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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Shanghai Metals Market found enthusiastic sentiment across spot aluminium traders on Tuesday morning, February 19, in east China markets, as downstream consumers returned normal production and aluminium prices declined after four consecutive days of rising. Thus, the trades were brisk. Spot deals mostly occurred at RMB 13,340 per tonne to RMB 13,360 per tonne in Shanghai and Wuxi, and at RMB 13,350 per tonne to RMB 13,360 per tonne in Hangzhou, SMM research found. Traded prices were down more than RMB 30 per tonne from the previous morning. In Shanghai, spot discounts were at RMB 70 per tonne to RMB 60 per tonne against the SHFE March contract. This was slightly wider compared with Monday morning’s spot discounts at RMB 60 per tonne to RMB 50 per tonne. This could be attributed to...
The US dollar fell on Tuesday as optimism about the outcome of a fresh round of US-China trade talks in Washington this week prompted traders to scale back their safe-haven greenback holdings. Most LME base metals traded higher on Tuesday and aluminium edged up 0.2%. SHFE base metals, except for lead, ended higher overnight and aluminium inched up 0.2%. LME aluminium closed the day’s trading at US$ 1833.50 per tonne. The metal fluctuated on Tuesday, ending marginally higher at US$1,857 per tonne. LME aluminium is likely to trade at US$1,840-1,870 per tonne today. As on February 19, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1833 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1833.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1861.5 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1862 per...
After an intermittent plunge yesterday from RMB 13,410 per tonne to RMB 13,350 per tonne, the A00 aluminium ingot price has once again recorded a rise today, on February 20, to RMB 13,390 per tonne. This marks a growth of RMB 40 per tonne, according to Shanghai Metals Market. But due to the fall yesterday, the ingot price failed to continue at its highest point of this month RMB 13,410 per tonne. Today’s price is same as it was on 31 st of January. The average prices today are expected to range between RMB 13,370 per tonne and RMB 13,410 per tonne, with spot discounts to settle at RMB 70 per tonne to RMB 30 per tonne. In the east (Wuxi and Hangzhou), the A00 aluminium ingot price has grown by RMB 35 per tonne to reach at RMB 13,385 per tonne and RMB 13,390 per tonne respectively. The...
Honourable Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation stone of Runaya Refining at Jharsuguda, today. The project is an end-to-end green solution for the recovery of aluminium and processing residual waste from Aluminium smelters. The ceremony was held in presence of Mr. Annanya Agarwal - CEO, Runaya Refining, Mr. Bibhuti Bhushan Das - DM and Collector, Mr. Abhijit Pati - CEO, Vedanta Ltd., Jharsuguda and other senior members of the district administration and Vedanta Ltd. In the Photograph (in order of appearance from Left to right)- Abhijit Pati- CEO, Vedanta Ltd., Jharsuguda, Bhibuti Bhusan Das- DM & Collector, Jharsuguda, Ashwini Kumar Mohanty- SP, Jharsuguda, Annanya Agarwal- CEO, Runaya Refining LLP, Trilochan Manjhi- ADM, Jharsuguda. Speaking on the occasion...
Since when the United States lifted sanctions on Rusal, the company got engaged in talks with Western Companies to resume reinsurance, said Russian National Reinsurance (RNRC) officials. US President Donald Trump’s administration lifted sanctions on Rusal and other core assets of Oleg Deripaska on January 28. Rusal’s talks with reinsurers indicate the company’s return to normal operations. Natalia Karpova, deputy chief executive RNRC, told reporters on Monday, February 18, that Rusal is now corresponding with western reinsurers for getting them back on board and sharing the aluminium company’s risks after sanctions been lifted. The names of the western reinsurers are not revealed, however. According to two sources familiar with the matter, Ingosstrakh, Rusal’s primary insurer, had been...
