September peak season destocking supports aluminium prices, macro risks still warrant vigilance
Futures: The most-traded SHFE aluminium contract opened at RMB 24,470 per tonne in the night session on September 8, reached a high of RMB 24,660 per tonne and a low of RMB 24,420 per tonne, and closed at RMB 24,645 per tonne, up RMB 185 per tonne or 0.76 per cent from the previous close. Futures...
China aluminium exports jump 17.2% Y-o-Y in August as overseas shipments remain strong
China exported 626,000 tonnes of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products in August, with shipments up 17.2 per cent year on year despite a 2.6 per cent monthly decline. China's aluminium exports remained firmly above year-earlier levels in August, highlighting continued strength in overseas...
Grow with
AL Circle
DISAMATIC C5 is here. Ultra-reliable, medium-format DISA moulding line launches in China
DISA has launched the DISAMATIC C5 vertical, green-sand moulding line. Designed in Denmark and manufactured in China, the new medium-format C5 is built for maximum uptime and productivity at an affordable price point. Able to produce 400 uncored and 340 cored moulds per hour, the DISAMATIC D5’s...
Aluminium at an inflexion point: Can shifting power, scrap and policy redefine who leads next?
The global aluminium industry is going through a significant shift. With new regulations, changing energy needs and a growing focus on sustainability, the competitive landscape is being redefined. Companies are quietly adjusting their strategies across supply chains, recycling efforts and...
Domestic and international aluminium prices weakened in tandem, and weak macro dragged down the pre-holiday market
SMM April 30: Macro perspective: Internationally, on April 26, Iranian Islamic Parliament Vice Speaker Nikzad stated that Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had issued a clear order that the Strait of Hormuz must not return to its pre-war status. The US Fed maintained interest rates unchanged...
World Bank’s 21.6% aluminium price forecast faces upward pressure amid tight market
An increase of 21.6 per cent in the aluminium price this year has been observed by the World Bank, in comparison to the previous year. The observation comes after the industry is currently grappling with tight supply, low inventory and a strong demand coming from the emerging industries. The...
April aluminium liquid aluminium proportion increase below expectations, May expected to rise slightly
According to SMM statistics, China's aluminium production in April 2026 (30 days) was up 1.7 per cent Y-o-Y and down 2.9 per cent M-o-M. As the traditional peak consumption season continued, downstream sectors such as plate/sheet, strip and foil, and aluminium wire and cable provided effective...
China aluminium billets supply side review, March-April: Operating rate rebound fell short of expectations
SMM Aluminium Billet Market: In March, the aluminium billet operating rate rebounded significantly by 11.8 percentage points M-o-M to 53.2 per cent, but still declined 4.1 percentage points Y-o-Y. Downstream profile enterprises basically completed resumption of work after the Lantern Festival, with...
China begins construction of 4 GW renewable transmission project in Inner Mongolia
Construction of a 4-million-kilowatt new energy transmission project began on April 15 in Jungar Banner, located in Ordos, North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, according to State Grid East Inner Mongolia Electric Power Co. For the global aluminium value-chain 2026 outlook, book our...
Nanshan Aluminium mentions profitability impact in Q1 due to 41% drop in alumina price
Nanshan Aluminium International Holdings Limited has released updates based on the unaudited Q1 2026 results of its controlling shareholder, Shandong Nanshan Aluminium Co Ltd. Nanshan Aluminium, which holds about 56.97 per cent of the company’s issued share capital, disclosed its quarterly...
Global aluminium production drops 1.6% Q-o-Q in Q1 2026, led by declines across Africa, GCC, South America, and Oceania
The opening quarter of 2026 presents a curious contradiction. On the surface, global aluminium production slipped-from 18.6 million tonnes in Q4 2025 to 18.3 million tonnes in Q1 2026, a 1.6 per cent decline. But step back, and the bigger picture tells a different story: output remains 1.1 per cent...
Temporary dip in the aluminium prices reverses as supply tightness outweighs Hormuz reopening optimism
A temporary dip in the aluminium prices has been noticed when the traders got the ray of hope of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which continued to show an upward trend due to the ongoing conflict in the Gulf. However, the production data and evolving dynamics of the Chinese markets are deemed to...
With renewable energy set to power 45% of global electricity, led by China, Europe, US, India, where do aluminium industries stand?
Renewable energy is moving from supportive to strategic role as it is set to account for 45 per cent of the global electricity generation. This marks a structural shift in how industries will be powered. China, Europe, the United States, and India are at the centre of this transformation, driven by...
Gulf tensions affect alumina supply chains and trade, with China emerging as a crucial raw material importer
The geopolitical tension involving Iran has disrupted alumina markets, not only by limiting exports through the Strait of Hormuz but also by restricting the inflow of raw materials into the Gulf region, thereby tightening supply chains and raising operational risks for smelters dependent on...
Aluminium industry faces pressure as the Middle East conflict drives production decline and supply uncertainty
The rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are impacting the global aluminium market, with early indications of production disruptions and tighter supply conditions. Although the initial effects seem to be under control, forecasts are hinting at a much more significant shift on the...
Global bauxite production Q1’26: How the trend fared amid geopolitics and market shifts
As the primary raw material for aluminium, global bauxite mining and production continues to reinforce the aluminium value chain, with supply patterns increasingly shaped by shifting trade flows, policy interventions and evolving demand from downstream sectors. In 2026, global bauxite production is...
US pushes allies to pay more for critical minerals to cut reliance on China
The US is stepping up efforts to reshape how critical minerals are sourced, with its top trade official signalling that allies may have to accept higher prices if they want more secure supply chains. Jamieson Greer has told partner countries that reliance on low-cost imports has contributed to the...
Top 10 aluminium can recycling countries leading the global circularity race
The aluminium can story today is no longer just about growth-it is about what happens after consumption. The market, valued at USD 55.5 billion in 2023, moved up to USD 58.2 billion in 2024 and is estimated to reach USD 61.5 billion in 2025, with projections pointing to USD 85.6 billion by 2032. At...
GACC: China's thermal coal imports fall 8% YoY in March
China's thermal coal imports declined in March, as elevated seaborne prices and ample domestic supply cooled buying interest. Imports of the power generation fuel totalled 25.92 million tonnes during the month, down 8.2 per cent year on year, according to data from the General Administration of...
CNEA: China advancing the world's largest nuclear power programme
China now possesses the world's largest nuclear power development programme, including units in operation, plants under construction, and approvals issued for new plants, according to the China Nuclear Energy Development Report 2026 released by the China Nuclear Energy Association (CNEA)....
