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...
Grow with
AL Circle
The discussion considering the durability and lightweight of the most traded metals, that is, aluminium and steel, has been ongoing for years and is never-ending, but how is the current trade policy shaping the trade of these metals in 2025? With a 50 per cent steep tariff imposed by Trump, will these metals have broader trajectories to unfold trade dynamics in the coming years. To date, both aluminium and steel have their own unique trading dynamics, influenced by the volume and ways they are used, their pricing systems, and the global supply chains. Steel trade thrives on its strength and durability, making it a go-to choice for infrastructure projects, while aluminium is becoming increasingly popular due to its lightweight properties, especially in the automotive and aerospace...
Vedanta has recently announced that it has begun a land acquisition process for manufacturing an aluminium smelter in Dhenkanal, Odisha. This is part of its production expansion plan from 3 MTPA to 6 MTPA (million tonnes per annum). This particular announcement was made by Rajiv Kumar, the Chief Executive Officer of Vedanta’s aluminium business, at ALUMEX India 2025 in Delhi, a dedicated event for the aluminium extrusion sector. This project is estimated to generate more than two lakh jobs for the people in the region. It is a capital-intensive project that would require almost three to four years to complete. In addition, the company has also decided to expand its billet capacity and establish an aluminium park in Jharsuguda, creating a wide range of opportunities for MSMEs, boosting...
At the Fastmarkets International Aluminium 2025 conference in Barcelona, Spain, which took place from September 9 to 11, Alcoa’s President and CEO, William F. Oplinger, expressed that he feels “tremendously optimistic” about the company’s prospects in the coming years. Oplinger recognised the ongoing market uncertainty caused by tariffs, pointing out that these actions would not sway Alcoa’s investment choices. At the same time, he expressed his backing for the US government’s decision to implement tariffs as a way to bolster domestic manufacturing. He further highlighted the firm’s robust supply chain, underscoring how the team actively makes real-time decisions on global material shipments. He also maintained a positive outlook following discussions with US policymakers, who he noted...
Global mining and metals company Vedanta Resources is pressing ahead with its long-awaited corporate restructuring, with Chief Executive Officer Deshnee Naidoo confirming that the demerger of its Indian arm is targeted for completion within FY2025–26. Her optimism follows a breakthrough in the Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL) case, which was awaiting the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) approval to move forward with its separation from Vedanta Ltd. Naidoo said, “I’m very optimistic. I think for me the work right now is actually restructuring the organisation as if we are already a demerged company.” She stressed that her immediate priority is to manage the transition smoothly, with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) hearing scheduled for September 17. The TSPL...
Mercuria and Vitol are withdrawing large volumes of aluminium from London Metal Exchange (LME) warehouses in Malaysia, underscoring tightening supply dynamics and the country’s growing reliance on domestic stocks to sustain industrial demand. Mercuria, the Swiss giant, has already taken out nearly 100,000 tonnes from Malaysian storage, while Vitol is preparing withdrawals from Port Klang, according to sources. The timing has surprised market participants since spot aluminium prices are currently higher than forward prices — a structure that usually discourages drawing down inventories. Shrinking imports and stable exports Malaysia’s trade data underscores the rationale. Aluminium exports stood at 2.28 million tonnes in 2023, slipped slightly to 2.25 million tonnes in 2024, and reached...
As of Tuesday, September 16, the London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price inched up from the previous day, representing a steady upward movement and improved market conditions. The LME cash bid and offer price both showed a positive upward movement by USD 43 or 1.57 per cent, where the bid ramped up from USD 2,693 per tonne to USD 2,736 per tonne and the offer from USD 2,693.5 per tonne to USD 2,736.5 per tonne. The 3-month bid also moved up by USD 23 or 0.85 per cent, from USD 2,694 per tonne to USD 2,717 per tonne. A similar trend is seen in the 3-month offer price, climbing by USD 22.5 per tonne or 0.83 per cent, from USD 2,695 per tonne to USD 2,717.5 per tonne, Concurrently, both the December 26 bid and offer price gained in elevation by USD 12 per tonne or 0.44 per cent, where...
