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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The National Aluminium Company Ltd. (NALCO), the Indian state-owned aluminium production Company, on 18 th April’20, made public that it has obtained the mining lease of Angul’s Utkal-D coal block. The permission has been granted by the Odisha state government and a notification has been issued on 16 th April through the State Mines Department. Nalco stated that: “As per the notification, the mining lease of Utkal-D coal block is over an area of 301.28 hectares in villages Kosala, Nandichood, Similisahi and Raijharan under Chendipada Tahasil of Angul District.” Expressing confidence that the operationalization of Utkal-D coal block will support significantly to the bottom line of NALCO, Sridhar Patra, CMD, NALCO, has thanked the Odisha State Government and the Government of India for...
The US dollar was roughly flat on the first day of the week, April 13, amid thin trades with Europe out on holiday. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies, was little changed on the day and finished at 99.504. On Tuesday, it declined to 98.875 as risk appetite returned to the market after the better-than-expected economic data from China dispelled some concerns about the coronavirus impact on the world’s second-largest economy. On Wednesday, it rebounded at 99.573, and then at 99.9 on Thursday, April 16. Three-month LME aluminium rebounded on Tuesday, April 14, after the decline, closing up 2.09 per cent higher on the day at US$ 1,515 per tonne with short covering their positions. On Wednesday, it closed at US$1,516 per tonne, down 0.2 per cent....
Not even a month or two went by this year, the aluminium industry started facing a brand new challenge in the form of COVID19, followed by some of the severe impacts at its prices, demand, and consumption in the year last due to the US-China trade tensions, US aluminium import tariffs, and the world economic slowdown. The London Metal Exchange spot price for aluminium in 2019 had fallen by 17 per cent to average US$1,830 per tonne, and that of the free on board (FOB) Australian alumina price declined to US$342 per tonne, driven by rising supply with the return of Brazil’s Alunorte refinery to full production. In 2020 and 201, the LME aluminium spot price is forecast to decrease further, but slower than the year last, by around 7 per cent, approximately ranging between US$1,698 per tonne...
The global aluminium prices are falling and the surfeit inventories are inclining up rapidly, though the market has not yet entered the catastrophe situation that despoiled the global market in 2008, a year is known for recession. The COVID-19 breakout has stroked out aluminium in the worst possible way, as automakers orders are halted, aircraft’s are dropping production and supply chain remains baffled at high levels. Aluminium smelters ranging more than 50% around the globe are hugely losing cash, as the trade prices have reached four years low. Nevertheless, shrinkage has straggled behind the plunge in demand, leading to a briskly inflating overabundance. A similar enterprising backtracked the aluminium market in the preceding financial crisis, leading to a glut that took more than a...
According to Reuters calculations based on the official data on Friday, China’s daily aluminium output in March dropped by 1.7 per cent compared to the earlier two months. Supply disruption and incessant price fall of the metal due to the COVID19 outbreak resulted in daily production drop. But as per the data from the National Bureau of Statistics, China’s monthly aluminium production in March grew 2.3 per cent over the year, amounting to 2.97 million tonnes. With this, China’s total first-quarter output came in at 8.84 million tonnes, up 2.7 per cent year-on-year. According to Reuters, China’s total daily aluminium output in January and February of this year was 97,450 tonnes, which in March declined to 95,800 tonnes, the lowest daily rate since October. The bureau did not typically...
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Luxembourg's economy is quite similar to Germany's and the nation enjoys a degree of economic prosperity very rare among industrialized democracies. In Luxembourg, Hydro is present with metal products operations. The company’s largest aluminium remelting operation in Europe is based in Clervaux, with capacity topping 100,000 tonnes per year. The plant remelts aluminium scrap into extrusion ingot, but still, the country’s demand for aluminium ingot remains unfulfilled. Luxembourg’s total importation of aluminium ingot during 2017-19 was recorded at 206,757 tonnes and the expended revenue stood at $334.84 million. The estimated import for 2020 has been analysed at 65,980 tonnes and the amount to be expended might reach to $110.11 million. When added up with the last three years the total...
