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 index extended its declines on Friday as disappointing data of US durable goods orders grew worries that the trade conflict with China may have slowed the growth of the world’s largest economy. LME base metals traded higher on Friday. Aluminium rose 0.3%. SHFE aluminium advanced 0.5%. As the US dollar extended its declines, three-month LME aluminium fluctuated to close Friday 0.33% higher at US$1,802 per tonne. LME cash settlement price ended the week higher at US$1761.50 per tonne. As on May 21, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1761 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1761.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1793 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1795 per tonne; Dec 20 bid price stands at US$ 1913 per tonne, and Dec 20 offer...
Social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, stood at 1.234 million tonnes as of Monday May 27. Inventories dropped 48,000 tonnes from 1.282 million tonnes on Thursday, May 23, Shanghai Metals Market data showed. Inventories of primary aluminium continued to decline over the weekend, due to limited arrivals and brisk demand. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across all major China Markets. Primary aluminium stocks in Wuxi, Jiangsu, declined 18,000 tonnes from Thursday, May 23 to stand at 443,000 tonnes. Stocks in Shanghai and Nanhai, Guangdong dropped from 265,000 tonnes and 261,000 on May 23 to stand at 259,000 tonnes and 253,000 tonnes today. Social inventories of primary aluminium...
Indian steel and aluminium producers have asked the Commerce Ministry to exclude the two items from tariff reduction commitments in the on-going Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations. Senior officials from the 16 member- countries are to meet in Bangkok this week to give shape to the proposed pact. “Senior officials from all 16 countries will get together at the inter-sessional meeting this week and there will be pressure to keep the sensitive list of items, on which no reduction commitments will be taken, very short. Both steel and aluminium producers have petitioned to the government to keep several of their items out of the reduction commitments,” a government official said. Aluminium producers demanded exclusion from tariff reduction list on the ground that...
The US dollar declined from a two-year high as weaker domestic data and the threat of economic fallout from the trade war with China grew expectations for an interest-rate cut this year. Base metals ended mixed as LME aluminium jumped 0.84 and SHFE aluminium expanded 0.39%. Three months aluminium closed the day’s trading lower at US$ 1770.50 per tonne. A decline of 8,600 tonnes in stocks across LME-approved warehouses bolstered LME aluminium, to a high of US$1,798 per tonne overnight. It ended 0.84% higher on the day at US$1,796 per tonne. As on May 21, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1739 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1740 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1769.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1770.50 per tonne; Dec 20 bid price...
According to the latest report, Canyon Resources Limited has divided high-grade aluminium up to 50 per cent at its Minim Martap Bauxite Project in Cameroon, where drilling is continuing to identify profiles with an increased depth of mineralisation. In some locations, drilling is being carried out up to 100 per cent deeper than past drilling results. Drilling intersections include 6 metres at 58.19 per cent aluminium oxide and 0.92 per cent silicon oxide from surface. Canyon’s chief geologist Alexander Shaw said, “The remainder of the assays from the 250-metre by 250-metre grid drilled on the Beatrice plateau have continued the very high-grade assay results that were recorded in the first batch of assays.” He added, “We are also seeing significant increases in the depths of the...
A00 aluminium ingot price registers an increase after five days of fall. Ingot price on Friday, 24 May 2019 increased from RMB14160 per tonne to RMB14230 per tonne. This marks a growth of RMB70 per tonne or 0.49 per cent. The average price is expected to range at RMB14210-14250 per tonne today. Spot aluminium price is likely to be traded at a premium of RMB40 per tonne. Aluminium ingot price in Foshan stood at RMB 14320 per tonne, up RMB 70 per tonne from RMB 14250 per tonne. The average price is expected to range at RMB14300-14340 per tonne today. Ingot price in Wuxi and Hangzhou rose RMB 75 per tonne and RMB 70 per tonne to stand at RMB 14230 per tonne and RMB 14260 per tonne. Aluminium ingot price in Chongqing, Shenyang, Tianjin, Linyi and Gongyi stood at RMB 14260 per tonne, RMB 14240...