The American Primary Aluminium Association (APAA) has voiced concerns over Ottawa’s new USD 5 billion tariff relief fund. According to Canadian Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, this fund is nothing but a replica of the earlier subsidies that only provide hundreds of millions of dollars in support to the aluminium sector. The only difference is the previous funds issued USD 850 million in subsidies, while the recent one is providing USD 5 billion. “With the Canadian Government now giving hundreds of millions more to boost Canadian aluminium production, this is just more of the same from Canada,” said APAA President Mark Duffy. He added that “rather than allowing their producers to compete on a free market basis, Canada has chosen to double down and distort the global market further at the...
On Monday, September 15, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price moved downward by USD 13 per tonne or 0.48 per cent and USD 13.5 per tonne or 0.49 per cent to settle at USD 2,693 per tonne and USD 2,693.5 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price inched down by USD 1 per tonne or 0.03 per cent and USD 0.5 per tonne or 0.01 per cent to settle at USD 2,694 per tonne or USD 2,695 per tonne. On the other hand, both December 26 bid price and December 26 offer price moved up by USD 5 per tonne or 0.18 per cent to arrive at USD 2,728 per tonne and USD 2,733 per tonne. For specialised industry insights - AL Circle Reports LME aluminium 3-month Asian Reference Price also added USD 11 per tonne to peg at USD 2,700.5 per tonne. Live warrants,...
According to preliminary estimates from the Aluminum Association, aluminium demand in North America (the US and Canada) fell 4.4 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2025. Whether this decline is the direct fallout of Washington’s punitive duties is a question the Association intends to probe. Its president and CEO, Charles Johnson, has stressed that trade policies must bolster and not burden the domestic aluminium industry. The numbers also point to a deeper dilemma: does a slowdown in aluminium demand signal an equal cooling in both aluminium ingot and scrap? While unwrought aluminium imports are sliding, scrap inflows are climbing, and inventories are swelling. This raises tough questions about how the market is truly shifting. A deeper look at the data and its analysis may offer...
A drastic upward movement has been noticed in the London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price on Friday, September 12. Both the LME cash bid and offer price alongside the 3-month bid and offer increased, and the opening stock, live warrants and cancelled warrants remained unchanged from the previous day. The LME cash bid rose by USD 50.5 per tonne or 1.90 per cent, where the final price stood at USD 2,706 per tonne, up from USD 2,655.5 per tonne. A similar trend has been seen in the LME cash offer price, which went up by USD 51 per tonne or 1.92 per cent to USD 2,707 per tonne from USD 2,656 per tonne. Concurrently, both the 3-month bid and offer price gained by USD 45.5 per tonne or 1.71 per cent to USD 2,695 per tonne and USD 2,695.5 per tonne respectively. A shared drift has also been...
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the UAE’s largest industrial company outside oil and gas, has signed an agreement with the Department of Government Enablement to recruit more than 200 UAE nationals in the newly launched EGA Academy industrial training programmes. The signing took place at the academy’s Al Taweelah campus, witnessed by His Excellency Ibrahim Nasser, Undersecretary of the Department of Government Enablement, and Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of EGA. Under the agreement, Emiratis registered with the department and holding high school certificates will join EGA Academy’s industrial programmes over the next five years. This initiative is aligned with the UAE’s Operation 300 billion strategy to develop skilled workforce within the aluminium sector and boost...
This week the upstream sector of the aluminium industry, comprising alumina, bauxite and primary aluminium has seen limited but strong incidental happenings that can change the dynamics of the aluminium industry in the coming days. To begin with, following EGA’s footstep Arrow Minerals has also temporarily suspended operations at its Niagara bauxite project in Guinea amid an ongoing dispute over the validity of its mining permits. What will happen next is something to keep an eye for. On the other hand, Canyon Resources expects strong profitability from Minim-Martap owing to both low production costs and also because global demand for aluminium is rising especially due to the EV and aerospace sector. With this, Canyon is making the case that there will be sustained, possibly expanding...
