The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price chart continued to rally, reporting gains over the October 26 close in the October 27 trading session across the pricing and contract segments. Asian Reference Price gained 1.5 per cent, while aluminium inventories continued to falter. The LME aluminium cash bid price gained 1.02 per cent on October 27, rising to USD 3,077.5 per tonne from USD 3,046.5 per tonne. The offer price surged to USD 3,078 per tonne from USD 3,047.5 per tonne , up 1 per cent day-on-day. Explore- Most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook The LME aluminium three-month bid as well as offer prices reported a 1.22 per cent rise. The bid surged to USD 3,062...
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price chart recovered in the October 26 trading session across the pricing and near-term contract segments compared to the October 23 close. Longer-dated contracts, inventories, and the alumina price, however, edged lower. The LME aluminium cash bid price gained 0.13 per cent on October 26, advancing from USD 3,042.5 per tonne to USD 3,046.5 per tonne. The offer price surged from USD 3,043 per tonne to USD 3,047.5 per tonne , up 0.15 per cent day-on-day. Explore- Most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook The LME aluminium three-month bid price reported a 0.27 per cent rise from USD 3,017 per tonne on October 23 to USD 3,025 per tonne...
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Rio Tinto Group has entered into talks with Australian authorities over a potential multibillion-dollar bailout for its Tomago aluminium smelter, with discussions focusing on the electricity supply contract for 2026 to 2029 and the design of production tax credits to shield the operation from spiralling power costs. According to people familiar with the deliberations, any rescue package is likely to be “more sophisticated” than a simple cash hand-out and is being negotiated chiefly with the New South Wales state government. Image for referential purposes only Tomago, in which Rio Tinto holds the majority stake, consumes roughly 12 per cent of New South Wales’s total power generation, making it the state’s single largest electricity user. Such voracious demand underlines both the plant’s...
Saudi Arabian mining company Ma'aden is close to achieving total control of its integrated aluminium business after getting critical regulatory consent to buy Alcoa's 25.1 per cent stakes in two significant joint ventures. The Capital Market Authority (CMA) approved the offer by Ma'aden to buy Alcoa's shareholding in both Ma'aden Aluminium Company (MAC) and Ma'aden Bauxite and Alumina Company (MBAC) on June 2. This move is a stepping stone towards Ma'aden’s long-term plan for full ownership and full operating and managing control of both the bauxite and alumina business and the downstream aluminium smelter. The transaction, as previously reported, is valued at USD1.1 billion and represents Ma'aden strategic intent for its aluminium operation and pursuit of increasing domestic industrial...
The implementation of the United States’ tariff hike to 50 per cent on June 4 instantly prompted a 4.85 per cent surge in the US Midwest duty-paid premium on the physical market on June 5, clocked at USD 973, compared to USD 928 the previous day. Image source: lme.com Trump doubled the aluminium and steel tariff from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, creating severe tensions among key players in the industry worldwide, especially those heavily reliant on imports and exports. Ever since Donald Trump proposed tariffs on aluminium and steel with his second term of his presidency, the US Midwest duty-paid premium witnessed a gain of 190 per cent. It is already known that the US heavily relies on imports when aluminium is in question. To date, the exports have been paying the premiums per the...
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), a 'Navratna' company under the Schedule 'A' category of CPSEs, announced on Thursday, June 5, that its INR 30,000-crore capital expenditure plan for smelter expansion with captive power is still on track. This announcement was made to clarify the previous announcement that NALCO would delay the project by approximately a year. The company stated that the detailed project report (DPR) for the brownfield smelter expansion and related facilities, such as the captive power plant integrated with renewable energy, is being updated to reflect the latest business needs. NALCO stated that discussions with technology partners like Rio Tinto Aluminium (RTAL) are on track and not delayed. "The Nalco management refutes the report. It added that discussions...
Aluminium prices moved up in the futures market on June 5, 2025. Traders increased their position sizes based on favourable spot market news. On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), the July aluminium futures rose by 5 paise to INR 242.10 (USD 2.82) per kilogram. This represents positive momentum driven by demand and interest from speculators, suggesting confidence in aluminium's outlook for the short-term. In India, aluminium futures have been rising. Spot rates were around INR 239 per kg (USD 2.79) on June 5, 2025, while July futures are estimated at INR 242.10 (USD 2.82) per kg. Also read: US aluminium premiums spike to a record $900/t, fueling hope for Novelis’ bottom line boost. But how? Market dynamics driving aluminium futures The increase in aluminium futures is largely due to new...
