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...
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AL Circle x Mario Conserva: EU aluminium scrap dilemma, export curbs and the push for industrial resilience
In this exclusive conversation with AL Circle, Mario Conserva highlights the growing strategic importance of aluminium scrap in Europe’s transition toward a low-emission and circular economy. He emphasises how rising scrap exports are weakening domestic industry competitiveness and calls for urgent...
India mandates BIS certification for aluminium products under QCO 2026
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has recently introduced the Aluminium and Aluminium Alloy Products (Quality Control) Order (QCO) , 2026. It is a noteworthy regulatory step, aimed at enhancing safety, quality and standardisation in the aluminium industry. Issued on March 11, 2026, under...
EGA reroutes aluminium trade through Oman amid Hormuz disruption
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) will reroute its aluminium exports and raw material imports through Oman’s Sohar port in the coming days, as the US-Israel conflict with Iran continues to disrupt traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters. The conflict has forced companies across the...
Heesen unveils 50m aluminium superyacht Sophia, delivery set for June 2026
Image credit - Heesen Dutch shipbuilder Heesen, owned by entrepreneur and investor Laurens Last, has launched its 50-metre, all-aluminium superyacht Sophia at its Oss facility, with delivery scheduled for June 2026. Weighing only 499GT (gross tonnes), the lightweight yacht has a top speed of 23...
Geopolitical tensions combined with delayed expectations for interest rate cuts, SHFE aluminium fluctuates at highs under short-term pressure
Futures: During the night session on March 17, the SHFE aluminium 2605 contract opened at RMB 25,060 per tonne, hit a high of RMB 25,110 per tonne and a low of RMB 24,745 per tonne, and finally closed at RMB 24,915 per tonne, down RMB 75 per tonne from the previous close, or 0.30per cent. Technical...
Japanese aluminium buyers agree to $350/t Q2 premium amidst Middle East tension
For deliveries scheduled during the April-June quarter, Japanese aluminium buyers agreed to the payment of a USD 350 per tonne premium, which buyers will pay in addition to the current base price on the London Metal Exchange. At the end of February, global aluminium producers had suggested a...
LME aluminium cash offer slips to $3,426/t while future contracts continue to rise
After a disruption in the LME closing prices for March 16 which resulted in producing the figures using LME’s standard waterfall procedures, March 17 saw the London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices continue to slip. The declining trend began on March 16 after the aluminium prices surpassed USD...
Vedanta Aluminium’s BALCO unit deploys women crane pilots, advancing women-led operations in core manufacturing
Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, has deployed its first cohort of women crane pilots at its Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) unit in Korba, Chhattisgarh, advancing a women first operating model within one of the country’s most technology-‑enabled‑ smelting...
On global recycling day, Vedanta announces recycling of nearly 15 million tonnes of waste in FY25
On Global Recycling Day, Vedanta Limited (NSE: VEDL), India’s leading metals, oil & gas, critical minerals, power, and technology conglomerate, announced that it has recycled or reused nearly 15 million tonnes of waste. Additionally, it has maintained 100 per cent utilisation of fly ash—a...
CPCB releases guidelines for safe handling and storage of solar panel waste as volumes rise in India
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) released new guidelines in March 2026 for handling and storing waste from solar panels. These rules are issued under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022. The aim is to manage the rising amount of solar waste in a safe way. As solar energy use has...
India can end import dependence if it unlocks its resource potential, says Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal
Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal called for a decisive push to unlock India’s vast natural resource potential, emphasising that the country must accelerate domestic exploration and production to strengthen energy security and reduce dependence on imports. For the global aluminium value-chain 2026...
After US tariffs, aluminium price surge due to Middle East conflict causing concern to Coca-Cola
The ongoing geo-political conflict in the Middle East has risked the supply chain disruption of aluminium due to the Strait of Hormuz blockage, the key shipping route for metals. This phenomenon has raised a concern for the US-based beverage brand Coca-Cola since the country relies heavily on...
Hindalco eyes higher aluminium exports amid Middle East supply disruptions
Hindalco Industries Limited expects its aluminium exports to rise in the coming months as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, resulting in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, disrupt regional supply. Managing Director Satish Pai said that the company plans to increase shipments to Japan,...
Middle East chaos gives Vedanta the upper hand in aluminium. Here’s how…
Tensions in the Middle-East are shaking up aluminium supply chains, especially through the Strait of Hormuz. That choke point exposes cracks in the region's grip on global primary aluminium production, from giants like UAE's Emirates Global Aluminium, Bahrain's Alba, and Qatar's Qatalum. It's a...
Aluminium declines as the dollar strengthens, yet supply tightness lingers
After slipping by 1.1 per cent, the aluminium prices settled at INR 346.1, which is influenced by a stronger US dollar, with the future hope for further interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve seeming to be fading. Irrespective of the dip, aluminium prices were supported throughout the week,...
Alliance formed in Europe to improve small aluminium packaging recycling
A new industry initiative, re-alu (Recycling Alliance for Small Aluminium Packaging), has been launched in Europe to improve the recycling of small aluminium packaging. To know more about the global primary aluminium industry 2026 outlook, book the report “ Global ALuminium Industry Outlook 2026 ”....
NBS: China's primary aluminium output rises 3 per cent Y-o-Y during Jan-Feb
Normally, the NBS consolidates production data for January and February to minimise distortions caused by the Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday, which usually falls in either of the two months, Mysteel Global notes. To know more about the global primary aluminium industry 2026 outlook, book the report...
Short-term bullish momentum weakened, outside-China supply tightens, which underpinned the aluminium market
Futures: In the night session on March 16, the SHFE aluminium 2605 contract opened at RMB 24,975 per tonne, hit an intraday high of RMB 25,080 per tonne and a low of RMB 24,865 per tonne, and finally closed at RMB 24,970 per tonne, down RMB 200 per tonne from the previous close, or 0.79per cent....