Social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, stood at 1.282 million tonnes as of as of Thursday May 23. Inventories dropped 64,000 tonnes from 1.346 million tonnes on Thursday, May 16, Shanghai Metals Market data showed. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across all major China Markets. Stocks continued to decline this week, due to limited arrivals and brisk demand. Spot prices remained in a premium over prices of futures, which triggered outflows of warrants, and reduced primary aluminium stocks, SMM reported. Primary aluminium stocks in Wuxi, Jiangsu, declined 22,000 tonnes from Thursday, May 16 to stand at 461,000. In Shanghai, stocks dropped 5,000 tonnes to stand at 265,000 tonnes;...
Patrice L’Huillier, CEO of Aluminerie Alouette, located at about 550 km northeast of Quebec City said that American tariffs on Canadian aluminium cut into profits but didn’t affect production or employment. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the plant after the lifting of tariffs on Canadian aluminium. He also added that the trade dispute with the US actually helped them resist the influx of aluminium from China to Canada. “We will die from the overflow of Chinese aluminum,” said L’Huillier. “The tariff was not a good thing but to control the metal flow and to understand the source of the metal … is quite a good idea.” L’Huillier expressed his concern about how Chinese metals are illegally entering the international markets eating up their shares. While China produced 36 million tonnes...
The US dollar index firmed near a one-month peak, hovering around 98, after the May Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. Base metals declined across the board. SHFE aluminium fell 0.49% and LME aluminium dropped 0.7%. Three months LME aluminium slipped to a low of US$1,776.5 per tonne and ended the trading day 0.7% lower at US$1,781 per tonne as most base metals decreased. Cash contract closed at US$ 1747 per tonne. Norsk Hydro’s Albras aluminium smelter will ramp up its output after restrictions were lifted, and this depressed confidence in longs. Today, Three months LME aluminium is expected to trade at US$1,780-1,800 per tonne. As on May 21, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1746 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1747 per tonne; 3-months bid...
A00 aluminium ingot price has further declined today, on May 23, to stand at RMB 14,160 per tonne, found Shanghai Metals Market. The ingot price yesterday was at RMB 14,220 per tonne, which means it has dropped by RMB 60 per tonne over a day. Since April 17 the ingot price has been decline and within almost a week it has dropped by RMB 180 per tonne. The average prices today are expected to range between RMB 14,140 per tonne and RMB 14,180 per tonne. Some of the major Chinese cities like Foshan, Wuxi, Chongqing, and Gongyi have witnessed a fall in ingot price today by RMB 60 per tonne, RMB 50 per tonne, and RMB 40 per tonne. Thus, the prices there are standing at RMB 14,250 per tonne, RMB 14,155 per tonne, RMB 14,190 per tonne, and RMB 14,075 per tonne. Other cities like Hangzhou,...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the Qinghai-based aluminium producer Western Hydropower has plans to restart its primary aluminium capacity of 150,000 tonnes, which were closed earlier due to rising production cost and environmental restrictions. Of those 150,000 tonnes of capacity, the company intends to resume 50,000 tonnes by the end of May and the remaining 100,000 tonnes in the months ahead, a source told SMM on Wednesday, May 22. Shanghai Metals Market found the plant started enjoying a lower electricity price of RMB 0.3 per tonne from May. Shenhuo Group’s aluminium smelting project, with an annual capacity of 900,000 tonnes, is also underway in the southwestern province of Yunnan. The company announced the news itself in early May. The company also said that the project...
European Aluminium expects that Europe should be the next to be exempted from 10% tariff on aluminium products after the lifting of 232 tariffs on aluminium from Canada and Mexico, a press statement from the association says. Commenting on the matter European Aluminium Director General Gerd Götz said: “The EU is an important ally of the U.S. and a trusted and stable supply source for aluminium. European imports in no way represent a threat to the national security of the U.S. In this respect, we support the European Commission’s negotiation position to lift the Section 232 tariffs as a pre-requisite of any trade deal with the U.S.” Producers now have a global value chain and their operations are not limited to one country. Hence, the Association believes transatlantic trade flows are...
