In the first half (H1) of 2026, the US imported a total of 1.68 million metric tons of unwrought aluminum (HSN code: 7601), of which 16.96% was sourced from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). How has H1 2026 fared for the momentum of unwrought aluminum exports from the UAE to the US? Year-on-year cooling in trade can be noticed, largely owing to the temporary shutdown of the Emirates Global Aluminium’s (EGA’s) Al Taweelah smelter for repair and maintenance. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: “ Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook ” H1 aluminum trade snapshot: 2026 vs 2025 vs 2024 Comparing the H1 2026 figures of unwrought aluminum exported by the UAE to the US, a mixed result...
Norsk Hydro’s earnings outlook for 2027 is facing mounting pressure from falling aluminium premiums, rising operating costs and easing supply tightness in Europe, prompting Goldman Sachs to downgrade the Norwegian producer from ‘buy’ to ‘neutral’ and reduce its price target from NOK 100 (USD 10.71) to NOK 79 (USD 8.46). Goldman said weaker premiums and higher costs were making further earnings growth harder to achieve in 2027. The bank also lowered its core earnings (EBITDA) forecasts for 2026 and 2027 by 6 per cent each, citing lower aluminium prices and rising costs. The changing market conditions come as additional metal from the Middle East reaches the market and Indonesian aluminium supply expands faster than expected, easing European supply constraints sooner than Goldman had...
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China's unwrought aluminium trade landscape in 2025 shows imports on the rise, climbing to 2.1 million tonnes in the first half of the year, which is a 2.4 per cent increase compared to the same time last year. This growth is largely driven by robust demand from the construction and transportation sectors, along with increased bauxite inflows by 18.2 per cent year-on-year ensuring a steady supply of raw materials. However, exports face hurdles, totalling 272.9 thousand tonnes during the same period. While this marks a slight recovery from last year, exports are still grappling with changing global demand trends, likely India’s anti dumping duties, US tariff conflicts and so on, price fluctuations and various regulatory challenges. Year-to-date: China's imports of unwrought aluminium...
Federal interest rate cut often creates a paradox. On one hand, it is intended to shore up economy by making borrowing cheaper and encouraging businesses to take loans to invest in hiring and expanding production. On the other hand, this exercise potentially leads to inflation, dampens stock market growth, reduces investment appetite, and affects consumer behaviour. The recent Fed rate cut in September by a quarter-point, bringing down the rates to 4 to 4.25 per cent, is also triggering the same conundrum. While the latest rate cut is aimed at boosting economy and employment, it fuels the risk of inflation from the current 2.9 per cent as of the end of August. But the fact is the government is now prioritising jobs over price stability. "The labour market is really cooling off," said Fed...
The previous day trend is followed on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, where the London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices have further fallen. However, there is still no change witnessed in the LME price of alumina platts. Both the LME cash bid and offer price inched down by USD 21 per tonne or 0.8 per cent and finally settled at USD 2,645.5 per tonne and USD 2646 per tonne. Similarly, the 3-month bid and offer also calmed down by USD 24 per tonne or 0.9 per cent and stood at USD 2,639.5 per tonne and USD 2,640 per tonne respectively. The trend was further mirrored in the LME December 26 bid and offer price when it fell by USD 23 per tonne or 0.85 per cent. Bid settled down at USD 2,682 per tonne and offer at USD 2,687. To know more about the global primary aluminium industry 2025...
Aluminium prices dipped by 0.79 per cent, settling at USD 257.2, as the market continued to grapple with volatility stemming from inconsistent supply and demand. In August 2025, China's domestic aluminium production saw a year-on-year increase of 1.22 per cent and a month-on-month rise of 0.33 per cent. On the trade side, imports showed a robust growth, climbing 12.9 per cent year-on-year in August to reach 320,000 tonnes. Cumulatively, imports for the first eight months of 2025 hit 2.65 million tonnes, reflecting a 2.7 per cent increase compared to the same timeframe last year. Amid the rising output, there have been evidences for regional demand drops, such as in Japan, where aluminium stocks increased by 6.3 per cent M-o-M in August, resulting in lower offerings of shipment premiums...
India’s steel and aluminium exports to the EU plummeted 24.4 per cent in FY25, according to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). This drop occurs even before the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) duty comes into effect on 1 January 2026, suggesting early market consequences. Reporting rules on carbon emissions which were implemented from 1 October 2023 have already discouraged exporters from shipping to Europe. Steel was hit hardest: iron and steel exports declined 35.1 per cent to USD 3.05 billion, while aluminium exports fell 9.8 per cent. Image for representational purposes only Also read: EGA eyes a USD 10-15 billion IPO, taps regional and global banks amid Middle East listing boom Rising costs and carbon price gaps Ajay Srivastava, founder of GTRI, comments that...
