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
As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, extended their declines over the weekend and stood at 850,000 tonnes as of Monday November 11. That was down by 3,000 tonnes from 853,000 tonnes on Thursday, November 7 . The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: Primary aluminium stocks in Wuxi, Jiangsu rose by 2,000 tonnes from Thursday November 7 to 233,000 tonnes as of Monday November 11. Inventories in Shanghai and Nanhai, Guangdong were down by 1,000 tonnes and 7,000 tonnes to 144,000 tonnes and 272,000 tonnes. Stocks in Gongyi, Henan and Hangzhou, Zhejiang stood at 62,000 tonnes and 56,000 tonnes, up 4,000 tonnes and 1,000...
The US dollar rallied to a three-week high on Friday. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies, gained 0.23% and ended at 98.37. LME base metals and the SHFE complex mostly declined. LME aluminium lost 0.17% and SHFE aluminium dropped 0.25%. LME aluminium closed last week at US$ 1827.5 per tonne, the highest in the week. Trade uncertainties drove aluminium prices to pull back, with three-month LME aluminium ending down at US$1,807.5 per tonne. LME aluminium is likely to trade at US$1,790-1,805 per tonne today. As on November 8, Friday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1827 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1827.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1818 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1820 per tonne;...
After China, GCC (Gulf Corporation Council) or the Gulf countries are substantially growing in primary aluminium production. In 2017, the total primary aluminium production volume in the Gulf region was 5.14 million tonnes, which in 2018 grew by 5 per cent to 5.4 million tonnes. According to the Gulf Aluminium Council (GAC) estimation, the output is likely to increase further to 5.7 million tonnes by 2019. The growing demand for aluminium across the world is the primary driving force for this growth in the Gulf aluminium market, according to GAC. Besides, the constant efforts of the GCC countries to make a shift towards the non-oil sector, especially the aluminium industry, is another important factor. The top five aluminium producers that have primarily contributed to the transition of...
The US dollar climbed on Thursday on the back of expectations that the United States and China were inching closer to a trade deal. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies, ended up 0.2% on the day at 98.15. LME base metals and the SHFE complex mostly traded higher. LME aluminium gained 0.42% and SHFE aluminium rose 0.42%. Benchmark aluminium price on London Metal Exchange stayed flat and closed at US$1817.50 per tonne on Thursday, November 8. Three-month LME aluminium stayed above US$1,800 per tonne overnight with support from trade optimism. LME aluminium is likely to trade at US$1,700-1,810 per tonne today. As on November 7, Thursday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1817 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1817.50...
RUSAL, a leading global aluminium producer, announced its results for the third quarter and nine months ended 30 September 2019. The company reported revenue of USD7,222 million in the nine months ended 30 September of 2019, down 8.8% from USD7,915 million for the same period of 2018, which was partially offset by a 9.8% increase in primary aluminium sales volume. Revenue from sales of primary aluminium and alloys decreased by 7.6%, to USD5,946 million in the nine months, as compared to USD6,438 million last year. Revenue from alumina sales decreased by 30.2% year-on-year to USD502 million. This was due to a decrease in the sales volumes by 14.8% together with a decrease in the average sales price by 17.8%. Revenue from sales of foil and other aluminium products increased by 15.7% YoY to...
The A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded a significant rise today, on November 8, by RMB 120 per tonne to stand at RMB 14,230 per tonne, found Shanghai Metals Market. Compared with the price during the same period last month, the ingot price today is standing higher by RMB 180 per tonne, learned SMM. The average prices, as of today, are expected to range between RMB 14,210 per tonne and RMB 14,250 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 40 per tonne. Arrivals of limited stocks, resulting in incessant declines in social inventories of primary aluminium, could be attributed to the rise of A00 aluminium ingot price. In Foshan, the ingot price has increased by RMB 100 per tonne to RMB 14,120 per tonne, while that in Wuxi, Chongqing, Shenyang, Tianjin, and...