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price has shown huge growth on Thursday, September 11. As per the data, both cash bid price and official settlement price surged by USD 32.5 per tonne or 1.23 per cent to settle at USD 2,655.5 per tonne and USD 2,656 per tonne. On the same day, 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price also gained USD 29.5 per tonne 1.12 per cent and USD 28 per tonne or 1.06 per cent to halt at USD 2,649.5 per tonne and USD 2,650 per tonne. Explore our B2B market at - AL Biz December 26 bid price and December 26 offer price moved up by USD 12 per tonne to clock at USD 2,677 per tonne and USD 2,682 per tonne. LME aluminium 3-month Asian Reference Price shot up by USD 48.5 per tonne or 1.84 per cent to peg at USD 2,673.5 per tonne. On the other hand, LME aluminium...
Vedanta is pressing ahead with plans to establish a new 3 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) aluminium smelter in Dhenkanal, Odisha, a senior company official confirmed. The projects, once completed, will effectively double the company's existing aluminium capacity. Rajiv Kumar, CEO of Vedanta's Aluminium business, said the company is currently in the process of securing land for the proposed "mega aluminium plant." Vedanta currently operates with an aluminium capacity of 3 MTPA, and the new project is set to raise its total capacity to 6 MTPA . Unlock in-depth aluminium insights from – AL Circle reports section "We are moving towards setting up a new mega aluminium plant at Dhenkanal, Odisha, with a capacity of three million tonnes. We want to go to six million tonnes, for which we are...
Almatis , a global leader in speciality alumina products, and Çimsa, one of the world’s top three producers of Calcium Aluminate Cement (CAC), have announced a strategic collaboration aimed at strengthening the global CAC market and enhancing support for the building chemicals market and refractory producers serving diverse industries, including the aluminium and steel. The partnership combines Almatis ’ and Çimsa’s expertise, market presence, and resources to expand the breadth of CAC products available for refractory applications. Both companies plan to present their CAC portfolios collaboratively, respectively benefit from each other’s supply chain and warehouse networks, explore capacity expansion opportunities, and cooperate in new product development. Joint commercial activities are...
A positive upward movement has been witnessed in the London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price on Wednesday, September 10. However, a slight negative downward movement has been seen in alumina platts price by USD 0.69 per tonne or 0.20 per cent. The LME cash bid price went up from USD 2,620 per tonne to USD 2,623 per tonne, reflecting a positive change of USD 3 per tonne or 0.11 per cent. A similar trend is seen on LME cash offer price when it inched up from USD 2,621 per tonne to USD 2,623.5 per tonne, showing an increase of USD 2.5 per tonne or 0.09 per cent. Uniformly, the 3-month bid price also moved up when it shifted from USD 2,616.5 per tonne to USD 2,620 per tonne, owing to a difference of USD 3.5 per tonne or 0.13 per cent. 3-month offer price replicated a similar bent when it...
Aluminium prices in Asia are holding firm near USD 2,615 a tonne, supported by a rush of withdrawals from London Metal Exchange (LME) warehouses that has tightened supply across the region. Almost 100,000 tonnes were requested for removal from Malaysian depots in just two days, traders said, cutting into inventories that had recently touched a 14-month high. Image for representational purpose The sudden drawdown has reduced immediately available stocks and left buyers competing for fewer tonnes of deliverable metal. Analysts view the move as a strategic push by trading houses to lock in physical supply at a time of persistent uncertainty. Market attention has zeroed in on Malaysia, now the focal point of the latest stock shifts. The country’s warehouses play a pivotal role in the Asian...
Following a drop on Monday, September 8, the London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price witnessed a slight growth the next day on Tuesday, September 9. As per the data, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price gained USD 7 per tonne or 0.26 per cent and USD 7.5 per tonne or 0.28 per cent to halt at USD 2,620 per tonne and USD 2,621 per tonne. Explore our B2B market at - AL Biz On the same day, 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price also added USD 6.5 per tonne or 0.24 per cent and USD 5 per tonne or 0.19 per cent to settle at USD 2,616.5 per tonne and USD 2,617 per tonne. December 26 bid price and December 26 offer price moved up the graph by USD 5 per tonne or 0.18 per cent to arrive at USD 2,662 per tonne and USD 2,667 per tonne. LME aluminium...
