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...
Grow with
AL Circle
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the A00 aluminium ingot price has declined by RMB 10 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,350 per tonne, as of Wednesday, May 27, after two consecutive rises from RMB 13,150 per tonne to RMB 13,360 per tonne. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,330 per tonne and RMB 13,370 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 70-110 per tonne. Foshan has seen the highest fall today of RMB 30 per tonne to RMB 13,520 per tonne, followed by the growth of RMB 20 per tonne in Shenyang to RMB 13,295 per tonne. In Chongqing and Linyi, the A00 aluminium ingot price has dipped by RMB 10 per tonne to RMB 13,380 per tonne and RMB 13,360 per tonne, respectively. However, since the downfall in A00 aluminium ingot price has not touched...
The US dollar slipped on Tuesday as risk sentiment returned to the market amid a reopening world economy and this subdued demand for the safe-haven currency. 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. Bullish prospects for demand may keep prices between US$ 1,500 per tonne and US$ 1,540 per tonne today. As of Tuesday, May 26, LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price stood at US$ 1486 per tonne, up by US$ 13 per tonne from US$ 1473 per tonne on Friday, May 22. 3-months bid price and 3-months offer price increased from US$ 1498.50 per tonne to US$ 1513 per tonne. Dec 21 bid price and Dec 21 offer price hovered at US$ 1629.50 per tonne compared to US$ 1616 per tonne...
The US dollar edged higher against a basket of rivals on Monday, while oil prices eased on concerns over rising tensions between the US and China over Beijing’s plans to impose security laws on Hong Kong and the possibility of sanctions from Washington. The London Metal Exchange was closed on Monday for spring bank holiday. On Friday, May 22, LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price stood at US$ 1473 per tonne after declining from US$ 1487 per tonne on May 21. SHFE Aluminium Price Trend Benchmark aluminium price for SHFE expanded its growth from US$ 1839 per tonne on Monday, May 25, to US$ 1,854 per tonne on Tuesday, May 26. The most-liquid SHFE July contract halted its increase at RMB 12,890 per tonne and trimmed some gains to close the day at RMB 12,840 per...
The Aluminium Association of India (AAI) seeks the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) to at once look into the distorted market of Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) which, according to it, is stemming an artificial demand and price surge in the power exchange. AAI vice-chairman Rahul Sharma said: “The association feels that it is apparent that the prices of Solar RECs in the last one year have shot up by more than 125% from INR 1000/MWhr to INR 2250/MWhr, putting an additional burden of INR 1.25/kwh of RE energy compliance for all consumers.” “This huge burden on the consumers is due to non-revision of REC prices since 2017 by the regulator, despite a steep fall in RE generation costs.” In a recent representation to the CERC, the AAI said, "There is an acute shortage of...
An executive from a closed smelting unit of state-run Aluminum Corporation of China Limited, popularly known as Chalco, has demanded bauxite-rich Shanxi to become a major aluminium production hub. China is by far the world’s biggest producer and consumer of bauxite, the main ore source of aluminium. Gao Bingwei, director of the innovation studio at Chalco unit Shanxi Huasheng and a delegate at the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing, pointed out that the Northern Province houses 1.5 billion tonnes of bauxite reserves, the highest within China. However, Shanxi only has aluminium smelting capacity of 1.21 million tonnes per year, accounting for 3 per cent of China’s total aluminium capacity, despite being the second-biggest alumina producing region, said Gao, according to the...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium ingots have expanded decline over the weekend ending May 25, owing to stable demand and limited arrivals of stocks to warehouses. SMM data found that the inventories of primary aluminium have decreased by 55,000 tonnes across eight major consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrant, to stand at 924,000 tonnes, as of Monday, May 25. On last Thursday, May 21, the primary aluminium inventories were at 979,000 tonnes after declining by 79,000 tonnes. This represents the fact that the decline in primary aluminium inventories over the weekend slowed by 24,000 tonnes. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: Wuxi has seen the highest fall in...