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price further fell when it opened on Monday, September 22, 2025. LME cash bid and offer prices inched down by USD 22.5 per tonne or 0.83 per cent, and each is standing at USD 2,666.5 per tonne and USD 2,667 per tonne, respectively. Similarly, the 3-month bid and offer price moved down by USD 20 per tonne or 0.74 per cent and is currently valued at USD 2,663.5 per tonne and USD 2,664 per tonne, correspondingly. To know more about the global primary aluminium industry 2025 outlook, read “ Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2025 ” A similar trend has also been observed on the December 26 bid and offer price, where both fell by USD 15 per tonne or 0.55 per cent, which is presently settled at USD 2,705 per tonne and 2,710 per tonne. The Asian Reference...
Change is the one rhythm life never stops playing. It sweeps through seasons, reshapes routines, and just as seamlessly, redefines the faces steering organisations forward. In business, a leadership shift is never just a new title on a desk, but a turning point that can spark reinvention, resilience, and fresh vision. True leadership isn’t only about making choices; it’s about guiding people through uncertainty, creating stability in difficult times, and seeing opportunities where others might only see problems. In a world of rapid market swings, shifting cultures, and unexpected challenges, the leaders who stand out are those who welcome change, treating it not as a threat but as fuel for growth. This story explores the new voices stepping up, leaders who now carry the responsibility of...
Emirates Global Aluminium PJSC (EGA), the UAE’s industrial powerhouse, has picked leading banks to arrange a potential initial public offering (IPO) that could rank among the Middle East’s largest listings. The deal could value the company at between USD 10 billion and USD 15 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. Image: EGA EGA, co-owned by Mubadala Investment Company and the Investment Corporation of Dubai, is said to be working with Citigroup Inc., Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Emirates NBD Capital and First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC. Rothschild & Co. is acting as an adviser. However, representatives of the banks and shareholders have declined to comment. The venue of the listing remains a crucial decision, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi competing to attract marquee offerings as they...
Within the global aluminium industry, workplace safety is a top priority, mainly due to the combination of heavy machinery, high-temperature processes and complex chemical handling, which raises accident risks. But it's not just about the immediate impact on people; safety issues can also disrupt production, damage equipment and erode trust among stakeholders. It is essential to have strong safety measures in place, not just to meet regulations, but as a key part of sustainable growth. Here is a deep dive into the workplace accidents over the past five years, with real-time case studies and measures to overcome them. The analysis for the workplace accidents from 2019 to 2024 is done based on two accident severities: the first being the lost time accident rate per MHW, indicating the time...
The global aluminium industry is at a crossroad, caught between rapidly rising demand from the clean energy transition and the urgent need to decarbonise. As nations scale up solar farms, wind turbines, and electric vehicles, appetite for the lightweight metal is soaring — but producers are under pressure of decarbonising one of the most energy-intensive industries in the world. A study released in September 2025 by Eurasia Group and Alcoa paints a mixed picture. On one hand, aluminium use is set to rise by 40 per cent by 2030 and by 80 per cent by 2050 compared with 2020 levels, cementing its place in the clean energy economy. On the other, the industry is still far off the pace needed for net zero. Aluminium is responsible for about 3 per cent of global industrial emissions, and over...
On Friday, September 19, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price witnessed little movement. As per the data, both of the prices inched up by USD 3.5 per tonne or 0.12 per cent to halt at USD 2,689 per tonne and USD 2,689.5 per tonne. On the same day, both 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price also moved up by USD 0.5 per tonne or 0.01 per cent and USD 1 per tonne or 0.05 per cent to halt at USD 2,683.5 per tonne and USD 2,684 per tonne. Explore our B2B marketplace at - AL Biz On the other hand, both December 26 bid price and December 26 offer price also remained the same as at USD 2,720 per tonne and USD 2,725 per tonne. As per the data, Opening stock, Live warrants and Cancelled warrants also stayed the same at 513,900 tonnes, 404,675 tonnes and...
