LME aluminium prices gained ground on November 4, with cash and futures contracts moving higher. The Asian Reference Price also edged up, while exchange inventories declined. Alumina Platts prices, however, moved slightly lower. The cash bid rose by USD 53.50 per tonne , or 1.74 per cent, to USD 3,134.50 per tonne from USD 3,081 per tonne. The cash offer increased 1.72 per cent to USD 3,135 per tonne from USD 3,082 per tonne. Three-month aluminium prices also advanced. The bid climbed 1.08 per cent to USD 3,073 per tonne on November 4 from USD 3,040 per tonne, while the offer gained 1.05 per cent to USD 3,074 per tonne. It was previously at USD 3,042 per tonne . Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market...
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...
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Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company Norsk Hydro ASA announced the financial and production results for the third quarter and first nine months of 2018. As per the report, the company’s revenue for the third quarter stood at NOK 39766 million, up 74 per cent from NOK 22799 million in Q3 2017, but stood 4 per cent down from NOK 41254 million in Q2 2017. In the first nine months of 2018, the revenue was at NOK 120,991 million, compared to NOK 70,416 million in the same period last year. Underlying EBIT for primary aluminium declined compared to the third quarter last year due to higher raw material and fixed costs, partly offset by higher all-in metal prices. In addition, there was a positive contribution from the sale of excess power following the production curtailment of the...
The US dollar fell on Tuesday after Wall Street opened lower, spurring a risk-off move that benefited the safe-haven Japanese yen and Swiss franc against the greenback. Both LME and SHFE base metals ended in mixed performance overnight. LME aluminium lost 0.35%. LME aluminium fluctuated and posted a five-day losing streak on Tuesday with pressure at the five-day moving average. The light metal contract dipped below US$2000/t level and settled at US$ 1997 per tonne on Tuesday. It is expected to trade at US$2,000-2,030 per tonne today. As on October 23, Tuesday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 1996 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$1997per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2015 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$2016 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price...
According to the latest update from Shanghai Metals Market, the A00 aluminium ingot price again sees a rise today, on October 24, after a slight drop in the previous day. Today, the ingot price is hovering at RMB 14190 per tonne in contrast to RMB 14110 per tonne yesterday. Hence, this marks a growth by RMB 80 per tonne. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 14170 per tonne and RMB 14210 per tonne, with spot discounts reduced by RMB 10 per tonne to RMB 70 per tonne to RMB 30 per tonne. The rise is seen despite the cost restraint of alumina at RMB 3040 per tonne from October 18 to October 23, SMM found. However, bauxite price on the other hand, according to the last update on SMM on October 22, has seen a rise and hovering at RMB 590 per tonne. Other input prices such as...
According to the data showed by International Aluminium Institute (IAI), world primary aluminium output rose 2.5% year-on-year in September to stand at 5.301 million tonnes. The figure was down 3.4% from 5.485 million tonnes in August, while on a daily basis production was down month-on-month at 176,700 tonne per day. The total primary aluminium production stood at 48.02 million tonnes in January to September 2018 as against 47.86 million tonnes in January to September 2017.The figure was up by 0.3% year-on-year. In China, the primary aluminium production increased 3.6% year-on-year to 3 million tonnes in September. For the period January-September, the country produced 27.17 million tonnes of white metal, down 0.7% year on year. Europe primary aluminium production totalled at 644,00...
The US dollar rose on Monday as the pound fell on news that Brexit negotiations with the European Union over Northern Ireland remain in flux and as uncertainty over Italy's budget continued to lower the euro. LME base metals ended in the black across the board overnight. Aluminium edged up 0.17%. LME aluminium contract closed lower at US$ 2002.50 per tonne on October 22 from US$ 2022.50 per tonne on October 19. LME aluminium fell to an intraday low of US$2,002 per tonne from a high of US$2,032 per tonne on Monday morning, reports Shanghai Metals Market. The contract is expected to trade at US$1,990-2,030 per tonne. As on October 22, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2002 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2002.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market report, spot aluminium discounts narrowed across the Shanghai market on the first trading day of the week as future prices fell in the morning trading hours. The SHFE contract for November delivery initially fell before it climbed in the morning trading hours. Spot discounts in Shanghai were heard at RMB50-70 per tonne against the SHFE 1811 contract, compared with RMB90-70 per tonne on Friday morning. Most transactions in Shanghai and Wuxi occurred at RMB14,100-14,120 per tonne and that in Hangzhou at RMB14,130-14,140 per tonne. Transactions in Guangdong were heard at RMB14,110-14,130 per tonne, with Guangdong-Shanghai spreads narrowing to RMB10-20 per tonne from RMB20-30 per tonne on Friday morning. Processing fees for billet in Guangdong were...