Negotiations between India and Oman for the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA), officially referred to as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), are progressing well, with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal indicating that positive developments are expected shortly. Image credit: facebook.com “I think you will see some good news very soon on the Oman FTA,” Goyal told reporters when asked whether the deal could be finalised this year. The talks for the CEPA began formally in November 2023 and gained significant momentum following Goyal’s visit to Muscat in January 2025. The minister is currently in France for official engagements, which include discussions with French leaders and businesses to bolster trade and investment ties, as well as participation in a...
The United States officially raised its tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum products and doubled the import duty from 25 per cent to a hefty 50 per cent, effective June 4. The development, announced by President Donald Trump, was designed to further protect the home market metals industry, but sent waves of worry around the world. The higher tariffs are an expansion of the steps introduced in mid-March, with President Trump emphasising the need for the policy to support American steel production. The decision, and Trump's override of a court ruling to make it so , has, however, been receiving scathing criticism and international pushback. Australia to be particularly hit, even as an ally of the US For Australia, which is also a major player in the world aluminium industry, the...
Rio Tinto-owned the New Zealand aluminium smelter at Tiwai Point is eyeing production expansion with hydro lake storage levels on the rise. As per the report, the output is likely to ramp up to 335,000 tonnes per year from June 16, 2025. Image source: southlandtribune.substack.com Tiwai Point smelter has gained confidence for expanding its annual production, following assurance from NZX-listed Meridian Energy that New Zealand’s hydro storage levels are now better positioned to support a reliable electricity supply than just a week ago. In light of this development, NZAS and Meridian have reached a mutual agreement to move forward with the expansion plans. As a result, the smelter is now set to reach full production capacity by August 2025, three months ahead of the previously scheduled...
The Trump administration has put a temporary lid on an economic powder keg by delaying the proposed 50 per cent tariffs on European Union exports until July 9, 2025. However, the world will have faced the same tariff rate card, specifically for aluminium and steel, starting June 04. Image for referential purposes only This last-minute pause by the US president, after what is being called a good conversation with EU president Ursula Von Der Leyen, deemed more than just diplomatic prudence. It transmitted the aura of a calculated US strategy to press Brussels into a more favourable trade arrangement without triggering immediate retaliation from a bloc already navigating economic headwinds and geopolitical constraints. Trump’s policy by provocation Earlier in May, former President Donald...
As soon as the news broke about the US President Donald Trump’s decision to double aluminium and steel tariffs from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, effective from June 4, 2025, major producers and exporters of aluminium and steel worldwide began assessing the implications of the double-whammy, steep tariffs. India, being a country among the top 10 aluminium exporters to the United States , has assessed that its metal exports worth USD 4.56 billion would face headwinds. A report by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) warned that Indian exports would become more expensive in the US market, potentially reducing their competitiveness and affecting overall trade volumes. GTRI said "For India, the consequences are direct. In FY2025, India exported USD 4.56 billion worth of iron, steel, and...
The global aluminium and steel industries are in for another jolt as US tariffs take a sharp new turn. Just a day after a Federal Court ordered a halt to the implementation of tariffs, sending through global optimism, President Donald Trump reversed course dramatically. Not only did he secure a suspension of the court's ruling , but he also announced a doubling of tariffs on aluminium and steel imports, from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, effective Wednesday, June 4, 2025. What seemed like a moment of relief quickly turned into renewed uncertainty as celebrations over the court's block were cut short by the President's swift and unexpected escalation. Trump’s decision to doube tariffs - whimsical or strategic? While addressing a rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, President Trump reiterated...
For the second consecutive quarter, the premium offered by Japan’s primary aluminium buyers has further depleted, said two sources directly involved in quarterly pricing talks. Mirroring a similar20 per cent decline as seen in the previous quarter, the proposed premium for Q3 2025 has reached USD 145 per tonne versus USD 182 per tonne. This continued downturn marks not only the second straight quarterly decline within the year but also the second such drop in the past five years. After a strong start to the year, when the premium surged to USD 228 per tonne for the March quarter, representing a 30 per cent quarter-on-quarter increase, Japan’s aluminium premium has steadily weakened with each subsequent quarter. When compared to the Q1 2025 premium, Japan’s outbound trade premium for Q3...