The US dollar index slipped on Monday as optimism over a breakthrough in US-China trade talks drove investors to the euro and riskier currencies. LME base metals traded mixed on Monday and aluminium edged down 0.08%. SHFE base metals also closed mixed overnight while aluminium lost 0.3%. LME aluminium price dropped from last week and closed the day’s trading at US$ 1822.50 per tonne. Sharp gains in Chinese stocks boosted LME aluminium to a day-high of US$1,868 per tonne in Asian trading hours. It later lost some gains to end Monday at US$1,847 per tonne. As on February 18, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1821.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1822.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1852 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1854 per tonne;...
Anglo-Swiss mining company Glencore will reportedly take delivery of 200,000 tonnes of aluminium, which they had purchased on the London Metal Exchange, from warehouses owned by ISTIM UK in Port Klang, Malaysia. The news came when five sources familiar with the matter revealed the fact. According to the sources, Glencore wants the metal for delivery as a direct challenge to ISTIM, since the latter is preventing companies from taking LME-warranted metal when needed from its warehouses in Port Klang. But the company says it wants the aluminium because it needs to delivery to the clients. Sources said Glencore bought more than 1 million tonnes from Russia’s Rusal last year and took the bulk of production from Century Aluminium. Including all this, Glencore’s agreements to buy aluminium from...
Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland reiterated Canada’s stand on USMCA and U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from Canada on Saturday. In a call with media she cleared that in a meeting with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the Munich Security Conference; she discussed the importance of lifting of tariffs from Canada. She emphasised that though Canada is focusing on its domestic ratification process for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade deal, it remains strongly against the tariffs. The fact that Canada has peacefully concluded the USMCA process, remains the key reason for lifting the punitive tariffs, she said. “We spoke a lot about the [Section] 232 steel and aluminium tariffs and I explained why Canada is so strongly opposed to them and why...
Social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, increased 33,000 tonnes from Thursday February 14, to 1.65 million tonnes as of Monday February 18, Shanghai Metals Market data showed. For the same period, stocks in Wuxi, Jiangsu and Nanhai, Guangdong increased by 10,000 tonnes and 17,000 tonnes to stand at 618,000 tonnes and 311,000 tonnes. Inventories in Shanghai rose by 1,000 tonnes to 313,000 tonnes, while stocks in Gongyi, Henan reduced by 4,000 tonnes to 141,000 tonnes. The below chart indicates the current status of the primary aluminium inventories across China: In another update from SMM, China’s East Hope will construct facilities that can produce 3.2 million tonnes of alumina per year in Guizhou Province. The signing...
The US dollar weakened on Friday after the indication that the central bank may hold off on raising interest rates in 2019. LME base metals traded higher across the board on Friday and aluminium gained 0.3%. SHFE base metals performed similarly on Friday night and aluminium advanced 0.8%. LME aluminium closed Friday’s trading at US$1828.50 per tonne and then the contract gained 0.3% overnight and closed at US$1,855.5 per tonne. It is expected to trade at US$1,850-1,870 per tonne today. As on February 15, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1828 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1828.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1862 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1863 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2008 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price...
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), soon to be the largest aluminium smelter in the world, announced that its flagship Line 6 Expansion Project is progressing as per schedule with the successful testing of 40 pots which are now fully operational. Alba Chairman Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa, said: “We are delighted to have started Potline 6 ahead of schedule on 13 December 2018 and to have successfully started the first 40 pots. Alba is targeting Line 6 full ramp-up within Q3 2019 which will further position us to take advantage of the growing demand in global aluminium consumption.” One of the most remarkable achievements for the company on this landmark Project is the Extreme Ownership on Safety by Alba employees and contractors. Alba’s Line 6 Smelter clocked more than 32...
The A00 aluminium ingot price has once again recorded a rise today, on February 18, by RMB 70 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,410 per tonne, found Shanghai Metals Market. This marks the fourth back-to-back growth and the highest in comparison with the previous three price rise. The aluminium ingot price, as of today, also stands the highest this month. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,390 per tonne and RMB 13,430 per tonne, with spot discounts to settle at RMB 60 per tonne to RMB 20 per tonne. As the ingot price growth has touched upon all the major markets in China, the markets in the east (Wuxi and Hangzhou) have witnessed price rise by RMB 65 per tonne and RMB 50 per tonne to settle at RMB 13,385 per tonne and RMB 13,390 per tonne. In the southern and northern...
