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 US dollar was flat against a basket of currencies on Wednesday, recovering from losses from downbeat US factory activity data. LME base metals closed higher across the board on Wednesday. LME aluminium climbed 0.2% and SHFE aluminium gained 0.1% and zinc inched up 0.03%. Three-month LME aluminium climbed to a high of US$1,833 per tonne on Wednesday, before it erased some gains to end 0.19% higher at US$1,824.5 per tonne. The load-up of long positions primarily accounted for the gains. It is expected to trade between US$1,800-1,840 per tonne today. As on July 24, Wednesday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1795 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1795.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1826 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1827 per tonne;...
After three consecutive drops this week, the A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded a rise on Thursday, July 25, by RMB 70 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,860 per tonne, found Shanghai Metals Market. Week-on-week, the price is standing higher by RMB 10 per tonne. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,840 per tonne and RMB 13,880 per tonne, while the spot contract to be traded at a discount price of RMB 10 per tonne to a premium of RMB 30 per tonne. The rise in A00 aluminium ingot price today could be attributed to lowered inventories of primary aluminium. According to SMM, the inventories fell unexpectedly today, despite a low consumption season grinding on. Stocks across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants, have inched down by 7,000 tonnes from a week...
Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. (Chinalco), the world’s largest aluminium group reported 40% YoY increase in profits during H1 2019 on Monday attributing its success to sweeping organizational reforms. Higher debt continues to remain a burden to the group. The company reported a profit of about RMB 2.36 billion (US$340 million) and operating income exceeded RMB 170 billion. China’s aluminium industry had a difficult 2018 due to low global aluminium prices and caps on production that affected many aluminium-makers. Yet in the first five months of this year, producer profits were up 23.4% year-on-year. Chinalco could rise above industry hurdles partially because of the reforms to its previously bloated and inefficient structure caused by unplanned expansion and capacity building. The group has...
South America’s primary aluminium production registered an increase of 7.95 per cent year-on-year in June 2019. Aluminium production increased from 88,000 tonnes to 95,000 tonnes, according to the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). Primary aluminium production in South America rose 10.47 per cent from 86,000 in May. In the first half of 2019, the total primary aluminium production dropped 15.57 per cent year-on-year to 515,000 tonnes. Production was 610,000 tonnes in the first half of 2018. South America’s full-year primary aluminium production for 2018 stood at 1.164 million tonnes, IAI data showed. Global primary aluminium production decreased slightly from 5.33 million tonnes in June 2018 to 5.24 million tonnes in June 2019. Aluminium production dropped 2.96% from May’s 2019...
The US dollar rose on Tuesday to near a five-week high the US dollar index closed at 97.689. Boris Johnson, who promised to withdraw the UK from the European Union with or without deal by the end of October, will replace Theresa May as Britain’s new prime minister. This will have a further bearing on currency movements today. LME base metals closed mixed on Tuesday and aluminium advanced 0.4%. SHFE aluminium sank 0.2%.Three-month LME aluminium hovered in a wide range on Tuesday, and finished the trading day 0.41% higher at US$1,821 per tonne. With a firmer US dollar, three months LME aluminium is expected to trade between US$1,800-1,840 per tonne today. As on July 23, Tuesday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1794.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1795...
The survey data of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) showed that global aluminium production dropped 0.5 per cent in the first half of 2019, as Lower Western output had been largely down due to temporary outages at two important smelters – Albras in Brazil and Becancour in Canada. The bearish market sentiment in China was another key factor for the world aluminium production fall in H1 2019. In June, Chinese output fell by 3.1 per cent and by 0.4 per cent over the first six months of the year, according to the IAI. Production in the world outside China decreased by 0.6 per cent in the first half of the year. Albras in Brazil, which has an annual capacity of 450,000 tonnes, has been operating at 50 per cent since April 2018 because of tight global alumina supply on Alunorte...
