Energy costs drive China's August inflation as non-ferrous metals surge 20.8%
China's producer inflation accelerated in August as higher energy and non-ferrous metal prices pushed industrial costs higher, while weak domestic demand kept consumer inflation subdued. China's factory-gate inflation accelerated in August, with non-ferrous metal smelting and processing prices...
China’s 45Mt aluminium cap pushes producers overseas as global dominance grows
China’s aluminium industry is running close to its limits in 2026. As Shanghai aluminium prices near a three-month high, historically low raw material costs and strong smelter margins encourage producers to operate at maximum capacity. National aluminium output remains above Beijing’s...
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Alumina production costs continue to decline in December yet nearly half of plants face cash cost pressure
In December, the national weighted average full cost of alumina fell by 1.93 per cent month-on-month. Key factors driving the cost down included a weaker US dollar exchange rate, lower caustic soda prices, and a slight decline in thermal coal prices. According to SMM statistics, the monthly average...
MYSTEEL: China's thermal coal sector shrugs at capacity- cut rumors
Despite recent market rumors about production capacity cuts in some of China's major coal-producing regions, actual thermal coal supply has so far not been disrupted, Mysteel has determined after surveying multiple coal mines on January 8. Market jitters had been sparked on Wednesday by news that...
Policy push brings energy storage to the fore of Asia-Pacific’s power transition
Energy storage is moving steadily towards the centre of Asia-Pacific’s energy transition, as governments and industry bodies strengthen policy support and market frameworks that could unlock a new phase of capacity deployment from 2026 onwards. The shift is increasingly being viewed as a catalyst...
China’s aluminium industry cost to fall in January - alumina as key driver
Image source: SMM According to SMM data, the average tax-inclusive full cost of China's aluminium industry in December 2025 rose 0.7 per cent m-o-m but fell 23.3 per cent Y-o-Y. During the period, alumina raw material costs declined, but electricity and auxiliary material costs increased, leading...
WEEKLY: China thermal coal finds a floor, but recovery looks fragile
As of January 4, a makeup workday in China for the New Year's Day holiday, Mysteel assessed the benchmark 5,500 kcal per kg NAR thermal coal at RMB 690 per tonne (USD 98.8 per tonne) FOB northern ports with VAT, up by RMB 3 per tonne from a week earlier. Explore- Most accurate data to drive...
China's non-ferrous metals sector is making a leap in digitalisation with Kun'an 2.0 AI model
China’s non-ferrous metals industry is moving decisively towards large-scale industrial deployment of artificial intelligence in complex industrial scenarios.The shift was highlighted recently in Beijing with the unveiling of Kun’an 2.0, a purpose-built AI large model for the non-ferrous metals...
ASI certifies Dicastal KSM Autoparts Chengdu Co., Ltd. against Performance Standard V3.1 and Chain of Custody V2
CITIC Dicastal Co.,Ltd. has achieved ASI Performance Standard V3.1 (2023) and Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard V2 (2022) Certification for the design and manufacture of die casting parts at their facility, Dicastal KSM Autoparts Chengdu Co., Ltd., located in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China....
Inner Mongolia approves relocation of primary aluminium capacity from Henan
The relocation will be carried out through an internal capacity transfer by Yidian Holding Group Co., Ltd., a Chinese aluminium and power producer. Under the plan, the company will transfer 240,000 tonnes per year of primary aluminium capacity from its controlling subsidiary Henan Hengkang...
Shandong Group to build an integrated aluminium park in Saudi – is the kingdom next bet for China after Indonesia?
China has long capped its domestic primary aluminium production at 45 million tonnes, a ceiling designed to curb industrial emissions and contain environmental risk. In 2025, it finished the year with 88.2 million tonnes of alumina and around 44 million tonnes of primary aluminium, in line with the...
BofA cuts target for Aluminium Corporation of China amidst strategic shift
BofA Securities has brought a revised stance on Aluminium Corporation of China (NYSE: ACH) by reducing its price target from USD 4.20 to USD 2.50 while maintaining an Underperform status. The new target, which has been set, only offers a small margin above the current share price of USD 2.32,...
MYSTEEL: Top 10 news events in China's coal market in 2025
NEA launches overproduction inspections, reining in supply and lifting prices In July, China's top energy regulator - the National Energy Administration - rolled out a nationwide campaign targeting coal mines that had been producing beyond their approved capacity. Under the new rules, any mine...
Night session SHFE aluminium rises over 2 per cent, breaking through RMB 24,100 per tonne, multiple positive factors support aluminium prices to hold up well in the short term
Futures: During the night session on January 5, the most-traded SHFE aluminium 2602 contract opened at RMB 23,560 per tonne, reached a high of RMB 24,280 per tonne, touched a low of RMB 23,500 per tonne, and finally closed at RMB 24,165 per tonne, up RMB 520 per tonne or 2.20 per cent from the...
LME aluminium contract crosses $3000/t as supply deficit deepens with China’s 45-MT cap, smelter cuts, and US tariffs
Tightened supply outlook and long-term demand bets have taken the three-month LME aluminium contract to USD 3,015.50 per tonne for the first time in more than three years, as of Friday, January 2, 2026. Perhaps, this is the beginning of price rally as projected by many market analysts for 2026....
WEEKLY: China's alumina output edges down, stocks continue to climb
During the December 26-January 1 week, the 44 Chinese alumina refiners under Mysteel's regular tracking produced 1.83 million tonnes of metallurgical-grade alumina, down marginally by 0.5 per cent from the previous week, according to Mysteel's weekly survey. Explore- Most accurate data to drive...
ASI certifies Sichuan Wanshun Zhongji Aluminum Co., Ltd. against Performance Standard V3.1 and Chain of Custody V2
Jiangsu Zhongji Lamination Materials Co., Ltd has achieved ASI Performance Standard V3.1 (2023) and Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard V2 (2022) Certification for the production of aluminium plate and strip products at their facility, Sichuan Wanshun Zhongji Aluminum Co., Ltd., in Guangyuan City,...
National subsidy policy funds disbursed, inventory buildup reality limits upside potential for aluminium prices
Futures: The night session closed at RMB 22,615 per tonne, up 0.87 per cent. The price was slightly below the MA5 (22,629) but remained above all key moving averages. The MA5 to MA60 (22,622.25) were highly convergent, indicating a strong consolidation pattern. The MACD lines were above the zero...
Supply controls, rising production, trade realignments and CBAM redefine aluminium market signals for 2026
As we look ahead to 2026, the global aluminium value chain is experiencing some significant shifts with changing trade flows, updated policies and price signals reshaping the core market dynamics. Notable fluctuations in bauxite and alumina imports in major consuming regions, alongside stricter...
China’s alumina and aluminium output move in tandem at 88MTand 44MT - is the country limiting alumina to track 45MT aluminium cap?
China’s alumina story in 2025 was not just about how much was produced, but about how carefully the system was managed. China ended the year with 88.2 million tonnes of alumina and 44 million tonnes of primary aluminium, based on the industry’s two-to-one rule of production ratio. It sits close to...
