Canada and China have extended a bilateral trade arrangement that links Chinese market access for Canadian agricultural products with Canada's access for Chinese steel and aluminum. The decision provides greater certainty for exporters on both sides as Ottawa seeks to expand its trade relationships beyond the United States. The extension, announced on November 4, 2026, will keep the existing arrangement in place until the end of 2028. It comes amid renewed efforts by the two countries to strengthen economic ties and address outstanding trade issues. For the aluminum industry, the agreement offers a clearer timeline for market access, while its agricultural provisions provide Canadian producers with greater predictability in one of their key export markets. Canada-China trade agreement...
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...
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Century Aluminum Company today announced fourth quarter and full year 2017 results. Q4 2017 Highlights Century Aluminum Company reported net income of $35.8 million for Q42017 in comparison to the net income of $20.8 million for the third quarter of 2017. Results were favourably driven by a $7.3 million non-cash gain. Adjusted net income for Q42017was $24.8 million compared to adjusted net income of $14.4 million for the third quarter of 2017. Century reported adjusted EBITDA of $60.2 million in Q42017, up $12.3 million from the third quarter of 2017, primarily driven by higher LME prices, partially offset by higher raw material costs. Sales for Q42017 were $433.8 million compared with $400.6 million for the third quarter of 2017. Primary aluminium shipments stood at 189,000 tonnes...
Leading global aluminium producer UC RUSAL announced all-round growth in terms of performance (production and sales) as well as income for the 12-month period ended December 31, 2017. The Russian aluminium giant with fully-integrated aluminium value chain operations posted 24.9 per cent increase in revenue, 42.4 per cent increase in adjusted EBITDA margin, and 268.8 per cent increase in adjusted net profit from the last financial year, on the back of strong LME aluminium prices and steady demand. Source: South China Morning Post Rusal’s total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2017, stood at US$9,969 million (against US$7,983 million in 2016), adjusted EBITDA was US$2,120 million (compared to US$1,489 million in 2016), and adjusted net profit margin climbed to 10.8 per cent (from 3.7...
As reported by Shanghai Metals Market A00 ingot price has gained substantially today with the pickup of trading after the Chinese New Year Holidays. Average Aluminum Ingot prices have gained to stand at RMB 13,940 per tonne. The prices are expected to move within a range of RMB 13,920-13,960. Spot discount will range within RMB 280-240 per tonne today. China’s aluminium production in January rose to 2.88 million tonnes, from 2.71 million tonnes in December. Unreported output was estimated at 310,000 tonnes in January, in line with the level seen in December, IAI data showed. This shows how aluminium producers were slowly returning to action after the environmental crackdown drives were saturated. Average primary ingot prices saw the biggest gain in the North China market at RMB 270 per...
Benchmark aluminium price on London Metal Exchange inched slightly higher on Thursday, February 22, as US dollar index weakened lifting prices across the board. The light metal contract closed at US$2,194 per tonne, up from US$2,190 per tonne on Wednesday, February 21. Shanghai Metals Market analyses that LME aluminium will trade at US$2,172-2,200 per tonne range on Friday, February 23, after testing resistance at the five-day and 20-day moving averages. The support is identified at the 10-day and 60-day moving averages. As on February 22, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$2,193.50 per tonne, LME aluminium cash (offer) price stands at US$2,194 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$2,180 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$2,182 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at...
Trading starts in China at a sluggish pace after the Chinese New Year and there is no such significant movement in the prices of commodities and the raw materials other than the substantial drop in A00 aluminium ingot prices. According to Shanghai Metals Market, China’s social inventory of refined aluminium including SHFE warrants amounted to 1.96 million tonnes as of Thursday February 22. This is up from 1.82 million tonnes recorded on Wednesday February 14, before the Chinese New Year holiday. The current inventory status in the major Chinese cities is as follows: Average Aluminum Ingot prices dropped RMB 310 per tonne today to stand at RMB 13,700 per tonne. The prices are expected to move within a range of RMB 13,680-13,720. Spot discount will range within RMB 300-260 per tonne today....
