US industrial policy needs to be systematic, not just ad hoc – Part 1
Our current approach can win economic skirmishes, but not the geopolitical conflict. – Part 1 After decades during which the very concept was taboo and the reality swept under the rug, the US has now rediscovered industrial policy. But this rediscovery remains incomplete, as too much of it is...
Vedanta's ₹210b metals push targets India's EV and critical minerals demand
Vedanta is expanding aluminium, copper and other metals capacity as electric mobility and India's demand for critical minerals reshape the domestic materials market. Vedanta Group is putting INR 210 billion (USD 2.21 billion) into metals production and capacity through FY2026, building a broader...
Grow with
AL Circle
Over 3b aluminium cans and PET bottles returned as Sweden nears 90% recycling target
The Swedish deposit return system (DRS) operator Returpack/Pantamera reported that in 2025, over 3 billion PET bottles and aluminium cans were returned via Sweden’s DRS. Compared to the record of 2024, the 2025 count marks an increase of 130 million. The operator adds that returning the aluminium...
Razer launches the Blade-16 gaming laptop with an aluminium unibody
Entering their lineup of gaming prowess is the new Blade 16 with several brand-new features. Razer has launched a new addition, the Blade 16, whose chief features are a 16-inch ultra-thin, QHD+ 240Hz OLED display, which also supports VESA HDR TrueBlack 1000 certification. This laptop is available...
NALCO’s brownfield project hearing faces local opposition; company assures review of land acquisition policy
On Thursday, March 26, residents at Angul, Odisha, reportedly voiced their grievances at the hearing of NALCO’s (National Aluminium Company Limited) brownfield expansion project over land acquisition. They clearly stated that they would not transfer their land under the company’s existing policy....
Ball Corp reports regional decline in recycled aluminium use in 2025
Ball Corporation reported a decline in the proportion of recycled aluminium used in its beverage packaging in several major markets in 2025, although improvements were observed in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia (EMEA), according to its annual report. At the global level, 74 per cent of the...
VALCO in correspondence with investment partners to boost aluminium value addition in Ghana
The Volta Aluminium Company Limited (VALCO) is currently reaching out to prospective investors, said Kofi Arko Nokoe, Board Member of VALCO and Member of Parliament for Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira Constituency . The plan is part of a larger strategy, supporting Ghana to decrease bauxite exports and...
Tianshan Aluminum slips 7.48%, yet fundamentals remain stable
Shares of Tianshan Aluminum Group Co. Ltd fell 7.48 per cent to an intraday low of RMB 16.01 (USD 2.21), compared to the Shanghai Composite’s 1.39 per cent drop. The stock has lost 13.32 per cent over the past week and is down 5.32 per cent on a monthly basis, reflecting near-term pressure....
Djibril René, European Aluminium: Reduced availability of primary aluminium from the Persian Gulf is likely to trigger increased reliance on scrap
In seeking forward-looking insights into the impact of the Middle East crisis on Europe, AL Circle reached out to European Aluminium, given that 14 per cent of the European Union’s primary aluminium supply comes from the conflict region. Djibril René, Director of Industry & Market Intelligence at...
Bauxite surge, freight strain and premium spikes signal aluminium market shift
The global aluminium value chain is going through some significant changes. With shifting trade patterns, increasing geopolitical tensions, innovations driven by sustainability and rising cost pressures, the market fundamentals are being redefined. The industry is facing a tricky mix of...
From tightening scrap flows to renewable power deals, aluminium’s transition moves beyond recycling into a broader structural shift
For a long time, recycled aluminium has been seen as the industry’s safety valve-helping both with decarbonisation and raw material security. That role remains intact, but the market is beginning to show some strain. The United States still dominates as a major exporter of aluminium scrap, backed...
GACC: China Jan-Feb aluminium scrap imports rise 1.8% Y-o-Y
China's imports of aluminium scrap during January-February this year totalled 320,049 tonnes, higher by 1.8 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to the latest data released by the country's General Administration of Customs. Specifically, the import volume in January jumped...
Aluminium processing rates rebound 1.1 per cent M-o-M, but lag behind previous years' peak-season levels
This week, the weekly operating rate of leading downstream aluminium processing enterprises in China rebounded 1.1 percentage points MoM to 64 per cent. Operating rates across segments showed differentiated recovery, and consumption gradually returned to the peak-season pace, but the overall level...
EU reviews alumina trade rules amid supply chain questions
The European Union (EU) has been discussing some changes around how its rules apply to aluminium and alumina trade, especially when it comes to how materials actually move across supply chains. At the moment, restrictions are in place for certain aluminium imports, but alumina, which is used to...
European aluminium premium reaches a record $472/t in March - is it a build-up from last year or the Hormuz crisis?
The European aluminium premium, the extra cost buyers pay above London Metal Exchange prices to obtain physical metal, has risen in early 2026, indicating higher costs and tighter supply in the region. It was at USD 335 per tonne on January 2, 2026 and stayed within USD 340 per tonne to USD 360.63...
Macro news was mixed, and aluminium prices were expected to mainly fluctuate and adjust
Futures: In the night session on March 26, the most-traded SHFE aluminium 2605 contract opened at RMB 23,970 per tonne, hit an intraday high of RMB 23,995 per tonne and a low of RMB 23,850 per tonne, and finally closed at RMB 23,870 per tonne, up 0.61 per cent. Open interest in the night session...
Saudi finance minister warns of supply shocks, including aluminium, beyond post-COVID levels
Saudi Finance Minister, Mohammed Al-Jadaan, has cautioned that recent global supply chain disruptions are now exceeding the impact seen after the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that ongoing geopolitical tensions could have wider economic consequences if they continue for an extended period of time. He...
Nanshan Aluminium sharpens governance with nomination committee framework
The producer of high-quality metallurgical-grade alumina, Nanshan Aluminium International Holdings Limited, announced its formally adopted terms of reference. The board-level committee responsible for overseeing the nomination of directors and senior management will be the Nomination Committee. In...
LME aluminium cash prices soar beyond $3,300/t while inventories slide downhill
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices soared on March 26 compared to the previous close. Both cash and futures contracts reported gains by wide margins, while exchange inventories continued to falter. To know more about the global primary aluminium industry 2026 outlook, book the report...
Rio Tinto and the Australian Government’s $2B investment protects Weipa jobs and supports Aluminium supply chain
A USD 2 billion funding deal has been announced to support the Boyne aluminium smelter in Queensland. The deal is expected to secure jobs in Weipa, where Rio Tinto’s bauxite operations supply raw materials to the smelter. The investment involves the Australian government, the Queensland government...
