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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The US dollar index softened and closed at 95.165 on Tuesday as the Chinese yuan showed more stability after the country’s central bank on Friday raised the cost of shorting the currency. LME base metals, except for aluminium, rose across the board on Tuesday. The contract closed Tuesday’s trading at US$ 2026.5 per tonne. With a weaker SHFE counterpart, LME aluminium shed early gains and touched a low of US$2,032.5 per tonne on Tuesday night. It is likely to trade at US$2,035-2,055 per tonne today. As on August 7, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2026 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2026.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2052.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2053 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2108 per tonne, and Dec 19...
According to the latest update by Shanghai Metals Market, south China on Tuesday, August 7, saw a narrow trading activity in the spot aluminium market, though slightly better than the previous day. But the SHFE August contract edged lower in the morning, Most transactions in Guangdong were heard at RMB 14440 per tonne to RMB 14450 per tonne, with the Guangdong-Shanghai price spread narrowed to RMB 150 per tonne. However, sellers across the region remained keen to offload their cargoes and some traders showed a little buying interest and made purchases as per the demand. A00 aluminium ingot price showed no significant move against the thin trading on August 7 except being plunged by RMB 10 per tonne from the previous day to stand at RMB 14290 per tonne. On August 8, the price remained the...
India’s retaliatory tariffs on 29 American products have been postponed to 18 th of September, which was originally scheduled on August 4, 2018. This decision came out in the ongoing discussion between the two countries to resolve trade disputes. “The said notification, with effect from the 4th day of August-...shall come into effect from the 18th day of September, 2018,” the government said in a notification. Last week, the department of commerce recommended to the department of revenue to amend the notification for further extension of the countermeasures by next 45 days. The countermeasures are levied on 29 American products worth of US$235 million, including apples, almonds, walnuts, iron and steel products, flat rolled products of stainless steel. Deferring this retaliatory move is...
The US dollar index strengthened further and closed at 95.35 overnight as investors bet that trade wars and a robust US economy would continue to drive the currency higher. Base metals closed mixed overnight. LME aluminium rose over 1% after closing the day’s trading at US$ 2000.50 per tonne, further down from last closing. Strong performance of SHFE also bolstered LME aluminium, which rebounded and closed at US$2,053 per tonne on Monday night. Shanghai Metals Market expects the LME aluminium to trade at US$2,040-2,060 per tonne today. As on August 7, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2000 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2000.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2027 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2028 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands...
UC Rusal, one of the leading aluminium producers in the world, has unveiled its results for the second quarter and the first half of calendar year 2018 ended on June 30, 2018. According to the results revealed, Rusal’s aluminium production in Q2 2018 stood at 939 million tonnes while that in 2017 was at 921 million tonnes. The primary aluminium production in H1 2018 also increased 39,000 tonnes to stand at 1870 million tonnes, against 1831 in H1 2017. Production cost per tonne in Q2 2018 rose to US$ 1672 per tonne from US$ 1497 per tonne in Q2 2017 and that in H1 2018 grew to US$1679 per tonne from US$ 1456 per tonne in H1 2017. Despite the rise in production, Rusal’s sales of primary aluminium and alloys recorded lower in Q2 and H1 of 2018 at 783 million tonnes and 1748 million tonnes...
Vedanta Resources releases Production and Financial Results for the First Quarter ended 30 June 2018. The company reports record quarterly aluminium production at 482,000 tonnes, up 37% YoY and commencement of Odisha bauxite delivery to its refinery. The Lanjigarh refinery produced 325,000 tonnes of alumina in Q1 FY 2019, 7% higher YoY, however 7% lower QoQ due to a temporary break down in the bauxite handling unit. The increase in aluminium production in Q1 FY2019 was primarily driven by ramp up at the Jharsuguda-II smelter. Other than Line 4, which is still under evaluation, all other lines are expected to be fully ramped up by H1 FY2019. Stabilised aluminium production (i.e. production excluding trial run) was 469,000 tonnes in Q1 FY2019 with an exit monthly run rate of 1.9 tonne per...