After the lifting of sanctions on Rusal, the leading global aluminium producer has announced change in Board of Directors. Sergei Popov has resigned as an executive director with effect from 14 February 2019 due to the election to the legislature of one of Russian regions. The Company has announced through a press release that Evgeny Kuryanov has been appointed as an Executive Director of the Company and Maxim Poletaev, Randolph N. Reynolds, Kevin Parker, Christopher Burnham and Nick Jordan have been appointed as independent non-Executive Directors of the Company with effect from 14 February 2019. Randolph N. Reynolds has also been appointed as a member of the Corporate Governance & Nomination Committee, while Nick Jordan has also been appointed as a member of the Remuneration Committee...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, China’s total primary aluminium production came in at some 2.97 million tonnes last month. Production in January decreased by 0.5 per cent from January 2018, and dropped 0.7 per cent from December 2018. Domestic primary aluminium capacity under operation stood at an annualised 34.96 million tonnes by the end of January, down 270,000 tonnes per year from December. Despite new capacity in Inner Mongolia’s Chuangyuan and Guyang smelters, capacity cuts at Shaanxi Hengkang, Shandong Huayu, Shanxi Huasheng, and Shanxi Huaze continued to lower operating capacity in January 2019. Output of aluminium is expected to stand at 2.7 million tonnes in February, a decrease of 1.1 per cent from a year earlier. By the end of February, domestic primary aluminium capacity...
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), on the go to become the world’s largest smelter, announced that the company has won 2019 Safety Leadership Award, 2019 Occupational Excellence Achievement Award and 2019 Significant Improvement Award by the National Safety Council (NSC) – USA. Alba ascertained that Safety is the number one driver of its success when it won three major international Safety Awards. The three NSC Awards recognise Alba in various areas of Safety -- Safety Leadership Award for achieving a ‘perfect record’ of Zero Fatalities in the last five consecutive years, the Significant Improvement Award for a significant reduction in Lost Time Injury in 2018 and the Occupational Excellence Achievement Award for reducing the number of all injuries in 2018. Alba’s Chief Executive Officer...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the A00 aluminium ingot price has registered a rise today, on February 15, by RMB 20 per tonne to RMB 13,340 per tonne. This marks the third back-to-back growth in ingot price since February 13. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,320 per tonne and RMB 13,360 per tonne, with spot discounts to settle at RMB 20 per tonne. Although there is no trace of the price rise of input costs in the past few days, yet the aluminium ingot price is found growing. Also, the social inventories of primary aluminium are on the rise since the opening of the market after CNY. The average spot alumina price has been showing no change in price after a dip on February 13, from RMB 2,808 per tonne to RMB 2,793 per tonne. The bauxite price is also on...
The US dollar index fell on Thursday, weighed by a string of disappointing US data, with retail sales recording their biggest drop in nine years in December. LME base metals, except for lead, traded lower on Thursday. LME aluminium dropped 0.8% and SHFE aluminium sank 0.3% overnight. Benchmark aluminium price on London Metal Exchange was down at US$ 1829 per tonne on Thursday, February 14, from US$ 1840 per tonne on Wednesday. As the US dollar remains at highs, LME aluminium is expected to trade at US$1820-1870 per tonne today. As on February 14, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1828.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1829 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1850 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1851 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium across eight major consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, have extended growth by 55,000 tonnes to 1.617 million tonnes over the week ended on February 14. On Monday, February 11, the primary aluminium inventories were at 1.562 million tonnes. Therefore, the inventories today have grown by about 3.5 per cent, SMM data showed. Stocks in Wuxi and Hangzhou have grown from 578,000 tonnes to 608,000 tonnes, up 5 per cent while that in Shanghai have increased from 310,000 tonnes to 312,000 tonnes, up by about 1 per cent. In other markets like Nanhai and Guangdong, and Gongyi and Henan, the inventories are up 7 per cent and 2 per cent to stand at 294,000 tonnes and 145,000 tonnes respectively. The below...