Africa produced 133,000 tonnes of primary aluminium in April 2020, a decrease of 1.48% from April 2019. The output reduced by 3.62% from March 2020’s production of 138,000 tonnes but up 4.72% from February 2020’s production of 127,000 tonnes, according to the latest data showed by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). Primary aluminium production came in at 534,000 tonnes in the first four months of 2020 as compared to 546,000 tonnes in the first four months of 2019. This marked a decrease of 2.2% year-on-year. IAI reported that primary aluminium production in Africa came in at 1.643 million tonnes in 2019 as compared to 1.668 million tonnes in 2018. That was down 1.5 per cent year-on-year.
The US dollar continued its rally against a basket of rivals on Friday. LME aluminium dropped 1.2% and SHFE aluminium lost 0.1%. Three-month LME aluminium slipped to an intraday low of US$1,493 per tonne in European trading hours on Friday. It closed close the day 1.15% lower at US$1,503.5 per tonne. As of Friday May 22, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 1473 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1473 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1498.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1498.50 per tonne; Dec 21 bid price stands at US$ 1616 per tonne, and Dec 21 offer price stands at US$ 1616per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock stood at 1458100 tonnes. Live Warrants totalled 1226375 tonnes, and Cancelled Warrants were 231725 tonnes. LME aluminium...
Following the steep decline of RMB 310 per tonne on Friday, May 22, the A00 aluminium ingot price begins the week on Monday, May 25, with a rise of RMB 110 per tonne to reach at RMB 13,260 per tonne, found Shanghai Metals Market. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,240 per tonne and RMB 13,280 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 80-120 per tonne. Among the major Chinese states, Linyi has seen the highest growth of RMB 240 per tonne on May 25 to stand at RMB 13,310 per tonne, followed by the rise of RMB 160 per tonne in Foshan to come in at RMB 13,460 per tonne. In Hangzhou and Tianjin, the A00 aluminium ingot price has increased by RMB 140 per tonne to RMB 13,280 per tonne, while the price in Wuxi and Shenyang is standing at RMB 13,260...
Hindalco Industries Ltd has increased prices of its aluminium ingots, billets and wire rods by 2%. This marked the second consecutive in price of the same products. With effect from May 22, the price for Hindalco aluminium ingots are now hovering at INR 133,750 per tonne, an increase of 1.71% or INR 2,250 per tonne from INR 131,500 per tonne on May 20. Hindalco is now selling its wire rods and billets at INR 144,850 per tonne and INR 140,850 per tonne with effect from Friday, 22 May 2020. That was up 1.58% or INR 2,250 per tonne or 1.62% or INR 2,250 per tonne from May 20. 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 19% so far in 2020 due to...
Vedanta has further increased its aluminium ingots and billets prices, with effect from Friday, May 22. This marks the third consecutive rise in Vedanta’s aluminium prices. The prices of some aluminium ingots after the growth are hovering in the range of INR 134,000-147,000 per tonne, up by INR 2,000 per tonne or 1.5 per cent from INR 132,000-145,000 per tonne on May 20. Vedanta’s aluminium ingots prices on May 20 had also increased by 1.5 per cent from INR 130,500-143,500 per tonne on May 19. With the latest hike, Vedanta’s billets prices are now standing at INR 142,000 per tonne, as of May 22, an increase of INR 2,000 per tonne or 1.43 per cent from INR 140,000 per tonne on May 20. On May 19, Vedanta’s billets prices were INR 138,500 per tonne, meaning the billets prices on May 20 saw a...
According to the report by the World Bureau of Metals Statistics (WBMS), World primary aluminium surplus stood at 709,000 tonnes for the first three months of 2020. Aluminium surplus was 761,000 for the whole of 2019. World primary aluminium demand came in at 15.7 million tonnes in the first three months of this year, an increase of 3.5 per cent from last year. Aluminium output increased to stand about 16.4 million tonnes, up by 5.8 per cent. In March alone, primary aluminium demand and production stood at 5.24 million tonnes and 5.54 million tonnes, respectively. China’s primary aluminium production accounted for about 54 per cent or 8.84 million tonnes of the world’s total output, amid higher availability of imported bauxite and alumina. Primary aluminium demand increased by 5.8% year...
