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 rose to two-week highs at the beginning of the week as US-China trade tensions eased after the world’s two largest economies agreed to restart trade talks. The dollar index then continued to edge lower from recent highs over the week sliding down to 96.735. LME base metals started the week higher, plunged in mid-week and regained some losses towards the end. LME aluminium traded higher this week compared to the last. LME aluminium started the week with US$ 1778 per tonne but lost some gains mid-week to came down to US$1754.5 per tonne. The contract however closed the week higher at US$ 1779.5per tonne on Friday. The LME contract recovered the last week’s losses on the back of lower inventories and premiums in spot offers. Three-month LME aluminium also gained over last week...
Shanghai Metals Market believes aluminium ingots trades are likely to continue at a slow pace across the northern Chinese markets in the medium term. The current adequate supplies of aluminium ingots, the prospect of poorer downstream consumption in a slow season of July-August, and new aluminium capacity are some of the reasons for the estimated slow ingots trades. As more cargoes arrived and downstream producers cut production in a slow season, transactions of aluminium ingot across markets in the north, such as Shandong, Henan, and Tianjin, weakened considerably from the previous month, found Shanghai Metals Market survey on July 4. Aluminium ingots sold in the north-eastern Chinese markets are mainly supplied by smelters in Inner Mongolia. SMM learned that some new, recovered...
Bosnia’s regional energy and mining minister said on July 4 that Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) was reportedly showing interest in Bosnia’s debt-laden aluminium smelter Aluminij Mostar. Aluminij has been in trouble over years now as debt accumulated because of high alumina and electricity prices. Nermin Dzindic, the Federation energy and mining minster, said EGA would assess Aluminij’s value first before starting talks with the latter’s shareholders about a possible takeover. Aluminij’s 44 per cent of share is owned by the Federation Government while the remainder by the Croatian government. Dzindic also said that EGA pledged to double the output at Aluminij which is currently at13,000 tonnes a year. EGA was ready to negotiate the power purchase deal with Bosnia’s three power utilities...
China’s production of primary aluminium stood 2.91 per cent lower in June 2019, showed an SMM survey. Primary aluminium production came in at 2.93 million tonnes last month. Aluminium production decreased 1.6 per cent year-on-year to 17.5 million tonnes in the first six months of 2019. In May, primary aluminium production was 3.04 million tonnes, a drop of 1 per cent year-on-year. Built capacity of primary aluminium stood at 40.3 million tonnes as of the end of June, with 36.48 million tonnes in operation. Operating rates averaged 90.5 per cent in June, almost flat from May. Primary aluminium production received a boost from Baise Mining’s No. 2 plant in Suyuan, Yunnan Aluminium’s Haixin Aluminium in Zhaotong and Shanxi Zhongrun, but plants in the north-east such as Guangxi Xinfa and...
According to the Reuters report, Glecore is one of the companies that have shown interest in buying Rio Tinto’s aluminium assets in Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands for up to $350 million. Rio had started the assets sale process in late 2018 with the help of French investment bank Natixis after Norsk Hydro withdrew itself from buying them. According to Hydro, the reason was the delay in getting the European Commission’s approval. As an aluminium smelter in Iceland, Rio Tinto has put on the block a 53 per cent stake in a Dutch anode facility and 50 per cent of the shares in a Swedish aluminium fluoride plant. Both anode and aluminium fluoride are used as raw materials in aluminium production. Now, as the volatility caused by the US sanctions and supply reduction at Hydro’s massive...
The dollar continued to edge lower from recent highs and the euro was stuck near two-week lows on Thursday. The US dollar index slid 0.05% to end at 96.735. Base metals ended mostly higher. LME aluminium climbed 1.15% and SHFE aluminium advanced 1.13%. Thursday saw some bullish trading of LME aluminium and the contracts closed higher than the previous day. Both three-month LME aluminium and the most-traded SHFE August contract recovered losses since last Friday during night trading as lower inventories and premiums in spot offers depressed confidence in shorts. LME aluminium closed 1.15% higher at US$1,809.5 per tonne. LME aluminium is likely to trade at US$1,750-1,850 per tonne. As on July 4, Thursday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1771 per tonne, LME official settlement...