The European aluminium industry continues to greatly improve its environmental performance by substantially reducing its carbon intensity across the entire aluminium value chain. This is the main outcome of its new Environmental Profile Report, released today by European Aluminium. Commenting on the findings, Gerd Götz, Director General of European Aluminium, said: “The report demonstrates that the industry is delivering on its aim to realise the industry’s greenhouse gas reduction potential towards 2050 as set out in the Sustainability Roadmap Towards 2025. Aluminium production in Europe now leads the world in most aspects of low-carbon production. For instance, the carbon intensity of European primary aluminium production is approximately three times lower than in China, which is the...
Benchmark aluminium price on London Metal Exchange was mostly lower during the Asian morning trading hours on Wednesday, February 21, as buyers backed away to wait and watch what China did with prices once it returned to trading on February 22. The light metal contract fell back at US$2,190 per tonne yesterday from US$2,239 per tonne on Tuesday, February 20. Edging up of the US dollar index on renewed Japanese concerns over the yen’s strength also kept the pressure on LME aluminium. As on February 21, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$2,189.50 per tonne, LME aluminium cash (offer) price stands at US$2,190 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$2,175 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$2,176 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$2,215 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price is...
Canada, the biggest exporter of steel and aluminium to the U.S. is optimistic about being exempted from Trump administration’s crackdown on steel and aluminium import. Though the U.S. Commerce Department didn’t mention any exemption for Canada in its report where possible tariffs and quotas were outlined, it acknowledged northern neighbour’s crucial relationship to the U.S. aluminium industry. Canada supplies about half of the U.S.’s almost 5 million-metric-ton aluminium deficit, and currently domestic smelters are not in a position to fill up that gap. For steel, however, there are exemptions for allies like Canada and Japan. “If any country should be granted an exemption, I put my bet on Canada,” said Aluminum Association of Canada President Jean Simard. Adam Austen, a spokesman for...
Benchmark aluminium price on London Metal Exchange dropped marginally on Tuesday, February 20, as trading remained mostly muted during Asian morning trading hours. The light metal contract closed at US$2,239 per tonne, down from US$2,266 per tonne on Monday, February 19. After the US Commerce Department’s recommendation on the imposition of tariffs and quotas on aluminium (and steel), LME base metal prices are expected to ease a bit. However, knee-jerk reaction amid uncertainty caused may again lift LME aluminium prices in the short term. As on February 20, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$2,238.50 per tonne, LME aluminium cash (offer) price stands at US$2,239 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$2,205 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$2,206 per tonne; Dec 19 bid...
AMA's Structural & Mechanical Division (AMA-SMD) has supplied potshell for Alba’s line-6 aluminium smelter project. The group has delivered the first potshell for expansion project on February 12. Image Source: Trade Arabia AMA Group was awarded the contract to manufacture 427 pot shells (each weighing 44 tonnes) for Alba’s Line 6 Expansion Project. The group had received the contract from International Bechtel Company (Bechtel), the engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) contractor for the project. In addition, AMA Group and Alucor (UAE) have delivered cathode ring busbars (each weighing 47 tonnes) on February 14. The AMA-Alucor joint venture company is manufacturing 24 cathode ring busbars for the project. Haresh Patel, the general manager of AMA-SMD said: “We are...
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C (Alba) announced the appointment of Dr. Abdulla Habib Ahmed as the Acting Chief Operations Officer (COO) with immediate effect, following the meeting of the Company’s Board of Directors on Thursday February 08, 2018. Dr. Abdulla joined Alba in 1995 as a Trainee Engineer. During the last 22 years, he has held various supervisory and management roles in Alba -- Superintendent Reduction Line (2002); R&D Manager (2009); Reduction Lines Manager (2011); Customers Technical Support Manager (2013); Director of Reduction Lines and Services (2015) and Director of Reduction Line 6 Start-up (2017). Commenting on Dr. Abdulla’s appointment, Alba’s Chief Executive Officer, Tim Murray, said: “At Alba, we believe that the key to our success is to develop and promote our people from...
Benchmark aluminium price on London Metal Exchange surged significantly after the U.S. Commerce Department recommended implementation of a quota on aluminium imports from specific countries- a 7.7 per cent tariff on aluminium shipped from all countries, or a 23.6 per cent tariff on imports from five specific countries and territories, including China and Hong Kong. The uncertainty created drove prices up to US$2,266 per tonne on Monday, February 19. Reuters identified support and resistance as the 38.2 per cent and 61.8 per cent retracements respectively, on the downtrend from US$2,290-US$2,112.50 per tonne. A break below US$2,181 per tonne mark may cause LME aluminium to fall back at US$2,155 per tonne, while a break above the resistance may cause further gain, but within a limited...