A new sector report by Crisil indicates that Indian aluminium producers are likely to sail through the COVID19 impacts smoothly with rising aluminium exports, lower input costs, and cost efficiency strategies curated by the industry. "The domestic sales loss has been offset by companies adroitly exporting more, thanks to high cost-competitiveness that stems from improved sourcing and lower input costs,” said the report. At the beginning of the financial year 2021, the aluminium price was hovering 4-years low at US$ 1,450 per tonne on the London Metal Exchange, while the domestic demand was bleak due to the COVID-19 pandemic-driven lockdown. Although this will squeeze bottom lines this fiscal, but efficient cost structure and adequate cash will lend support to credit profiles and help...
Hindalco Industries Ltd has raised prices of its aluminium ingots, billets and wire rods after cutting the prices of the same products by 4%.With effect from May 20, the price for Hindalco aluminium ingots now stands at INR 131,500 per tonne, an increase of 1.54% or INR 2,000 per tonne from INR 129,500 per tonne on May 16. Hindalco is now selling its wire rods at INR 142, 600 per tonne, a 1.42% rise or INR 2,000 per tonne from INR 140,600 per tonne. The price of billets has increased by 1.46% from May 16 to stand at INR 138,600 per tonne. 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 19% so far in 2020 due to slower global demand following the...
The US dollar rebounded on Thursday, while stocks on Wall Street fell as growing Sino-US tensions and dismal economic data weighed on investor sentiment. The US dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a basket of currencies, rose 0.26 per cent to 99.4425. Three-month LME aluminium rose for a second straight day on Thursday, May 21, advancing to a one-month high of US$ 1,524.5 per tonne before ending up 0.4 per cent at US$ 1,521 per tonne. Optimism surrounding economic recovery that will boost demand, coupled with arbitrage trades, is expected to remain supportive of LME aluminium, which is expected to move at US$ 1,490-1,530 per tonne today. As of Thursday, May 21, LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price recorded a jump of US$ 33 per tonne to...
Social inventories of primary aluminium ingots have continued to fall to as low as 979,000 tonnes, across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants, as of Thursday, May 21, according to Shanghai Metals Market. Last week on Thursday, May 14, the primary aluminium ingots inventories were at 1.058 million tonnes after declining by 114,000 tonnes. This week, the downfall is by 79,000 tonnes, slower by 35,000 tonnes than the previous week. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: As the above chart suggests that the decline in inventories this week has not touched upon all the major Chinese provinces such as in Hangzhou, Tianjin, the primary aluminium stocks have increased by 1,000 tonnes to stand at 112,000 tonnes...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the A00 aluminium ingot price has extended decline from RMB 13,480 per tonne on May 20 to RMB 13,460 per tonne on Thursday, May 21. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,440 per tonne and RMB 13,480 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 180-220 per tonne. Linyi has seen the highest fall in primary aluminium ingot price today of RMB 60 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,400 per tonne, followed by the fall of RMB 30 per tonne in Wuxi and Hangzhou to hover at RMB 13,440 per tonne and RMB 13,460 per tonne, respectively. In Tianjin and Gongyi, the price has dwindled by RMB 20 per tonne to RMB 13,420 per tonne and RMB 13,435 per tonne, while that in Chongqing has dropped by RMB 10 per tonne to RMB 13,520 per tonne....
The US dollar index rose slightly on Thursday morning, after touching its lowest since May 1 at 99.0014 overnight. Three-month LME aluminium resumed its rally on Wednesday, gaining 1.78 per cent to end at a three-week peak of US$ 1,515 per tonne. Optimism surrounding economic recovery is expected to bolster LME aluminium to US$1,490-1,530 per tonne today. As of Wednesday, May 20, both LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price decreased from US$ 1464 per tonne on May 19 to US$ 1454 per tonne. 3-months bid price and 3-months offer price declined from US$ 1498 per tonne to US$ 1486.50 per tonne. Dec 21 bid price and Dec 21 offer price stood at US$ 1610.50 per tonne, compared to US$ 1623.50 per tonne on the previous day. The LME aluminium opening stock increased from...