In July 2018, ENGIE and SUSI signed the financing agreements for Project Tonstad , a 208 MW wind farm in Norway to supply power to the aluminium sector. The project, which is currently under construction in the south of Norway will be one of the largest in Norway, and will supply all electricity generated through an off-take agreement, to the Norwegian aluminium producer Hydro. A media update from the project has confirmed that commercial operation will start from early 2020. The first turbine is planned to start operation by end of August 2019. At the end of June, the first blade (70m long) was transported from the port to the site through very challenging winding roads that needed modifications to in order to let the vehicle pass. Project Tonstad is located in the municipalities of...
According to a report from Platts; the low growth period in China’s economy has already arrived in 2019 despite stimulus measures and supply side reforms. The market outlook is bearish and China's downstream aluminium sector has already entered its off season due to poor economic data. The boom has slowed down in the construction sector and there have been fewer investments from the market participants. According to China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, slow demand from construction and electrical sector has restricted aluminium demand growth to just 1% in 2019. Despite government measures to support demand growth, the impact is not seen. Because of lacklustre demand, domestic aluminium prices are not likely to see much upward movement in 2019. The Shanghai Futures Exchange's...
The US dollar edged lower as President Donald Trump said in a tweet that the US should match China and Europe’s “currency manipulation game.” The US dollar index slid 0.02% to end at 96.76. After the day’s trading LME aluminium closed slightly lower from the previous day yesterday. As the US dollar weakened, three-month LME aluminium climbed along with the five-day moving average, to a high of US$1,793 per tonne, ending up 0.53% at US$1,789 per tonne overnight. Three months LME aluminium is likely to trade at US$1,770-1,800 per tonne today. As on July 3, Wednesday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1754 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1754.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1778 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1779 per tonne; Dec 20 bid...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium across eight major consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, have extended their downfalls over the week ended on July 4 by 23,000 tonnes to stand at 1.028 million tonnes. A week ago, on June 27, the primary aluminium inventories were at 1.051 tonnes, while on July 1, the inventories were at 1.041 tonne after declining by 10,000 tonnes over the weekend. This indicates that from July 1, today’s inventories have dropped by RMB 13,000 tonnes. In Wuxi, Jiangsu; Shanghai; and Nanhai, Guangdong; the inventories have dropped week-on-week by some 18,000 tonnes, 1,000 tonnes, 15,000 tonnes, and to stand at 335,000 tonnes, 207,000 tonnes, and 231,000 tonnes, respectively. In Gongyi, Henan; Hangzhou, Zhejiang,...
A00 aluminium ingot price recorded an increase of RMB 130 per tonne, after falling four days in a row. Ingot price stood at RMB 13760 per tonne on Thursday, 04 July 2019. The average price is expected to range between RMB 13740 per tonne and RMB 13780 per tonne. Spot aluminium contract is likely to be traded at a discount of RMB 10 per tonne to a premium of RMB 30 per tonne. Aluminium ingot price in Foshan registered an increase of RMB 130 per tonne on Thursday and stood at RMB 13810 per tonne. The average price is expected to hover at RMB 13790- 13830 per tonne today. Ingot price in Wuxi and Hangzhou increased RMB 90 per tonne and RMB 135 per tonne to stand at RMB 13750 per tonne and RMB 13795 per tonne respectively. Their average price is expected to hover at RMB 13740- 13760 per tonne...
SNC-Lavalin, Canadian engineering, procurement, and construction services provider, has reportedly bagged a three-year Master Services Agreement from Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) to provide engineering and project management services. The Canadian company will complement EGA’s existing resources in delivering operations capital projects at Al Taweelah and Jebel Ali Smelter Complexes, and Al Taweelah alumina refinery. As per the agreement contract, SNC-Lavalin will support EGA with integrated engineering services covering all multi-disciplinary aspects related to power plant, energy distribution, water desalination, aluminium smelting, casting and carbon plants. In addition, project management services such as construction management, cost control and planning, contract engineering, and...