Qatar Aluminium Manufacturing Company (QAMCO), a 50% shareholder in Qatar Aluminium Limited (Qatalum), a joint venture operating an aluminium smelter in Qatar, announced that it had appointed Khalid Mohammed Laram as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Qatalum with effect from November 5, 2019. Khalid Laram brings 33 years of experience to the job; his expertise covers the full spectrum from front-end engineering design to start-ups, including the operation of complex facilities. He started his career with Qatar Petroleum in May 1985. “QAMCO would like to thank Mr. Tom Petter Johansen, for serving Qatalum as its CEO from January 2019 till date. QAMCO would also like to take this opportunity to wish Mr. Khalid Laram, the best of success in his new position,” the company said. During his...
The US dollar went flat on Wednesday with the market in consolidation mode, as investors sought more clarity about ongoing US-China trade negotiations. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies, ended flat on the day at 97.95. LME base metals and the SHFE complex mostly extended their decline. LME aluminium fell 0.25% and SHFE aluminium declined 0.04%. LME aluminium traded higher over the day but lost gains overnight. Three-month LME aluminium lacked continuous upward momentum, ending lower on the day at US$1,803 per tonne. Three months LME aluminium is likely to trade at US$1,790-1,810 per tonne today. As on November 6, Wednesday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1817 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1817.50per...
As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, stood at 853,000 tonnes as of Thursday November 7, down by 17,000 tonnes from a week ago on limited arrivals. The current status of primary aluminium inventories across China is given in the chart below: A00 aluminium ingot price increased by RMB 10 per tonne to stand at RMB 14110 per tonne on Thursday, 07 November 2019, after a drop of RMB 30 per tonne yesterday. The price is expected to move within a range of RMB 14090-14130 per tonne. Spot aluminium price is likely to be traded at a discount of RMB 20 to a premium of RMB 20 per tonne. Source: Shanghai Metals Market Aluminium ingot price in Foshan was up by RMB 20 per tonne to stand at RMB 14020...
As per the plan, Southlanders have reportedly launched a petition as part of the fight for saving the Tiwai Aluminium Smelter and getting a fair operating environment. According to the report, the Southland Chamber of Commerce launched the online petition at 4 pm on Wednesday and already received 736 signatures. Chamber chief executive Sheree Carey said the petition was one of the ways to make the government aware of the frustration and anger of the Southlanders about uncompetitive power costs of nearly $200 million charged over the smelter in the last 10 years, resulting in weighing down the smelter. The Tiwai Aluminium Smelter was a producer of the highest purity and lowest carbon aluminium in the world, accounting for 6.5 per cent of Southland’s GDP and export revenue of around $1...
Andy Home, a Senior Metals Columnist at Thomson Reuters, said at the SMM London Metal Exchange Week 2019 that China’s aluminium production would likely grow significantly in 2020, indicating a potential jump in exports in anticipation of relatively moderate growth in domestic demand. SMM research found Sichuan Guangyuan Zhongfu was planning to start a new capacity of 250,000 tonnes per year this month, while Yunnan Shenhuo would put its 150,000 tonnes per year capacity into operation. The output from Mengtai which was commissioned in the second half of October was available in the markets, while it was heard that Xinfa would resume part of its capacity in November. Home further said that considering the expectations of greater supply, the downside in aluminium prices would be expectedly...
Century Aluminum, a leading primary aluminium producer with facilities in the United States and Iceland has reported results for Third Quarter 2019 Financial Results. The company reported aluminium shipments of 198,543 tonnes, a 2% drop quarter-on-quarter due to lower than expected production at Hawesville. Net sales stood at US$438.0 million, a 7% drop QoQ primarily due to lower LME prices. Net loss stood at US$20.7 million and adjusted net loss stood at US$37.4 million. The company reported Adjusted EBITDA of US$(12.2) million primarily due to low LME prices and lagged high alumina prices. Third quarter results were positively impacted by $16.7 million of exceptional items driven by lower cost and other adjustments. Century's cash position at quarter end was $22.5 million. “We have seen...