Qatar Aluminium (Qatulum) has revealed its total revenue during first six months of the year 2018 ended on June 30, which according to the report has jumped 10.72 per cent year-on-year to $0.74mn. Asia, Middle East, and North Africa have reportedly contributed 57 per cent to the revenue. Earnings before interest taxes depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) stood $0.28mn with an Ebitda margin of 39% at the end of June 30, 2018, said the initial public offering (IPO) prospectus of Qatar Aluminium Manufacturing Company (Qamco). It also said The Asia and Mena regions’ revenue accounted for $0.42mn, while North America $0.15mn or 21%, Europe $0.14mn or 20% and Qatar $0.03mn or 3%. This shows revenues from Asia and Mena reported an 8.8% increase, Europe 26.36%, Qatar 36.92% and North America...
Alcoa announced on Wednesday, October 17, its intention to cease operations at its Avilés and La Coruña aluminium plants in Spain with a combined annual production of 180,000 tonnes. The Aviles and La Coruna plants were two of the least productive within the Alcoa system due to structural issues such as inefficient technology and high fixed costs and small production capacity. “Those problems, together with external market factors such as overproduction in China, high raw material prices and energy costs, have generated significant losses in these two plants in the last two years,” the company said. Per Spanish law, Alcoa will initiate a mandatory 30-day consultation period with the workers’ representatives to achieve the best possible outcome for the company and its workforce. “An...
Qatar Aluminum or Qatalum, a JV between Qatar Petroleum and Hydro Aluminium of Norway plans to sell 49 per cent of its shares in a public offering on Oct. 30. The state news agency QNA reported the news today. Norsk Hydro owns 50 per cent stake of Qatalum in the joint venture. State energy major and fifty per cent owner of Qatalum, Qatar Petroleum announced in May that it will list 49 per cent of its shares in the aluminium smelter plant Qatalum in a public offering during the last quarter of 2018. Qatar’s Financial Markets Authority had approved a request to publicly list shares of Qatar Aluminium (Qatalum) last week. The public offering will be priced at 10.1 Qatari riyals (US$2.77) a share, Qatar Petroleum said in a separate statement. Qatalum produces about 643,500 tons of primary...
According to a Reuters report, China’s primary aluminium production fell to its lowest level in September since May. This is a consecutive fall for a second month in September attributed to weaker aluminium prices and higher input costs. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics released on Friday, China produced 2.79 million tonnes of aluminium last month, down 1.8 per cent from 2.84 million tonnes in August, but up 7.1 per cent YoY. September has one day lesser than in August and considering that, Reuters’ calculations determined China produced around 93,000 tonnes of primary aluminium daily in September. In the first nine months of 2018, China produced 25.0 million tonnes of aluminium, a rise of 4.2 per cent from YTD 2017. Primary Aluminium prices on the Shanghai Futures...
China's primary aluminium supply is expected to grow at 4.1% in 2019, while consumption is likely to grow at a slower pace of 3%, said Liu Xiaolei, SMM senior analyst. In 2018, primary aluminium capacity with higher costs ran in losses, driven by cash flow issues and falling aluminium prices. This prompted some smelters to suspend operation, to postpone the commissioning of new capacity or to commission less capacity, and supply shrank as a result. Output of primary aluminium in 2018 is estimated to grow 1.9% compared to 2017, Liu told the delegates in Shanghai on October 19 at an annual pricing conference organised by SMM. Newly-commissioned capacity would amount to 3.3 million mt in 2018, some 1 million mt less than estimated at the beginning of the year, showed SMM data. Output grew at...
