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...
Grow with
AL Circle
Emirate Global Aluminium’s recent announcement of setting up a primary aluminium smelter in Oklahoma, close to the Tulsa Port of Inola, is going to be the first new primary aluminium plant built in the US in 45 years. The USD 4 billion investment by the Middle Eastern business will strengthen domestic aluminium production and support supply chain resilience. But, in the heartland of America, a silent battle is unfolding — wherein at stake is the future of US aluminium smelting, an industry once thriving but now teetering under the weight of soaring electricity costs and the insatiable energy demands of Big Tech’s data centres. Now, the Aluminum Association estimates that a new US smelter would need a minimum 20-year power contract at a price of not more than USD 40 per MWh to be viable at...
Image for representational purposes only The global commodities landscape is witnessing a significant shift as investment funds retreat from copper, citing heightened volatility and policy uncertainties, and increasingly turn their attention to aluminium. The US government's initiation of a Section 232 investigation into copper imports has introduced considerable turbulence into the copper market. This probe has led to pronounced price fluctuations and a notable decline in market participation. Specifically, fund positioning on the CME copper contract has decreased from 134,000 to 82,000 contracts, with both long and short positions being reduced. This instability has diminished copper's traditional role as a reliable economic indicator, prompting bearish funds to seek alternatives....
In April (30 days) 2025, the world's primary aluminium production decreased by 3.27 per cent M-o-M despite no decline recorded in daily average output. According to IAI, the world’s daily average aluminium production in April was 201,100 tonnes, remaining flat compared to 201,200 tonnes in March. However, on an annual basis, the output increased by 2.25 per cent, showed the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). Decoding the output trend of April According to IAI data, the world primary aluminium production in April was 6.033 million tonnes, compared to 6.237 million tonnes a month ago and 5.9 million tonnes a year earlier. Throughout the year so far, the world primary aluminium production recorded the second monthly fall, but it is important to analyse if this has been a trend over the...
Rio Tinto announced that Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm will step down later this year, following the completion of a planned succession process. Jakob joined Rio Tinto in 2018 as Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer, and was appointed Chief Executive in January 2021. Under his leadership, Rio Tinto has sharpened its strategic focus, positioning the company to seize the opportunities of the global energy transition. He has set a clear course for long-term, profitable growth, laying the foundation for Rio Tinto’s next chapter as a leader in responsible, future-facing materials. Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm said, “It has been an absolute privilege to lead Rio Tinto, one of the great mining and materials companies in the world. I would like to thank the deeply...
Hindalco Industries, the metals flagship of the Aditya Birla Group, has acquired 100 per cent equity in EMIL Mines and Mineral Resources Ltd. (EMMRL). The acquisition is a strategic step aimed at securing a long-term, reliable coal supply for Hindalco’s aluminium smelters, ensuring uninterrupted production in an increasingly competitive and energy-intensive industry. The acquisition of EMMRL takes on an added layer of strategic alignment, as the company is a subsidiary of Essel Mining and Industries, also under the Aditya Birla Group umbrella, making this a related-party transaction. Hindalco’s board gave the green light to the deal on May 20, with the transaction expected to close within six to nine months, pending regulatory approvals. EMMRL holds the mining lease for the Bandha coal...
ADNOC and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) have inked a landmark five-year supply deal worth $500 million (AED 1.84 billion), securing up to 1.5 million tonnes of calcined petroleum coke (petcoke), a crucial ingredient in aluminium production. Announced at the high-profile 'Make it in the Emirates' event in Abu Dhabi, the agreement highlights ADNOC's drive to power the UAE's industrial future and strengthen homegrown supply chains. This strategic partnership not only fuels EGA's aluminium operations but also reinforces the nation's vision of becoming a global hub for sustainable, value-added manufacturing. Under the new agreement, ADNOC Refining will meet at least 30 per cent of EGA's calcined petcoke needs directly from its Ruwais Refinery over the next five years. This move marks a...