The US dollar index traded rangebound at highs and closed at 95.2 on Friday. China's offshore yuan rebounded after the country’s central bank on Friday imposed a reserve requirement of 20% on trading of foreign exchange forward contracts. Driven by these developments LME base metals closed mixed on Friday, aluminium dipped 0.49%. LME aluminium traded rangebound on Friday, touching a low of US$2,024.5 per tonne and hitting a high of US$2,049 per tonne. Shanghai Metals Market expects it to trade under pressure today within the range of US$2,030-2,050 per tonne given the US-China trade spats. As on August 3, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2014 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2016 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2040 per tonne, 3-months offer...
China’s inventory of primary aluminium had been consistently registering a drop due to limited supplies from smelters. Today, August 6, showed no exception either. The inventory, including SHFE warrants, dropped 5000 tonnes from Thursday, August 2, to stand at 1.776 million tonnes as of August 6, 2018, Shanghai Metals Market found. Fewer arrivals from smelters in Xinjiang accounted for the drop. However, the inventory recorded a slower decline as of today compared with Thursday, August 2, when the inventory witnessed a drop by 14,000 tonnes from July 26 to stand at 1.78 million tonnes. Some of the major Chinese cities recorded a drop in inventory from the previous day. In Wuxi and Jiangsu, the inventory dwindled from 760,000 tonnes to 752,000 tonnes, while in Shanghai and Gongyi and...
India is found compassionate towards the United States agreeing to defer its heavy duties on US$ 235 million worth of 29 American goods by 45 days from August 4, upon a request by the US, sources said. This countermeasure by India was a retaliatory act against the Trump administration’s decision to impose additional 25 per cent and 10 per cent tariffs on India’s aluminium and steel supplies to the US. However, deferring this retaliatory move is expected to substantially de-escalate a tariff war between India and the US. It indicates New Delhi would further engage Washington to find a more meaningful outcome to the ongoing bilateral trade negotiations. India is hopeful that this move would finally bring them a relief from those extra metal tariffs levied by the Trump administration. The...
The dollar index rose past 95 on Thursday as trade tension between the US and China grew. China's offshore yuan extended its decline to 6.8798 yuan overnight. LME base metals closed mixed on Thursday. LME aluminium dipped on Thursday and closed at US$ 2023 per tonne. The contract is likely to trade at US$2,030-2,060 per tonne today. As on August 2, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2022 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2023 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2046 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2047per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2098 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at US$ 2103 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock dropped to 1192075 tonnes. Live Warrants totalled at 850500 tonnes, and Cancelled Warrants were 341575...
Primary aluminium inventory across eight major consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, shrank 14,000 tonnes further from last Thursday, July 26, to stand at 1.78 million tonnes as of Thursday, August 2, 2018, Shanghai Metals Market research found. Limited arrivals from smelters accounted for the drop, although slower from a week-on-week decline of 28,000 tonnes recorded on July 26. In the meanwhile, the inventories had gained during the week by 1,000 tonnes from Monday, July 30. Below chart shows the inventory status across all the Chinese markets in more details: On the face of declining inventory and tight supply in the market, A00 aluminium ingot price climbed today, August 3, to RMB 14280 per tonne after a drop in past two days in a row, SMM learned. The average prices...
Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest aluminium producer in the United Arab Emirates signed an agreement with Gulf Cement Company to supply 27,000 tonnes of spent pot lining, a by-product from aluminium smelting. The waste material will be supplied over next three years for use in cement manufacturing. EGA has been supplying spent pot lining to the cement industry through third parties since 2010. However, this is the first time such an agreement is signed between EGA and a cement company outside its circle. EGA is building facilities at its Al Taweelah site to process spent pot lining so that it can be delivered ready to be used by cement companies as an alternative fuel and raw material. Abdulla Kalban, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of EGA, said: “This direct agreement...