A00 aluminium ingot price registered an increase of RMB 150 per tonne or 1.25 per cent from Thursday’s price of RMB 12000 per tonne. The price now stood at RMB 12150 per tonne on Friday, 17 April 2020 and is expected to move within a range of RMB 12130-12170 per tonne. Spot aluminium contract is likely to be traded at a discount of RMB 10 to a premium of 30 per tonne. In Foshan and Wuxi, the price rose by RMB 140 per tonne and RMB 160 per tonne to stand at RMB 12190 per tonne and 12170 per tonne. Their average prices are expected to range within RMB 12170-12210 per tonne and RMB 12160-12180 per tonne. Aluminium prices in Hangzhou and Chongqing came in at RMB 12180 per tonne and 12190 per tonne, up RMB 150 per tonne each. Aluminium ingot prices in Shenyang, Tianjin, Linyi, and Gongyi...
The US dollar rose to a one-week high on Thursday as investors continued to search for safe haven following gloomy US jobless data. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies, added 0.28 per cent and ended at 99.9. As of Thursday, April 16, both LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price increased by US$ 6.5 per tonne to US$ 1476 per tonne. 3-months bid price and 3-months offer price also grew by US$ 6.5 per tonne to come in at US$ 1514 per tonne. Dec 21 bid price and Dec 21 offer price hovered at US$ 1647 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock stood at 1261475 tonnes, compared to 1261550 tonnes on Wednesday, April 15, meaning it remained flat. Live Warrants totalled at 1137900 tonnes and Cancelled Warrants 123575 tonnes....
As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, declined sharply this week on improved demand. Inventories stood at 1.495 million tonnes in the week ended April 16. That was down 112,000 tonnes from April 9. The chart below shows the current status of the primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: Primary aluminium stocks in Wuxi and Nanhai decreased by 37,000 tonnes and 48,000 tonnes from April 9 to stand at 620,000 tonnes and 341,000 tonnes on Thursday, 16 April 2020 02. Stocks in Shanghai, Chongqing and Linyi remained unchanged at 172,000 tonnes, 15,000 tonnes and 11,000 tonnes. The inventories in Hangzhou and Gongyi came in at 142,000 tonnes and 138,000 tonnes today. That...
According to a recent report, Wenshan Aluminium’s 500,000 tonnes of aluminium smelting and hydropower project in southeast Yunnan’s Wenshan prefecture will start the operation of its first potline at the end of April. The project is estimated to require a total of more than RMB 4 billion of investment, as per the report. Yunnan Aluminium’s subsidiary Wenshan Aluminium runs an alumina refinery as well, which in the first quarter of 2020 produced 266,000 tonnes of alumina. There are 3.43 million tonnes of aluminium smelting and hydropower capacity that is under construction or has been built in Wenshan prefecture, according to official data.
The US dollar rose on Wednesday. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies, rebounded 0.71% to end at 99.573. Overnight, LME base metals failed to hold onto gains from Tuesday. LME aluminium fell 0.2% while SHFE aluminium jumped 1.5%. Three-month LME aluminium relinquished early gains after a strengthened SHFE aluminium lifted it to a session high of US$1,529 per tonne. It closed at US$1,516 per tonne, down 0.2% on the day. Shanghai Metals Market expects the contract to trade at US$1,490-1,520 per tonne today. As of Wednesday, April 15, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 1469.50per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1469.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1507.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1507.50...
A00 aluminium ingot price has extended growth today, on April 16, for the sixth day in a row to touch the level of RMB 12,000 per tonne, learned Shanghai Metals Market. Yesterday, the price was RMB 11,910 per tonne, which represents that today it has increased by RMB 90 per tonne. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 11,980 per tonne and RMB 12,020 per tonne, with spot contract to be still traded at a discount and premium price of RMB 30 per tonne to RMB 10 per tonne. Wuxi has seen the highest growth of RMB 120 per tonne to RMB 12,010 per tonne, followed by the growth of RMB 115 per tonne in Hangzhou to stand at RMB 12,030 per tonne. In Gongyi, the price has increased by RMB 105 per tonne to RMB 12,035 per tonne and that in Foshan, Chongqing, and Linyi by RMB 100 per tonne...