Yet another dramatic twist has unfolded in the US tariff corridor! Within just 24 hours, the same US Federal Court delivered two starkly opposite rulings. In one moment, the court struck down Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, deeming them unjustified and labelling them as mere safeguard measures not rooted in genuine national security concerns. The other moment, it repealed the verdict, effectively reinstating the tariffs. After even commenting that the tariffs “exceed any authority granted to the president”, this unprecedented move by the US Federal Court arrives as a big surprise for the entire global trade communities. What exactly did the court say? The US Court of International Trade delivered the judgement this week that Donald Trump wrongly used the presidential authority under the...
Aluminium prices slipped by 0.48 per cent, settling at ₹236.45 (USD 2.85), as seasonal domestic weakness and ongoing global trade uncertainties continued to dampen market sentiment. Despite the bearish trend, downside pressure is limited with a rise in alumina prices, driven by supply constraints and refinery maintenance in key Chinese regions, such as Shanxi and Guizhou. Image source: istockphoto Environmental restrictions and limited bauxite supply have tightened the alumina spot market, driving up production costs. According to the WBMS, global primary aluminium output in March reached 6.1609 million tonnes, with consumption at 5.8836 million tonnes, resulting in a monthly surplus of 277,300 tonnes. Continuing the oversupply trend, the global aluminium market recorded a Q1 2025 surplus...
Aluminium prices in India nudged up 0.8 per cent to INR 238.9 per kilogram, buoyed by a chain reaction unfolding in China’s refinery landscape. But this isn’t just another pricing blip, and it’s a mirror to something deeper: the calculated routine of alumina supply, energy bottlenecks, and macro market muscle. As Chinese refineries go under the wrench and global production gears shift, the aluminium market is entering a new price reality, one which is calibrated not just by output but by strategic pause. Image for representational purposes only Maintenance or market masterstroke? From late March through April 2025, nearly 11.5 million tonnes of Chinese alumina capacity went offline for maintenance, according to Shanghai Metals Market (SMM). Far from a routine fix-up, this mass downtime...
The government has reinstated benefits worth ₹18,233 crore ($218.8 million) under the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme for exports carried out by Advance Authorisation holders, Export-Oriented Units (EOUs) and units located in Special Economic Zones (SEZs). This decision marks a significant boost for the aluminium and mining sectors. The move follows formal appeals by key industry bodies, including the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI), and the Aluminium Association of India, urging the government to restore the benefits under the scheme. The RoDTEP scheme is aimed at reimbursing exporters for embedded taxes, duties, and levies that are not covered under any other refund...
RX, the global powerhouse behind world-class events and the renowned ALUMINIUM exhibition in Düsseldorf, has unveiled an exciting new chapter for the aluminium industry, ALUMINIUM Arabia. Set to make its grand debut at The Arena Riyadh from 27 to 29 April 2026, this landmark event will spotlight the rapid rise of Saudi Arabia's aluminium sector. Recent research reveals that Saudi Arabia's aluminium market is on track to surpass US$3.6 billion by 2034, driven by a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.4 per cent starting in 2025. Forward-looking government policies power this impressive growth focused on localisation, industrial innovation, and major infrastructure development, all of which are propelling the kingdom to the forefront of the global metals and manufacturing arena....
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), the Navratna CPSE, under the Ministry of Mines, Government of India, has announced the financial results for FY2025, breaking all the previous records, including revenue and net profit. As per the audited results approved by the Board of Directors, NALCO has achieved a historic milestone, setting a new benchmark in net profit, amounting to INR 5,325 crore, up by 158 per cent Y-o-Y. The company’s revenue totalled INR 16,788 crore at the end of the financial year, recording the highest-ever figure. NALCO’s whopping net profit gain at the end of FY2025 followed a Y-o-Y surge of 105 per cent in Q4 from INR 1,016 crore to INR 2,078 crore. The revenue from operations also jumped 47 per cent from INR 3,579 crore in Q4 FY2024 to INR 5,268 crore in Q4...