Switzerland has reportedly banned the sale and import of Russia-origin aluminium in unwrought form, effective Thursday, May 15. The measure also extends to Belarusian aluminium, alongside new restrictions imposed on certain exports. This move by Switzerland is in line with the European Union's 16th sanctions package , introduced in February 2025, targeting imports of aluminium, military equipment, and all those vessels transporting Russian oil. The goal of the EU's sanctions was to undermine Russia's revenue streams and limit its ability to finance the war with Ukraine. Switzerland had implemented similar sanctions at the onset of the conflict three years ago. However, authorities observed Russian aluminium continued to enter the country indirectly, often routed through intermediaries...
In a week of proud announcements, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has unveiled two noteworthy investment decisions with an intent of sweeping diversification and localisation strategy, while simultaneously contending with mounting geopolitical pressure in its upstream supply chain. On May 16, EGA signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UAE’s Tawazun Council and US-based RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies) to extract and refine gallium, a strategic rare metal, at its Al Taweelah alumina refinery in Abu Dhabi. Once operational, this initiative would elevate the UAE to the second-largest global producer of gallium, following China, reinforcing its ambitions to become a central node in the critical minerals supply chain for semiconductors, defence systems, and next-gen...
According to customs data, China's unwrought aluminium and aluminium products imports in April saw a 3.8 per cent decline year-on-year, but it increased 8.82 per cent month-on-month. In April 2025, China’s unwrought aluminium and aluminium product imports stood at 370,000 tonnes, representing a 3.8 per cent year-on-year fall from 380,00 tonnes . In the first four months of 2025, China's imports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products totalled 1.32 million tonnes. This number shows a fall of 11.4 per cent from the first four months of 2024, where the imports stood at 1.49 million in the same year. However, on a month-on-month comparison, China’s unwrought aluminium and product imports rose 8.82 per cent from 340,000 tonnes. That was a rebound after a monthly fall of 10.6 per cent in...
Vedanta Chairperson Anil Agarwal has reportedly called for imposing a 12 per cent safeguard duty on aluminium imports into India, similar to the one recently applied to steel. According to Agarwal, such a measure is essential to protect the domestic aluminium industry from a surge in cheap imports. Image source: Vedanta Aluminium In April, the Indian government introduced a safeguard duty on steel imports for 200 days, aimed at protecting local producers from an influx of low-quality steel. The move targets explicitly imports priced below the global benchmark. Agarwal is now urging the government to implement a similar safeguard on aluminium, arguing that India, a rapidly growing economy, is increasingly vulnerable to cheap imports. He pointed out that, with the United States no longer a...
In a compelling turn of events, Maan Aluminium Limited (NSE: MAANALU) has witnessed a notable 11 per cent surge in its stock price over the past week. This uptick comes on the heels of significant insider selling activities, prompting a closer examination of the company’s internal dynamics and market performance. Image source: https://x.com/raghavwadhwa/ Over the past year, Executive Director Ashish Jain executed a whopping sale of INR 12 million (USD 144 thousand) worth of shares at an average price of INR 141 (USD 1.69) per share. This transaction, representing a 36 per cent reduction in his holdings, was conducted at a premium compared to the current trading price of INR 95.15 (USD 1.14). While insider selling can sometimes signal caution, the timing and pricing of Jain’s sale suggest...
China’s aluminium titan, Aluminum Corporation of China Limited (Chalco), is back in the financial spotlight. This time, it’s not about capacity hikes or policy pivots, but a more subtle yet significant story of debt management and financial agility. Image source: www.caixinglobal.com At a glance, Chalco (HKG:2600) appears highly geared. Yet, the balance sheet tells a layered tale. With a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, Chalco walks a fine line between leveraged growth and fiscal caution. But for a company of its scale and state-owned legacy, is this ratio a red flag, a calculated manoeuvre, or simply the cost of staying competitive in China’s industrial ecosystem? As of December 2023, Chalco’s financial posture shows RMB 97.7 billion (USD 13.57 billion) in debt, paired with RMB 47 billion...