In addition to the New Zealand Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) at Tiwai Point, Rio Tinto’s other aluminium laboratories such as its Tasmania’s Bell Bay site, the Yarwun refinery in Gladstone have all become the temporary hand sanitiser development hotspots. The mining giant aims to ease the demand for hand sanitiser products during the COVID19 pandemic, as well as to help prevent the spread among its own staff. With such aims, Rio Tinto Aluminium has transformed its laboratory spaces in Australia and New Zealand into spaces for chemists and researchers to develop sanitiser. The laboratories are making the sanitiser by following the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, ensuring the utmost safety and cleanliness. While it’s been already reported that the NZAS team has produced 103 litres of...
The US export of Aluminium Plates, Sheets, Bars, etc. to Mexico has remained sluggish as the export market reflected fall. The total export volume to Mexico during September’19 - December’19 stood at 106,000 tonnes and when the January’20 export volume added it stands at 132,100 tonnes. In September’19 the US export of Aluminium Plates, Sheets, Bars, etc. to Mexico was recorded at 29,000 tonnes, whereas in October’19 the export stood at 29,900, a growth by 3.10% and the M-o-M excess volume stood at 900 tonnes only. The US export of Aluminium Plates, Sheets, Bars, etc. towards Mexico during November’19 recorded a fall by 14.71%, as the total export volume stood at 25,400 tonnes and the M-o-M drop in volume stood at 4,400 tonnes. In December’19 the US export to Mexico saw a further drop by...
The US dollar declined on Tuesday as risk appetite returned to the market after the better-than-expected economic data from China dispelled some concerns about the coronavirus impact on the world’s second-largest economy. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies, eased 0.63% and ended at 98.875. Three-month LME aluminium rebounded after the decline, closing up 2.09 per cent higher on the day at US$ 1,515 per tonne with short covering their positions. The most-traded SHFE contract has increased to a more than three-week high, with the trading range expected between RMB 11,600 per tonne and RMB 11,850 per tonne today. As of Tuesday, April 14, both LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price stood at US$ 1456 per tonne, after...
The US dollar was roughly flat on Monday amid thin trades with Europe out on holiday. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies, was little changed on the day and finished at 99.504. LME was closed on April 13 on account of Easter Monday, and trades will resume on Tuesday. As of Thursday, April 9, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 1428.50per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1428.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1467 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1467 per tonne; Dec 21 bid price stands at US$ 1603.50 per tonne, and Dec 21 offer price stands at US$ 1603.50 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock stood at 1239700 tonnes. Live Warrants totalled 1106850 tonnes, and Cancelled Warrants were 132850...
Aluminium is the world’s most widely used non-iron and non-steel metal and is the basic ingredient for a wide range of recyclable products. The latter includes beverage cans, construction materials and transport vehicles. Silvery-white in colour, pure aluminium is non-magnetic and is also notable for its low density, relatively lightweight and resistance to corrosion. The cheap electricity supply has been a cause for multiple American organizations to start aluminium production in Iceland, though the recent debate between Rio Tinto and Iceland’s National Power Company sends a tough message to the industry, as Rio Tinto considers suspending the production at its Straumsvík smelter in Iceland for two years. The suspension also includes the reason for COVID-19 epidemic that has reduced the...
According to a recent report, Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the world’s largest aluminium smelter outside China, has bagged the 2020 Gold Medal Health and Safety Award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) for the seventh year in a row. Alba is honoured with the recognition from RoSPA for its health and safety performance during January 01, 2019 to December 31, 2019. RoSPA is a British charity that works to prevent accidents in the UK and around the world. It works to stop the needless loss and devastation that accidents cause to individuals, families, communities, businesses, and society as a whole. On receiving the prestigious award from this organisation for seven times in a row, Alba’s Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali said: “Alba is pleased to be...
