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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Slovenian Aluminium producer Talum generated EUR 327 million in net revenue and almost EUR 680,000 in net profit in 2019. General Manager Marko Drobnič has told: “More than EUR 290 million came from aluminium product sales with 87% of the sales made in foreign markets.” As an ultra-modern company, Talum is one of the world's most efficient producers of electrolytic aluminium and aluminium alloys. The aluminium manufacturer also projected 2020 will be a turbulent year ahead as the industry is facing hardest hit due to the COVID-19 epidemic. With more than 60 years of hard work in Kidričevo is reflected in enviable facts. The company is among the 15 largest exporters in Slovenia and producing more than 84,000 tonnes of aluminium per year and boasting more than 10,000 employees from the...
The US dollar started the week on May 25 with a hike against a basket of rivals. On Tuesday, the dollar slipped as risk sentiment returned to the market amid a reopening world economy and subdued demand for the safe-haven currency. On Wednesday and Thursday, it plunged further to a two-month trough against a basket of currencies. On Monday, May 25, the London Metal Exchange was closed for spring bank holiday. On Tuesday, the three-month LME aluminium climbed and found steady support from US$ 1,520 per tonne ending the day 1.2 per cent higher at US$ 1,521.5 per tonne. On Wednesday, it advanced to US$1,534 per tonne and hit a two-month peak of US$1,541 per tonne on Thursday, May 28. This week during May 25-29, both LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price edged...
On 28 th May’20, the aluminium producer, Alcoa announced that it is considering to lay-off 534 workers San Ciprian aluminium plant in the Spanish region of Galicia. However, a final decision is yet to be made. The high energy costs and low aluminium prices led to persistent losses and left the plant unable to compete internationally, the company said Workers representatives will meet with Alcoa's management for three weeks of talks to discuss what challenges the plant faces and the options available. "No decision will be taken until this consultation period has finished," Alcoa said. Union representative Jose Antonio Zan blasted the company's actions as "shameful" and attacked the government for failing to support the highly energy-intensive industry. He also said: "We have been asking...
Taranjit Singh Sandhu, India’s ambassador to the US stated that India and the US could strike a “smaller” trade deal in the coming weeks. This was conveyed by him while acknowledging that the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic have been a "bit of a setback" in moving ahead as the governments are focused on tackling the health crisis. Addressing the virtual West Coast Summit of US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), Sandhu said that: “India's supply of antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to the US has given the two countries enough confidence and have played an important foundation.” Sandhu said: “The top leadership has also been talking about it and I feel that perhaps in the coming few weeks, we should be able to strike the smaller trade deal.” “I...
Hydro announced the company has donated BRL 5 million more to support the construction and maintenance of field hospitals in the Brazilian state for Covid-19 treatment. The hospitals will have 240 new beds to combat the pandemic in the region. Hydro has signed an agreement with the government of the state of Pará to make a second donation. The donation of BRL 5 million adds to BRL 5 million already donated by the company. This will help in the fight against the coronavirus in the municipalities where the company operates. "In addition to initiatives to protect our employees and contractors, we are joining the efforts to prevent and combat the virus, planning our actions through dialogue with local authorities and communities, supporting the main needs at this time," said John Thuestad,...
Rain Carbon Inc. has joined Aluminium Stewardship Initiative as a General Supporter member. This brings the total number of ASI members to 121. “Rain Carbon Inc. (RCI) is pleased to join ASI in the General Supporter category. As a company whose business model is based on transforming byproducts from other industries into valuable industrial and consumer products, we strongly support the mission of ASI and its role to promote the sustainable production and use of aluminum. RCI is a major raw materials supplier to this industry and we hope to use ASI and its members experience to strengthen and grow our own sustainability initiatives,” said Les Edwards, Vice President Production Control and Technical Services. Rain Carbon Inc. (RCI) is a global leader and innovator in the production of raw...