Mining firm PT Adaro Minerals Indonesia (ADMR) confirmed that its aluminium smelter project, which is being developed by its subsidiary PT Kalimantan Aluminium Industry (KAI), is expected to commence on a staged basis before the end of 2025. This is a positive development, as it raises the prospect of a potential dividend from the financial year 2025, financed from smelter operations profits. Image source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/ Also read: From Beijing to Washington: Is Mexico’s trade shift a strategic move or survival tactic? ADMR Director Mahardika Putranto noted in a disclosure to the Indonesia Stock Exchange on September 18, 2025, “The aluminium smelter under construction will enter its first pot operation stage by year-end.” The first phase is designed for 500,000 tonnes of...
South African policymakers are under pressure as Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs) spread globally. The EU’s version will take effect in January 2026, while the UK, US, Australia, and Japan are weighing similar measures. Image source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/ Also read: Downstream weekly: BIS Expands Section 232 tariffs, raising new hurdles for aluminium & steel At a Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) webinar, Mahendra Shunmoogam, director at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the DTIC), stressed that the government had formally opposed the EU’s CBAM, calling it a unilateral measure that undermines global trade rules and the sovereignty of developing countries. He added, “Our position is that we fundamentally oppose CBAM because it potentially violates...
The aluminium industry is entering a new phase. For decades, the global market has been defined by surplus. Inventories on the London Metal Exchange (LME) underpinned a thriving financing trade, and China’s vast production growth kept supply more than abundant. But that picture is changing fast. The market is now heading toward its tightest conditions in two decades. Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/ Also read: 5% aluminium price hike sparks questions for Vedanta, Nalco, Hindalco Global investment financial and banking services Citi has warned that the world is sleepwalking into the biggest deficits in 20 years. The bank expects aluminium prices to rise beyond USD 3,000 per tonne and stay elevated to prevent shortages. This marks a stark shift for a market historically shaped...
Non-ferrous metal prices are on the rise, fueled by a mix of global influences, where LME aluminium prices have seen a 5 per cent increase over the last month. Heightened geopolitical tensions, a weaker dollar index and dwindling inventories are all contributing to the strength seen in key commodities like aluminium, zinc and copper. Analysts point out that these factors are creating a positive atmosphere for the sector, helping to maintain a strong sense of investor confidence. Kotak Institutional Equities highlights that the market fundamentals are currently delicate due to a lack of cost support and some uncertainties around tariffs that could really put a damper on demand. The firm further pointed out that alumina prices are currently sitting close to a two-year low. With the new...
LME aluminium prices saw minor gains on September 18, while stocks recorded a notable surge. The LME aluminium cash bid inched up from the previous day by USD 2.5 per tonne or 0.09 per cent and as of Thursday, September 18, it is recorded at USD 2,692.5 per tonne, up from USD 2,690 per tonne. A similar trend is seen in the cash offer price, which also moved up by USD 2 per tonne or 0.07 per cent, to USD 2,693 per tonne from USD 2,691 per tonne. No change is seen in the 3-month bid price and is settled at USD 2,683 per tonne. However, a slight change has been seen in the 3-month offer price, which climbed by USD 1.5 per tonne or 0.06 per cent, up from USD 2,683.5 per tonne to USD 2,685 per tonne. Both the December 26 bid and offer price showed a positive upward trend by USD 3 per tonne or...
Mexico’s aluminium industry once leaned on China as a way to soften the blow of US trade barriers is now moving on the other side. When Washington imposed tariffs on Chinese goods in 2018, large volumes of aluminium were rerouted through Mexico, some of it processed locally before being shipped on to the US. The opening came a year earlier, in 2017, when the US removed tariffs on Mexican aluminium. With duty-free access under USMCA, Mexico became an attractive route for Chinese producers to slip past American trade restrictions. Imports surged, raising concerns that the sector was becoming too dependent on Asian supply. From the export data, we can see the change: in 2024, Mexico’s exports to China were about USD 9.08 billion, dominated by copper ores and concentrates (USD 5.17 billion),...
Following a growth the previous day, the London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices on Wednesday, September 17, went down the graph by USD 46 per tonne or 1.68 per cent and USD 45.5 per tonne or 1.66 per cent. Both the cash bid price and official settlement price closed at USD 2,690 per tonne and USD 2,691 per tonne from USD 2,736 per tonne and USD 2,736.5 per tonne. One of the reasons for the drop can be attributed to lacklustre trade in base metals. On the same day, both 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price also lost USD 34 per tonne or 1.25 per cent to clock at USD 2,683 per tonne and USD 2,683.5 per tonne. December 26 bid price and December 26 offer price climbed down the graph by USD 23 per tonne or 0.83 per cent to halt at USD 2,717 per tonne and USD 2,722 per tonne. Explore...