Century Aluminum Company reported net income of $19.4 million for the second quarter of 2018. Results were negatively impacted by $8.5 million related to the equipment failure at Sebree and $3.0 million in expenses related to the Hawesville restart project. This result compares to a net loss of $0.3 million for the first quarter of 2018, which included a $3.2 million benefit from lower of cost or net realizable value ("NRV") inventory adjustments. Adjusted net income for the second quarter of 2018 was $30.9 million compared to an adjusted net loss of $3.5 million for the first quarter of 2018. For the second quarter of 2018, adjusted EBITDA was $54.5 million, up $32.7 million from the first quarter of 2018. The increase was primarily attributable to higher LME and regional premiums and...
The US dollar index inched up to 94.7 overnight after the Federal Reserve concluded a two-day meeting on monetary policy and kept interest rates unchanged. Both LME and SHFE base metals fell across the board overnight. LME aluminium closed the day’s trading at US$2036per tonne. Later on it gained at night trading and fell to a low of $2,047.5/mt overnight. Shanghai Metals Market expects it to trade at US$2,045-2,060 per tonne today. As on August 1, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2035 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2036 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2057 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2057.50 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2105 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at US$ 2110 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening...
After seven consecutive months of decline, Weiqiao Group has raised its purchasing prices for pre-baked anode by RMB 180 per tonne for August. The price is now standing at RMB 3280 per tonne in cash and RMB 3135 per tonne on acceptance, according to the latest update by Shanghai Metals Market. SMM believes that this upward adjustment indicates the beginning of a new round of restocking for the winter. Also, this negotiation further occurred as many producers were not accepting an earlier downward adjustment of RMB 150 per tonne because of the losses in the market for pre-baked anode. According to another update by SMM, East Hope Group in China has commissioned part of its primary aluminium project in Guyang county, Baotou city in Inner Mongolia on August 1. The project includes capacity...
Rio Tinto has announced yet another strong set of results in H1 2018 with an underlying EBITDA of US$9.2 billion and operating cash flow of US$5.2 billion for the entire group of companies, followed by declaring its superior returns of US$7.2 billion to shareholders comprising of US$3.2 billion from operations and US$4 billion from asset disposals. The Aluminium group’s underlying EBITDA in H1 2018 stood at US$1, 831 million, up 10 per cent from H1 2017, primarily driven by stronger pricing. Net cash flow from operating activities increased as well by 1 per cent to stand at US$ 1.1 million, while capital expenditure grew by 76 per cent to stand at US$ 8,06,000, as construction at Amrun accelerated in H1 2018. However, the company’s total aluminium production plunged a little in H1 2018 at...
According to the global export-import data, aluminium export by the Russian Federation is expected to grow in CY2018 totalling 4.6 million tonnes, 15 per cent up from 4 million tonnes in CY2017; while in 2016, the aluminium export recorded at 3.8 million tonnes. This shows the Russia Federation is expected to see year-on-year growth as far as the aluminium export is concerned. Besides global export, Russia’s aluminium export to the United States is also estimated to grow, compared to the last calendar year. The estimation in CY2018 stands at 877669 tonnes, higher from the actual export volume of 697804 tonnes in 2017 and 704961 tonnes in 2016. Along with the increase in export volume, Russia’s export revenue is also expected to grow to US$ 21147 million in CY 2018, from US$ 7436 million...
The US dollar index inched up 0.17% overnight and stood at 94.5. LME closed the day’s trading at US$ 2061 per tonne, higher than the previous closing. The contract traded rangebound within a wide range on Tuesday night with a high of US$2,094 per tonne and a low of US$2,068 per tonne. While the contract has stood above the five-day moving average, it is likely to continue to hover within a wide range as the US dollar index rose. It is expected to trade at US$2,070-2,100 per tonne today. As on July 31, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2060.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2061 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2075.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2076 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2125 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price...