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), in line with its philosophy of developing and training its employees, has teamed up with Bahrain Training Institute (BTI), one of the leading educational institutes, for customised-training programmes. A signing ceremony between Alba’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali and BTI’s Director General Dr. Samah Al-Ajjawi was held on 22 October 2019. The BTI programmes, focussed on Mechanical and Electrical/Electronic Engineering discipline, have been custom-made to suit the company’s requirements. The programmes will further improve national employees’ technical knowledge and skills. Alba signed an agreement with BTI to develop Bahraini employees through Extended Diploma and Higher National programmes. Alba’s Acting CEO Ali Al Baqali said: “As we prepare...
The US dollar rose on Tuesday, lifted by optimism that a US-China trade deal may be near. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies, gained 0.4% and ended at 97.95. LME base metals and the SHFE complex mostly fell. LME aluminium dropped 0.14% and SHFE aluminium lost 0.11%. LME aluminium closed Tuesday’s trading at US$ 1813.50 per tonne, up 1.48% from Monday. Three-month LME aluminium moderated after sharp increases during the previous sessions, ending at US$1,807.5 per tonne. LME aluminium is likely to trade at US$1790-1810 per tonne. As on November 5, Tuesday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1813 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1813.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1810.50 per tonne, 3-months offer...
After the three consecutive rises, the A00 aluminium ingot price has inched down today, on November 6, by RMB 30 per tonne to RMB 14,100 per tonne, marking the first decline this month, found Shanghai Metals Market. The SMM data shows that average prices are expected to range between RMB 14,080 per tonne and RMB 14,120 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded a premium price of RMB 40-80 per tonne. As the decline in A00 aluminium ingot price has touched upon almost all the major markets, except Linyi, the price in Hangzhou, Chongqing, and Gongyi has dropped by RMB 25 per tonne to RMB 14,095 per tonne, RMB 14,065 per tonne, and RMB 13,965 per tonne, respectively. In Wuxi, Foshan, Shenyang, and Tianjin, the price has dwindled by RMB 20 per tonne and RMB 10 per tonne to hover at RMB 14,100...
Vedanta Ltd has hiked the prices of aluminium ingots by nearly 2% with effect from Saturday, trade sources told Cogencis. The company has hiked the prices of its products the second time in a week, and they are now at their highest level in six weeks. Vedanta has currently priced its ingots in the range of 141,250-154,250 rupees. Companies generally link the prices of their products to the three-month futures of aluminium on the London Metal Exchange, which are up nearly 4% so far in the current quarter, in line with the positive developments on the trade front between the US and China. Prices of aluminium fell in August and September. The aluminium vertical contributed around a third to Vedanta's consolidated sales in the June quarter. However, the operating loss for the segment widened...
The dollar increased after five straight days of losses. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies, gained 0.34% and ended at 97.55. LME base metals closed higher for the most part with the SHFE complex trading mixed. LME aluminium rose 1.17%, and SHFE aluminium increased 0.40%. Three-month LME aluminium hit a six-week high of US$1,816 per tonne on short-covering amid supply concerns after Rio Tinto Ltd flagged that it may cut output or shut its aluminium smelter in New Zealand. LME aluminium is likely to trade at US$1,800-1,820 per tonne today. As on November 4, Monday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1786.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1787 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1781 per tonne, 3-months...
The US dollar dropped on Friday after data showed a mixed view on the economy, and on the optimism that the United States and China will reach a deal to end their trade war soon. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies, shed 0.1% and ended at 97.21. LME base metals rose across the board with the SHFE complex closing higher for the most part. LME aluminium advanced 1.7% and SHFE aluminium grew 0.7%. Better-than-expected data on US job growth lifted three-month LME aluminium above all moving averages to a high of US$1,790 per tonne. LME aluminium is expected to be hovering at US$1,750-1,790 per tonne today. As on November 1, Friday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1765 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1766 per...