The US dollar slipped from two-week highs as the boost from easing trade tensions between the US and China faded and ended 0.07% lower at 96.765. Base metals ended mostly lower. LME aluminium dropped 0.67% and SHFE aluminium dipped 0.4%. As base metals mostly weakened overnight, three-month LME aluminium traded below the five- and 10-day moving averages, and finished 0.67% lower on the day at RMB1,779.5 per tonne overnight. The cash contract also dropped after showing a bullish trend. The contract is likely to trade at US$1,760-1,800 per tonne. As on July 2, Tuesday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1754.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1755.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1779.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1780 per tonne; Dec...
Alcoa Corporation, a leading bauxite, alumina, and aluminium producer, announced the signing of a New Labour Contract for Aluminerie de Bécancour Smelter in Québec, Canada on July 2. "We are pleased that ABI has a new labour agreement that will get employees back on the job, working together to give the smelter a more competitive future," Tim Reyes, Executive Vice President and President, Aluminum said. Alcoa also announced that the ABI aluminium smelter would restart curtailed smelting capacity soon as the members of the United Steelworkers union approved a six-year labour agreement. The restart will start as soon as July 26, 2019 and is likely to be complete in Q2 2020. ABI smelter, owned by Alcoa (74.95%) and Rio Tinto Alcan Inc. (25.05%), with an annual operating capacity of 413,000...
Amidst the incessant fall in spot alumina price across China, the A00 aluminium ingot price continues to record a downfall as of today, on July 3, found Shanghai Metals Market. According to SMM data, the price today has declined by RMB 20 per tonne to RMB 13,630 per tonne, marking the fourth consecutive fall. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,610 per tonne and RMB 13,650 per tonne, while the spot contract to be traded at the same discount and premium prices of RMB 20 per tonne. While all the major cities have registered a drop in aluminium ingot price today, the price in Wuxi has decided to stand out by recording a hike by RMB 10 per tonne to RMB 13,660 per tonne. Gongyi has seen the highest drop by RMB 30 per tonne, followed by Linyi, Hangzhou, and Chongqing where...
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), one of the 1 million-metric tonnes smelters in the world, reportedly reveals some of the key industry topics that will be addressed in the 23 rd edition of the Arab International Aluminium Conference (Arabal) 2019. Arabal will take place from November 19 to November 21, 2019, at Gulf Hotel, Bahrain. It will be hosted by Alba under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain. This year’s theme is ‘Shaping the Future of Aluminium in the Arab Region’. Arabal 2019 will shed light on a number of pressing topics like ‘impact of current economic challenges on the aluminium industry’, ‘outlook for the global aluminium industry in light of depressed LME prices’, ‘energy efficiency and its impact on energy...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, Shandong Weiqiao Group, one of the top aluminium producers in China, reduced its purchasing prices of prebaked anode for July 2019. The benchmark purchasing prices for prebaked anode stood at RMB 3,045 per tonne in cash, down RMB 50 per tonne from RMB 2,995 per tonne in June. Weiqiao had raised the benchmark purchasing price for prebaked anode by RMB100 per tonne in June. That was the first time in 2019 for Weiqiao to increase its monthly purchasing price for prebaked anode. The prebaked anode price in East recorded a drop of RMB 25 per tonne to stand at RMB 3,137.50 per tonne after almost a month. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 3,045 per tonne and RMB 3,230 per tonne. The prebaked anode price Central remained the same at RMB...
The US dollar rose to two-week highs as US-China trade tensions eased after the world’s two largest economies agreed to restart trade talks. Base metals ended mostly lower. LME aluminium dipped 0.14% and SHFE aluminium went down 0.83%. LME cash and three months aluminium closed higher during the day’s trading. However, three-month LME aluminium fell to the lowest overnight at US$1,790.5 per tonne and ended lower for the third consecutive trading day, at US$1,791.5 per tonne, after it unsuccessfully tested pressure above from US$1,811 per tonne twice. LME aluminium is likely to trade at US$1,770-1,820 per tonne today. As on July 1, Monday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1777 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1778 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$...