The US dollar fell to a two-month trough against a basket of currencies on Thursday. LME aluminium gained 0.6% and SHFE aluminium rose 0.4%. Three-month LME aluminium hit a two-month peak of US$1,541 per tonne. It ended up 0.56% at US$1,538 per tonne. Shanghai Metals Market expects the contract to move between US$1,520-1,560 per tonne today. As of Thursday May 28, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 1500.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1500.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1524 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1524 per tonne; Dec 21 bid price stands at US$ 1635 per tonne, and Dec 21 offer price stands at US$ 1635 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock stood at 1493075 tonnes. Live Warrants totalled 1269625 tonnes, and Cancelled...
Australia has set in motion three anti-dumping investigations into Chinese export and it includes aluminium, as per records from the Australian Anti-Dumping Commission, adding weight to Beijing’s claims that Canberra has played a lead role in abating up trade tensions between the two nations. The Chinese government has maintained its investigation was thorough and reasonable, with Commerce Minister Zhong Shan pointing out early this week that Australia had launched 100 anti-dumping cases against China since diplomatic relations began in the 1970s, including three in 2020. Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said: “Trade remedy investigations were not about keeping a tally or doing things in a tit-for-tat way”. The Australian Dumping Commission in February’20 kicked-off its first...
China's social inventories of primary aluminium ingots have expanded their decline today, on May 28, by 7,000 tonnes from the previous week, found Shanghai Metals Market. Last week, on May 21, the inventories plunged by 79,000 tonnes, whereas this week they fell by 86,000 tonnes across eight major Chinese consumption areas, including SHFE warrants, to stand at 893,000 tonnes. This continuous fall in primary aluminium inventories could be attributed to the lower supplies to warehouses in comparison with consumption. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: Wuxi, among all the major Chinese cities, has seen the highest decline of 48,000 tonnes to stand at 354,000 tonnes on May 28, followed by the decline of 21,000 tonnes in...
Chinese aluminium industry’s prosperity index declined to the lowest in April 2020 since the first report launched in November 2015, according to the latest report released by China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association. Decreasing by 1.2 points, the prosperity index of China’s aluminium industry came in at 17.8 points in April, shows the report. Despite the anticipated growth in China’s primary aluminium demand in the coming months along with the estimated recovery in economic activity, the index is likely to remain low for some time to come. This could be primarily due to the uncertainty of the lasting impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the downstream aluminium demand. The COVID-19 outbreak already affected the fixed asset investment in the aluminium smelting industry, leading to a fall by...
The hardest-hit industrial metals by the COVID-19 epidemic are Aluminium. The London Metal Exchange (LME) reflected the price slammed a four-year low of $1,455 per tonne in April’20 and is brawling to recover, as the last trading marked at $1,525. Inventory has spewed, with 663,475 tonnes of metal placed on LME warrant since the middle of March’20, raising headline exchange stocks to a three-year high of 1,493,775 tonnes. COVID-19 has squeezed both demand and price with a unified producer supply response requirement. The strapped global market dynamics look even worse in North America, where the physical premium has imploded since March’20. So severe has been the collapse that aluminium could be facing its own WTI oil moment with the premium turning negative. In actuality, contrary the...
Vedanta has increased aluminium ingot and billets price on Thursday after cutting the price of same product by more than 1.5% on Wednesday, May 27. With effect from Thursday May 28, the prices of some aluminium ingots are in the range of INR 133,000-146,000 per tonne, marking an increase of INR 1250 per tonne or 0.95% from INR 131,750-144,750 per tonne on May 27. With the latest hike, Vedanta’ billet now stands at INR 141,000 per tonne, an increase of INR 1250 per tonne or 0.89% from INR 139,750 per tonne on May 27. 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 more than 17% so far in 2020 due to slower global demand following the coronavirus outbreak....