NALCO has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NIT, Rourkela & NIT Rourkela Alumni Association (NITRAA) for the creation of a Centre of Excellence. The objective of collaboration is to develop entrepreneurs by supporting technology-driven start-up companies to improve manufacturing & service delivery competitiveness, NALCO said on Friday, July 19. The incubation centre will be located at the company’s Research and Training Centre at Gothapatna, Bhubaneswar, where NALCO is developing a world-class research facility to benefit the aluminium sector. The partnership, supported by IIT, ICT & DST, is aimed at developing an ecosystem for promoting entrepreneurship, to promote a knowledge environment by collaborating with research institutes and universities in both, core and enabling...
According to ABAL, the aluminium industry association of Brazil, Brazilian primary aluminium production declined 3.1 per cent year-on-year in May 2019. Aluminium production in Brazil totalled 50,000t in May. Month-on-month, Brazil’s primary aluminium production increased 3.31 per cent from 48,400 tonnes in April. The total primary aluminium production in the first five months of 2019 also dropped 20.1 per cent year-on-year to 245,400 tonnes, according to the association, Brazil’s full-year aluminium production for 2018 stood at 659,000 tonnes. The country’s declining aluminium output has been impacting South American total production. Regional primary aluminium output came in at 86,000 tonnes in May, down 8.51 per cent on the year. Abal comprises CBA, part of local conglomerate...
Norsk Hydro in the financial results of second quarter 2019 declared that its underlying earnings before financial items and tax stood at NOK 875 million, compared to NOK 2,713 million in the same period last year. This year-on-year fall in underlying earnings could be attributed to cyber-attack and lower aluminium and alumina prices across the globe. Underlying EBIT for bauxite and alumina, however, stood higher from NOK 364 million in Q2 2018 to NOK 415 million in Q2 2019, primarily buoyed by increased production following the lifting of the embargo on May 20. “Alunorte reached 80-85 per cent capacity utilization in June, within the targeted 75-85 per cent capacity utilization for the state-of-art press filter technology. Paragominas and Albras are also ramping up successfully. This is...
The US dollar inched up on Monday as investors tempered expectations for an aggressive Federal Reserve interest rate cut later this month. LME base metals, closed lower on Monday. Aluminium tumbled 1.8% and SHFE aluminium shed 0.6%. Three-month LME aluminium slipped 1.81% to close at US$1,813.5 per tonne on Monday. The load-up of short positions primarily accounted for the losses. LME aluminium is expected to trade between US$1,800-1,840 per tonne today. As on July 22, Monday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1807.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1808 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1835 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1836 per tonne; Dec 20 bid price stands at US$ 1938 per tonne, and Dec 20 offer price stands at US$ 1943 per tonne....
A00 aluminium ingot price has edged lower by 0.36 per cent today. As on Tuesday, 23 July 2019, ingot price ranged at RMB 13780-13820 per tonne; the average price stood at RMB 13800 per tonne, down by RMB 50 per tonne from its previous price of RMB 13850 per tonne on July 22. In Foshan and Wuxi, aluminium ingot price has dropped by RMB 50 per tonne each to stand at RMB 13770 per tonne and RMB 13790 per tonne. Their average price is expected to range within RMB 13750- 13790 per tonne and RMB 13780- 13800 per tonne. Aluminium price in Hangzhou is down RMB 50 per tonne at RMB 13800 per tonne as on July 23. On Tuesday, 23 July 2019, aluminium ingot prices in Chongqing, Shenyang, Tianjin, Linyi, and Gongyi stand at RMB 13790 per tonne, RMB 13760 per tonne, RMB 13790 per tonne, RMB 13810 per...
