell against a basket of rivals for a fifth straight trading day as risk sentiment improved on optimism that the worst of the economic downturn caused by the global spread of the coronavirus may be in the past. On June 2, easing further, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback against a basket of major currencies, fell for the sixth straight day and tumbled the lowest since March 13 at 97.4335. On June 3, the dollar index decreased further for the seventh straight day at 97.1882. On June 4, it came in at 96.5774, the lowest since March 12. Three-month LME aluminium pulled back from two-month highs on Monday, easing 0.58 per cent to US$ 1,538 per tonne, while on Tuesday, June 2, it ended at a 10-week peak of US$1,559 per tonne, up 1.37% on the day. On...
According to a recent report, Rusal, a leading global aluminium producer, will invest approximately $190 million in modernising the production of electrodes at its Sayanogorsk Aluminium Smelter (SAZ) between 2020 and 2023. This modernization programme is expected to help Rusal reduce the smelter’s environmental impact, besides bringing in a positive economic effect. Three anode-baking furnaces at SAZ will be reconstructed in line with the best eco-friendly technologies using equipment supplied by a German company Riedhammer GmbH. On the completion of this project, the quality of the anodes is expected to be significantly improved. The anode baking area will be equipped with new digital systems that will enable the transmission of the information on operations of three furnaces to a...
Australians have massively supported the Australian Workers’ Union campaign to champion Australian made products in huge numbers. An astonishing 88% of people admitted that Australia should be making more essential products, although just over eight out of ten people said state and federal governments should be using more Australian products for infrastructure projects, even if they are highly-priced. The COVID-19 epidemic has catered as a caution light as per YouGov poll that Australia needs to be less dependent on import from other countries, targeting China as a prime. That figure rises to an incredible 98% for those aged over 65, whilst even 77% of 18-34-year-olds also support the view. 82% believe that when the government builds infrastructure it should use Australian-made products...
The euro jumped to a 12-week high against the US dollar on Thursday. The dollar index, which gauges the greenback against a basket of major currencies, fell for a eighth straight day and plumbed the lowest since March 12 at 96.5774. Three-month LME aluminium fluctuated to close a tad lower at US$1,564.5 per tonne on Thursday. As of Thursday June 4, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 1535 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1535 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1560.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1560.50 per tonne; Dec 21 bid price stands at US$ 1672.50 per tonne, and Dec 21 offer price stands at US$ 1672.50 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock stood at 1526250 tonnes. Live Warrants totalled 1324400 tonnes, and Cancelled Warrants...
On the weak consumption of domestic primary aluminium in China that led to a slower decline in inventories on June 4, the A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded a drop of RMB 20 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,480 per tonne on Friday, June 5, found Shanghai Metals Market. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,460 per tonne and RMB 13,500 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 90-130 per tonne. Among all the major Chinese markets, Wuxi has seen the highest decline in A00 aluminium ingot price of RMB 40 per tonne to stand at 13,460 per tonne on Friday, June 5. In Foshan, Chongqing, and Linyi, the A00 aluminium ingot price has plunged by RMB 30 per tonne to RMB 13,470 per tonne and RMB 13,510 per tonne, respectively. In Gongyi, the price has...
The London Metal Exchange desires to launch a platform to trade ‘low-carbon’ aluminium mostly manufactured with renewable energy. This will mark as an inceptive in the exchange’s 143-year history a metal will be traded deployed on its environmental footprint. Matt Chamberlain, CEO, LME said: “The spot trading platform will go live next year, connecting buyers and sellers of aluminium that meets certain low-carbon criteria.” The move reveals eagerness among companies and investors for disclosure of environmental, social and governance data. It comes after pressure from En+, owner of Russian producer Rusal, for the LME to influence suppliers of the lightweight metal to divulge their carbon footprint on the exchange. Mr Chamberlain added: “We have now moved on to the next great emerging...
Rio Tinto is on its way to slash aluminium production by 8000 tonnes at the Jonquière complex. At this time, less than 20 pots have been closed for maintenance and did not get restarted. The plan is not to restart pots that need maintenance up to a maximum of approximately 100 pots at Arvida. Rio Tinto management confirms that the current situation has led them to make this decision. Rio Tinto has stated that the depressing market conditions in the aluminium sector have made Rio Tinto impose certain measures to maintain its competitive position. Among other measures aimed at improving competitiveness and adapting to market demand in North America, Rio Tinto Aluminum will continue the non-restart of tanks at the Arvida plant, gradually reducing its production this year. As per the...
Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Berhad, the largest Aluminium smelter in South East Asia announced its financial results for the three months ended 31 March 2020. Revenue decreased by 15.7% year-on-year to RM1.83 billion in 1Q20. The group’s profit after tax and minority interest dropped by 10.9% to RM102.57 million in 1QFY20 on lower realised aluminium prices. Group Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Paul Koon stated: “We were faced with a challenging start to the year due to the escalation of Covid-19 which became a pandemic, affecting all countries. Majority of the world economy was halted or severely disrupted by enforced quarantines, lock downs and travel restrictions. With reduced economic activities and shutdowns in industries, both the aluminium demand and prices were impacted....
After two consecutive cuts this month, Hindalco has increased the prices of its aluminium ingots, billets, and wire rods by over 1 per cent, with effect from June 4, 2020. With the latest price hike, Hindalco’s aluminium ingot price has jumped to INR 133,250 per tonne, 1.33 per cent higher from INR 131,500 per tonne on June 3. The prices of Hindalco’s aluminium wire rods and billets are now at INR 144,350 per tonne and INR 140,350, respectively, after rising by 1.23 per cent and 1.26 per cent from the previous day. On June 3, Hindalco’s aluminium wire rods and billets prices were INR 142,500 per tonne and INR 138,600 per tonne, respectively. The Indian aluminium producers generally link prices of its products to the three-month futures of aluminium on London Metal Exchange. The...
As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, declined slower this week. Inventories stood at 847,000 tonnes in the week ended June 4, down 46,000 tonnes from previous week. The chart below shows the current status of the primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: Primary aluminium stocks in Wuxi, Shanghai, and Nanhai decreased by 28,000 tonnes, 6,000 tonnes and 2,000 tonnes from May 28 to stand at 326,000 tonnes, 117,000 tonnes and 178,000 tonnes on Thursday, 04 June 2020. But the inventories in Linyi increased by 1,000 tonnes to stand at 9,000 tonnes. The inventories of primary aluminium in Hangzhou, Gongyi and Tianjin stood at 106,000 tonnes, 45,000 tonnes and 57,000...
A00 aluminium ingot price climbed by RMB 110 per tonne or 0.82 per cent from Wednesday’s price of RMB 13390 per tonne, after two days of decrease. The price now stood at RMB 13500 per tonne today and is expected to move within a range of RMB 13480-13520 per tonne. Spot aluminium contract is likely to be traded at a premium of RMB 90-130 per tonne. In Foshan and Wuxi, the price inched up by RMB 120 per tonne and RMB 110 per tonne to stand at RMB 13500 per tonne each. Their average prices are expected to range within RMB 13480-13520 per tonne and RMB 13490-13510 per tonne. Aluminium prices in Hangzhou and Chongqing came in at RMB 13510 per tonne and 13500 per tonne, up RMB 90 per tonne and RMB 100 per tonne. Aluminium ingot prices in Shenyang, Tianjin, Linyi, and Gongyi rose to stand at RMB...
Denis Mazerolle, The President of Nature Alu has built a dream team to produce the only high-purity aluminium plant in North America. In doing so in Quebec, Canada, he and his partners are developing a Canada-Europe supply chain in a sector with very high added value. Mazerolle has industry experience of around 32 years working with Alcan and then with Rio Tinto and never looked out for retirement. He is now 56 years and with his former colleague Luc Boivin, they challenged themselves to produce 99.99% pure aluminium in Quebec. High-purity aluminium is highly demanded by capacitor manufacturers, as well as by lithium-ion battery manufacturers, which are used in smartphones, as well as electric cars. The manufacturers of the powder used in speciality 3D printers are also very fond of pure...
The US dollar eased further on Wednesday, June 3, while stocks on Wall Street posted yet another robust day, as better-than-expected economic data bolstered optimism over the recovery from coronavirus-led shutdowns, which outweighed brewing US-China tensions and widespread protests in the US. The dollar index, which gauges the greenback against a basket of major currencies, fell for the seventh straight day and plumbed the lowest since March 12 at 97.1882. Three-month LME aluminium notched a new 10-week peak of US$ 1,570 per tonne in Northern American trading hours on Wednesday, before closing up 0.42 per cent at US$ 1,565.5 per tonne. Doubts over whether demand recovery overseas could justify the recent rally in aluminium prices will keep market sentiment in check, and the contract is...
Hindalco Industries Ltd has continued to cut prices of its aluminium ingots, billets and wire rods by 1%.This marked the second consecutive cut in price of the same products. With effect from June 3, the price for Hindalco aluminium ingots now stands at INR 131,500 per tonne, a decrease of 1.13% or INR 1,500 per tonne from INR 133,000 per tonne on June 1. The company is now selling its wire rods and billets at INR 142,600 per tonne and INR 138,600 per tonne with effect from Wednesday, 03 June 2020. That was down 1.04% or INR 1,500 per tonne and 1.07% or INR 1,500 per tonne from June 1. The Indian aluminium producers generally link prices of its products to the three-month futures of aluminium on London Metal Exchange. The three-month futures of aluminium are down nearly 16% so far in 2020...