In response to the latest U.S. Commerce Department recommendations to raise tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminium imports, China’s Ministry of Commerce published a statement calling the reports “baseless” and “totally inconsistent with the facts.” Wang Hejun, chief of the trade remedy and investigation bureau at China’s Ministry of Commerce said the country has the right to retaliate if such tariffs are imposed. Mr Hejun urged the Trump Administration to show restraint and comply with “multilateral trade regulations” in his statement published Saturday. On Friday, Feb 16, U.S. Commerce Department recommended implementing a quota on each country’s steel imports, a tariff of at least 24% on steel imports from all countries, or a tariff of at least 53% on imports from 12 countries,...
Benchmark aluminium price on London Metal Exchange closed 2 per cent higher at US$2,189.50 per tonne on Friday, February 16, as spreads tightened and price competition grew among market participants. Aluminium spreads have widened to a US$10 premium for cash over benchmark aluminium as the major contract is nearing expiry. This likely to trigger deliveries, Reuters analysed. Based on current price trend it can be said that further rise in LME aluminium is likely though within a narrow range. As on February 16, LME official cash buyer aluminium price (Bid Price) stands at US$2,189 per tonne, cash seller & settlement aluminium price (Offer price) is US$2,189.50 per tonne, 3M Bid Price is US$2,180 per tonne, 3M Offer Price is US$2,180.59 per tonne, Dec19 Bid Price is US$2,233 per tonne, and...
Norsk Hydro reports positive Fourth quarter 2017 results driven by higher realized all-in metal and alumina prices that was slightly offset by higher raw material and fixed costs. Hydro's underlying EBIT increased from NOK 2,446 million in Q3 2017 to NOK 3,555 million in Q4 2017, mostly driven by higher realized alumina and aluminium prices. For the full year 2017 Hydro's underlying EBIT increased to NOK 11,215 million from NOK 6,425 million for 2016, again driven by higher all-in metal price and alumina sales price. "2017 marks the start of new chapter in Hydro's history. With the Sapa acquisition, Hydro is now the world's leading integrated aluminium company, with 35,000 employees in 40 countries serving 30,000 customers globally. I am pleased with the strong, full-year and quarterly...
The issue of powering Century Aluminum’s Mount Holly aluminium smelter still remains unresolved. At least, that is what one can make out from the ongoing talks between the owner and the state power provider Santee Cooper. The deal signed between the two entities on December 31st last year remains largely unworked till now. Source: Century Aluminum Power issues have been disrupting operations at Mount Holly aluminium smelter for long. Following a dispute over the current agreement, Century Aluminum downed half of the smelter’s capacity; it resulted in a job loss of around 300 plant workers. However, both Century and Santee Cooper hope that the dispute will end soon before the agreement expires on December 31st 2018. Under the current agreement, Century is obligated to buy one quarter of...
LME aluminium is finally showing some signs of recovery. The light metal contract closed at US$2,164 per tonne on Thursday, February 15, up from US$2,138 per tonne on Wednesday. However, the dramatic rise in LME aluminium stocks is likely to create a downward pressure on the price rise. The Exchange’s stock report on Tuesday, February 13, showed a cumulative built up of 265,475 tonnes of the metal, of which 166,225 tonnes only “arrived” in a single-day record arrival on Monday. Over the last five days, LME aluminium stocks have ballooned by almost a quarter of million tonnes. Industry expert and Reuters columnist Andy Home says, “They are, however, a timely reminder that there is still a lot of aluminium “out there” beyond the statistical reach of the world’s exchanges.” “We may not get...
Since the Chinese Exchange closes on the spring festival holidays from February 15, to February 21, 2018, there is no latest price update for China today. As on February 14, aluminium Ingot prices remain unchanged at RMB 14,010 per tonne. In the individual markets, average A00 ingot prices register a drop except the in South China market where it remains flat. The prices fluctuations in the individual markets can be seen in the following table: On the cost front, average spot alumina prices remain flat for some time. Bauxite and prebaked anode prices too registered no change yesterday but expected to go down in the short term due to lower electricity prices. Aluminum Alloy (A356) and Aluminum Alloy (A380) prices are on a slightly downward movement in last one month. Aluminum Alloys...