The dollar index climbed close to 90, the highest in nearly a month, supported by US-China trade tension and higher US Treasury yields.Base metals ended mostly higher as LME aluminium went up 0.22%. SHFE aluminium dipped 0.53%. LME aluminium dipped in the European session after it traded robustly in the Asian trading session. The contract ended the day’s trading lower at US$ 1766 per tonne. It regained losses from the previous day and ended 0.22% higher at US$1,793.5 per tonne overnight. We see it trading at US$1,795-1,805 per tonne today. As on May 21, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1765.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1766 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1803 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1805 per tonne; Dec 20 bid price stands...
The removal of production embargo by the Federal Court on Alunorte alumina refinery has reportedly led Albras aluminium smelter to begun ramping up its output from Tuesday, May 21. Albras, partly owned by Norsk Hydro, had curtailed its aluminium production by 50 per cent due to lowered raw material supply when Alunorte plant was forced to operate at half capacity. However, by the second half of 2019, the plant is expected to return to its full production, said Norsk Hydro in a statement. On the news of Albras production raise, its Oslo-listed shares closed 5.6 per cent higher on May 21, after hitting a two-week high of 35.40 Norwegian crowns in early trading. According to Norsk Hydro CEO Hilde Merete Aasheim, Albras’ near-term profit will boost as well on high output resumption. The...
Trimet Aluminium has started trial operation of its ‘virtual battery’, which would control the energy supply for aluminium production at its Essen plant. This is expected to create a power storage facility that will make it easier to integrate the discontinuously generated electricity from renewable energy sources into the power grid. About 36 million euros were invested in the project. “We have reinvented the electrolysis process for the production of aluminium,” says Philipp Schlüter, CEO of Trimet. “For the first time, we will be able to vary the energy supply during operation significantly. This will allow us to react to changes in the electricity supply, which will benefit the power supply to households in Essen. As an aluminium producer, we are naturally an energy-intensive company....
According to the latest data showed by International Aluminium Institute (IAI), world primary aluminium production came in at 5.2 million tonnes in April, down 1.83 per cent from April’s 2018 production of 5.3 million tonnes, and 3.27 per cent from March’s production of 5.379 million tonnes. Primary aluminium production in the first four months of 2019 totalled 20.9 million tonnes, representing a drop of 0.39 per cent year-on-year. In Asia ex-China, aluminium production stood at 361,000 tonnes, up 1.69 per cent from 355,000 tonnes in April 2018. Production in January-April increased to 1.45 million tonnes. In the Middle East, the production dropped 2 per cent year-on-year to 434,000 tonnes in April 2019. Europe primary aluminium production totalled 625,000 tonne in April, as compared to...
Canada’s Finance Minister Bill Morneau declared on Monday, May 20, that the country lifted the retaliatory tariffs on aluminium and steel, as well as more than 70 other products including licorice, coffee, sleeping bags and ketchup from the United States. “The removal of tariffs and countermeasures is a true win-win for everyone involved, and great news for Canadian and American workers, for our communities, and our economies,” Morneau said in a written statement. Canada took this decision after the United States reached a deal to lift tariffs on steel and aluminium imports in a move that could lead to approval for a new North American trade deal. Trump tweeted late Sunday, May 19, that US farmers “can begin doing business again with Mexico and Canada.” The Canadian retaliatory duties on...
The Aluminum Association, in cooperation with the Aluminium Association of Canada, reported primary aluminium production in North America (U.S. and Canada) in April stood at 330,667 tonnes. Production is Canada was 235,778 tonnes, down about 2% YoY. US produced about 94,889 tonnes of aluminium in April 2019, an increase of about 34% YoY from 71,000 tonnes in April 2018. This is a remarkable increase in production for the US primary aluminium industry. Production was at an annual rate of 4,023,115 tonnes during April 2019, increasing 28,861 tpy (+0.7%) from the March 2019 rate of 3,994,254 tonnes. The production rate in the U.S. was up 2.5 per cent month on month, while the Canadian rate was essentially unchanged. The North American annual rate was 6.3 per cent above the April 2018 rate of...