On May 15 2025, Governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt, announced that the South Central landlocked state in the United States has secured a USD 4 billion investment from Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) for a primary aluminium smelter, to be located at the Tulsa Port of Inola. This facility will be the first new primary aluminium plant built in the US in 45 years. The investment aims to bolster domestic aluminium production and support supply chain resilience. Image source: facebook The new plant will produce billets, sheet ingots, high-purity aluminium and foundry alloys. Once operational, it will be the largest facility of its kind in the US. The project is expected to nearly double the nation's domestic aluminium production capacity. Situated on over 350 acres at the Tulsa Port of Inola,...
The freshly inked US-UK trade pact may have triggered diplomatic handshakes, but European Union trade ministers aren’t impressed. In Brussels on Thursday, they made it clear: the limited nature of the agreement, particularly its retention of US tariffs on British exports, won’t be sufficient to prevent looming EU countermeasures. Announced last week by US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the bilateral trade deal trims tariffs on aluminium, steel and cars but keeps in place a 10 per cent levy on most UK exports. While it’s being touted as a step forward, European Union (EU) views it as a half-measure at best. Polish Deputy Economy Minister Michal Baronowski, representing the EU’s rotating presidency, acknowledged the truce with China and the UK deal as signs of a...
Incorporated in March 2011, Western Carriers (India) limited a multi-modal, rail-focused, 4PL asset-light logistics company has clinched a landmark Consolidated Finished Goods Material Handling contract from Bharat Aluminium Company Limited. The deal valued at around INR 70 crore (US$ 9.3 million) can be categorised as a major win in the domestic logistics space. This high-impact deal covers end-to-end services including material handling, loading and unloading, stacking, and transportation with shifting. Industry watchers are closely tracking this development as a significant growth catalyst for Western Carriers. Scheduled for execution over the next 36 months, the contract not only underscores Western Carriers’ operational prowess but also secures a steady, long-term revenue stream,...
Great news for all the players directly or indirectly involved with the United Kingdom's aluminium and steel industry. On May 8, 2025, both the United States and the United Kingdom announced a limited trade agreement, highlighting the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump in the beginning of 2025. This agreement is referred to as the "Economic Prosperity Deal" where the US has revoked the 25 per cent tariff imposed on importing aluminium and steel from the UK. Image source: UK steel The US has always recognised the security initiated by the UK in order to mitigate the global stress over the excess capacity and had proposed an alternative arrangement for the aluminium and steel. As a response the White House stated that they are ready to forge a deal that will create a new trading...
US tariffs are making their presence felt across the world, dampening aluminium demand as many producers are scaling back shipments in response to increased export duties imposed on them by the United States government. As a consequence, productions are becoming limited, notably reflected in the decline of primary aluminium output in North America, attributing to narrow profit margins as well. Tariffs, often a double-edged sword, are also pushing up end-user prices burdening consumers, weakening demand further. This is an AI-generated image, only for representational purpose In addition, aluminium production is constrained in China as it has already neared 45 million tonnes of cap, a limit imposed in 2017 to curb overcapacity. China is the world’s largest aluminium producer, including...
The United States’ aluminium supply chain, a backbone for its automotive, construction, and packaging sectors, has been jolted once again by Washington’s swing back to protectionist trade policy. On March 12, 2025, the Trump administration reinstated a 25 per cent blanket tariff on all aluminium imports. Gone are the country-specific exemptions that had cushioned critical trading relationships. The move, though positioned as a nationalist push to strengthen domestic production and protect strategic industries (in the name of national security), is already sending ripple effects across global suppliers and US aluminium traders. For many of the top US importers who have built long-term supply relationships and optimised costs around global sourcing, this isn’t just a policy hiccup, but a...