A sharp decline in US existing home sales in September weakened the US dollar before the weekend. Both LME and SHFE base metals ended in mixed performance on Friday night. LME aluminium lost 0.25%. As the US dollar strengthened, LME aluminium also traded weakly last Friday night as it registered the third consecutive trading day of decline to settle at US$2,006.50 per tonne with support from the US$2,000 per tonne level. We see it hovering at US$1,950-2,020 per tonne today. As on October 19, Friday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2022.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2022.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2023 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2024 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2070 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price...
Social inventories of primary aluminium inventories across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, declined by some 27,000 tonnes from Thursday October 18 to stand at 1.556 million tonnes as of Monday October 22, Shanghai Metals Market data showed. Limited cargoes arrived in social warehouses over the weekend and this accounted for the decline in stocks. In some of the Chinese cities like Wuxi and Gongyi, Shanghai and Nanhai, Guangdong the inventories declined on the week. In Wuxi and Jiangsu, the inventory stood at 667,000 tonnes; in Shanghai and Nanhai, Guangdong, the inventory came in at 348,000 tonnes and 240,000 tonnes respectively. In Gongyi, Henan, the inventory stood at 102,000 tonnes. The current inventory status in the major Chinese cities is as follows: After...
Inventories of aluminium billet decreases across all the major consumption areas in China as downstream consumers restocked raw materials, Shanghai Metals Market found. Stocks of 6063 aluminium billet stood at 150,000 tonne on Thursday October 18, down by some 2,000 tonnes. The aluminium billet inventory in Foshan, Guandong stood at 81,300 tonnes; while that in Wuxi, Jiangsu at 21,800 tonnes. For more details, refer to the chart below. The aluminium alloys (ADC12) spot price remained unchanged on October 19, 2018. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 15400 per tonne and RMB 15600 per tonne. Aluminium alloys (A356) price continued their downward trend. On October 19, aluminium alloys (A356) price dropped by RMB 50 per tonne to RMB 14750 per tonne. The average prices are...
Norway, the European Union and several other countries asked the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Thursday to set up a dispute resolution panel to address U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium. The United States imposed a 25 percent duty on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminium imports, effective from March 23 in what U.S. President Donald Trump said was a move to protect U.S. metal makers. "We believe that additional U.S. duty on steel and aluminium is contrary to WTO rules," Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soereide said in a statement. "Therefore, together with the EU and several others, we asked today the WTO to establish a dispute resolution panel on the U.S. additional duty," she said. Norway said initial consultations with the United States had not led to an...
The US dollar index traded at a week-high on Thursday as US Treasury yields traded near multiyear highs, on expectations of further interest rate hikes. That came despite US President Donald Trump's view that interest rate hikes have already gone too far. LME base metals ended in negative territory across the board on Thursday. While LME aluminium opened higher on Thursday, it fell to close near day-lows of US$2,008 per tonne, a new low in a month. It is likely to remain weak today with a trading range of US$2,000-2,030 per tonne. As on October 18, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2007 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2007.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2012 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2012.50 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands...
As reported by Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium inventories across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, declined by some 30,000 tonnes from Thursday October 11 to stand at 1.583 million tonnes as of Thursday October 18.The decline week-on-week exceeds stocks built over the National Day holiday, indicating continued downstream purchases. In some of the Chinese cities like Wuxi and Gongyi, the inventories declined significantly on the week. In Wuxi and Jiangsu, the inventory stood at 673,000 tonnes; in Shanghai and Nanhai, Guangdong, the inventory came in at 354,000 tonnes and 250,000 tonnes respectively. In Gongyi, Henan, the inventory stood at 107,000 tonnes. The current inventory status in the major Chinese cities is as follows:...
Alcoa Corporation, a global leader in bauxite, alumina, and aluminum products, reported third quarter 2018 results and announced a $200 million common stock repurchase program as part of the Company’s 2018 capital allocation framework. In the third quarter of 2018, Alcoa also used $194 million in available cash to further reduce its net pension liability and debt and finished the quarter with a cash balance of $1.0 billion on September 30, 2018. This year, the Company has reduced its net pension and OPEB liability to $2.2 billion as of September 30, down from $3.5 billion at year-end 2017. “Today’s stock buyback announcement, our smaller net pension and OPEB liability, and our results since launching Alcoa Corporation nearly two years ago all point to the success of our strategic...