Hydro announced that the company’s part-owned primary aluminium plant Albras has resumed production line in Brazil after a power outage earlier this year. The facility was operating a 25% reduced capacity after a fire in an electrical transformer in March. “The plant’s three other lines were unaffected and there were no injuries. The production line is expected to be operating at normal capacity during 2020,”Hydro said. Albras has a production capacity of 460,000 tonnes per annum. Hydro owns 51% of the shares in this joint venture. The other shareholder is NAAC - Nippon Amazon Aluminum Co. Ltd., formed by a consortium of Japanese companies, trading companies, consumers and manufacturers of aluminium products. The plant produces high purity aluminium and foundry alloys.
The US dollar edged lower against a basket of currencies on Wednesday. LME aluminium closed higher and SHFE aluminium rose 0.9%. Three-month LME aluminium advanced to US$1,534 per tonne. It closed up 0.5% at US$1,529.5 per tonne. Shanghai Metals Market expects the contract to move between US$1,500-1,540 per tonne today. As of Wednesday May 27, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 1504per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1504 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1527.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1527.50 per tonne; Dec 21 bid price stands at US$ 1638.50 per tonne, and Dec 21 offer price stands at US$ 1638.50 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock stood at 1493775 tonnes. Live Warrants totalled 1269625 tonnes, and Cancelled Warrants were...
After raising aluminium prices for the three times in a row, Vedanta has reduced both aluminium ingots and billets prices as of Wednesday, May 27. After the cut, Vedanta’s aluminium ingot prices are ranging between INR 131,750 per tonne and INR 144,750 per tonne, down by INR 2,250 per tonne or 1.68 per cent from INR 134,000-147,000 per tonne on May 22. Vedanta’s aluminium ingots prices on May 22 were up by INR 2,000 per tonne or 1.5 per cent from INR 132,000-145,000 per tonne on May 20. With the latest cut, Vedanta’s aluminium billets prices have lowered to INR 139,750 per tonne compared to INR 142,000 per tonne on May 22. This means the billets prices have also been reduced by INR 2,250 per tonne. On May 22, Vedanta’s aluminium billets prices had increased by INR 2,000 per tonne from INR...
ALVANCE Aluminium Group, GFG Alliance’s global aluminium division, has announced today, on May 27, that it has appointed Guillaume de Goÿs as new Chief Operating Officer. The primary responsibility of Mr Goÿs will be to drive the group’s expansion and synergies across its upstream and downstream activities. Guillaume de Goÿs is one of the notable figures in the French Aluminium Sector, with experience in Aluminium Dunkerque as Managing Director. He also served Carbone Savoie, Rio Tinto Alcan, and Michelin with senior roles in countries like Cameroon, Poland, the US, and Thailand. Commenting on the appointment, GFG Alliance’s Chief Operating Officer Arnaud de Weert said: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Guillaume de Goÿs as ALVANCE’s new COO. Guillaume’s experience, forged...
Multiple industries including automobile, aviation and construction have been catastrophically affected, accordingly diminishing the demand for aluminium that is hugely used in these industries. Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd will be focusing on its upstream investments and expansion of its smelting operation as building blocks for its future amid the current tumultuous economic environment created by the Covid-19 epidemic and US-China trade dispute. In its recently published 2019 Annual Report, Press Metal acknowledged the challenges that the company would face this year due to the epidemic that continues to hit hard the market today. Press Metal said: “Our upstream investments and smelting operation expansion are the building blocks towards our future growth. We are confident that...
According to a recent report, the Commerce Department of the United States has asked for public inputs to streamline the exclusion process for tariffs and quotas on aluminium and steel imposed by the Trump administration in 2018. The department’s Bureau of Industry and Security has opened commentary today and will accept input on the process through July 10. This follows the Aluminum Association’s call for urgent reforms to the Commerce Department’s aluminum Section 232 tariff exclusion system. The Association had pointed out that the system was forcing US aluminium companies into conflict with customers and suppliers, adding layers of bureaucratic burden and providing a price advantage to foreign aluminum manufacturers. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said, “The Department of Commerce is...