Global primary aluminium production in June decreased slightly from 5.33 million tonnes in June 2018 to 5.24 million tonnes. Aluminium production dropped 2.96% from May’s 2019 production of 5.4 million tonnes, according to the latest data showed by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). Primary aluminium production in the first half of 2019 stood at 31.61 million tonnes, almost flat from the first half of 2018 figure. In Asia ex-China, aluminium production stood at 360,000 tonnes in June compared with 368,000 tonnes in June 2018. Production in January-June totalled 2.19 million tonnes. In the Middle East, primary aluminium production increased from 437,000 in June 2018 to 449,000 tonnes in June 2019. Europe’s primary aluminium production totalled 628,000 tonnes in June compared with...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, increased 5,000 tonnes from Thursday July 18 to stand at 1.047 million tonnes as of Monday July 22. On Thursday, July 18, the primary aluminium inventories were 1.042 million tonnes, barely changed from a week ago. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across all major China markets: In Wuxi and Shanghai, primary aluminium inventories declined 2,000 tonnes and 1,000 tonnes from Thursday to stand at 318,000 tonnes and 200,000 tonnes on Monday, 22 July 2019. Inventories in Nanhai, Guangdong increased from 258,000 tonnes to 269,000 tonnes. In Gongyi and Hangzhou, the inventories dropped 1,000 tonnes and 3,000...
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba)’s Line 6 expansion project is at the final stage of construction and the Chairman of Alba’s Board of Directors Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa, visited Line 6 on Sunday 21 July 2019, to inspect the progress of the last stage of the potline. He also witnessed the handover of the remaining pots for the Safe Start-Up of Line 6. Alba’s Executive Management and Owners’ teams from Line 6 and Power Station 5 (PS 5) joined the Chairman during the visit. Commenting on this occasion, Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa said: “I would like to thank all Alba employees and contractors for the continued success on the safe start-up of Line 6. “I am confident that the Line 6 Start-Up Team will continue to take Extreme Ownership on Safety as we approach the...
The US dollar rebounded on Friday after dropping on Thursday. LME base metals closed mixed on Friday. LME aluminium declined 0.2% while SHFE aluminium sank 0.3%. Three-month LME aluminium dropped on Friday night after climbing to a more-than two-month high of US$1,866 per tonne, and closed 0.22% lower at US$1,847 per tonne. It is expected to trade between US$1,830-1,870 per tonne today. As on July 19, Friday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1832 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1833 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1855 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1856 per tonne; Dec 20 bid price stands at US$ 1957 per tonne, and Dec 20 offer price stands at US$ 1962 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock registered dropped yesterday to 974000...
The rates of National Aluminium Co Ltd's aluminium ingots are at their highest level in two months after the company hiked the prices of these products on Friday. The government-owned aluminium maker has raised the prices of these products by 1% in the domestic market. This was following the recent rise in three months aluminium price in LME. The prices of its products were down over 2% at the end of the June quarter compared with the end of the March quarter. As of July 19, 2019, the price of Nalco’s IC20 aluminium ingot stood at INR 15,2050 (US$ 2206) per tonne. This was about INR 14,9550 (US$2170) per tonne on July 1 2019. Other two major aluminium producers Hindalco and Vedanta have also raised their ingot prices in the domestic market. The price of Hindalco’s P1020 EC Grade Ingot &...
Alcoa this week reported a net loss of $402 million and negative free cash flow of US$7 million on its $2.7 billion of Q2 2019 revenue. Divesting of interest in the Ma'aden Rolling Company (MRC) in Saudi Arabia costed the company dearly. Results were negatively affected by lower alumina and aluminium prices. The results indicate a tough period for the aluminium sector globally and in the U.S. for the rest of 2019. Despite the falling inventories, Alcoa expects lower demand growth worldwide for aluminium mostly driven by trade tensions and macroeconomic headwinds, the company said in its earning call on Wednesday. The results have raised the growing concern about aluminium demand and the slowing economic growth. Alcoa lowered its global aluminium demand growth projection for 2019 to a...
A00 aluminium ingot price started its upward trend at the beginning of the week and continued rising throughout the week. On Monday, July 15, the price increased RMB 80 per tonne or 0.58 per cent to RMB13800 per tonne. Aluminium ingot price on Thursday recorded no movement from RMB 13850 per tonne. It ended the week higher at RMB13920 per tonne, up RMB 70 per tonne. Shanghai Metals Market data showed that social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, extended their increase over the weekend, gaining 1,000 tonnes from Thursday July 11 to stand at 1.043 million tonnes as of Monday July 15. On Thursday, July 18, primary aluminium stocks barely changed from a week ago and came in at 1.042 million tonnes. The average price of alumina...
