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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Key takeaways from AICE 2025 SMM (14th) aluminium industry annual conference
On October 17, the AICE 2025 SMM (14th) Aluminum Industry Annual Conference, hosted by SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd. (SMM), successfully concluded in Zhengzhou, Henan. The conference brought together renowned experts, scholars, and prominent enterprise leaders from the global aluminium...
SHFE non-ferrous metal futures rise on week
Major futures prices for key non-ferrous metals – copper, aluminium, and nickel – on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) all rose during the week of October 17-24, supported by improving macroeconomic sentiment both at home and abroad. By the close of the daytime trading session on Friday, the...
Operating rate of aluminium processing slightly declined to 62.4%, internal divergence intensifies as peak season nears its end
The operating rate of leading downstream aluminium processing enterprises in China this week was 62.4 per cent, down 0.1 per cent W-o-W, showing a characteristic of "stabilisation during the peak season with internal divergence." Specifically, the operating rate for primary aluminium alloy rose 0.6...
Commodity backlog builds at Chinese Ports as China’s retaliatory ship fees take effect
US-bound tankers and bulk carriers that are queued off the Chinese ports are facing long waiting times due to the ongoing friction between Beijing and Washington, which has started unsettling global shipping routes. The waiting time has increased this year after 19th October, when ships were forced...
Weekly Upstream: LME swings, Japan premiums dive, bauxite spikes; metals markets in turmoil
The global aluminium and bauxite markets are currently experiencing a wave of volatility and changing dynamics. Bauxite is starting to carve out a significant place in international trade, challenging the long-held supremacy of iron ore. Meanwhile, India and China are at the forefront of...
NBS: China's Sept alumina output rises 8.7% Y-o-Y to record high
China produced 8 million tonnes of alumina last month including metallurgical-grade and other types, up by 8.7 per cent from September last year and by 0.9 per cent from August, according to data released by the country's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The figure marked a record monthly high,...
Rio Tinto considers asset swap to reduce Chinese shareholding
Global mining giant Rio Tinto is reportedly exploring an asset-for-equity swap with Aluminium Corp. of China, Chinalco. News sources reported, citing sources close to the matter, that this move aims to reduce Chinalco’s current 11 per cent stake by up to 2 percentage points, potentially down to...
GACC: China's Sept bauxite imports jump 38% Y-o-Y despite on-month decline
China imported 15.9 million tonnes of bauxite in September, up by 38.3 per cent from the same month last year but down by 13.2 per cent from August, according to the latest data released by the country's General Administration of Customs (GACC). Also Read: China's alumina operating capacity set to...
Imports of unwrought aluminium alloy rebounded m-o-m in september 2025 but remained in a downward cycle y-o-y
The General Administration of Customs recently released import and export data for September 2025. Customs data showed: In September 2025, unwrought aluminium alloy imports totalled 82,200 tonnes, down 13.2 per cent y-o-y but up 15.7 per cent M-o-M. Cumulative imports from January to September 2025...
Global renewables poised to double by 2030, but are supply chains ready?
The world of renewable energy is booming, with global power generation capacity expected to more than double by 2030, as highlighted in the latest medium-term outlook by the International Energy Agency (IEA). This impressive growth is primarily fueled by the rapid rise of solar PV technology, even...
Carmakers rush to secure rare earths before China’s export ban
Global carmakers are in a race to secure vital rare earth minerals before new Chinese export restrictions take effect in November. According to industry veterans, restrictions on exports by the Chinese Government will cause a massive shortage of key mineral products, which will further impact the...
DAILY: Chinese spot alumina prices fall further, futures recover
According to Mysteel's daily assessment, the national average spot price for smelter-grade alumina with a purity above 98.6 per cent slid by RMB 5 per tonne (USD 0.7 per tonne) from Monday to RMB 2,940 per tonne on Tuesday. This marked the 30th consecutive working-day decline. The drop mainly...
The most-traded contract fluctuated slightly with a minor decline overnight, while spot premiums for ADC12 widened.
Futures: The most-traded cast aluminium alloy 2512 contract opened at RMB 20,460 per tonne overnight, hitting a high of RMB 20,515 per tonne and a low of RMB 20,435 per tonne, before closing at RMB 20,435 per tonne, down RMB 25 per tonne, or 0.12 per cent, from the previous close. Trading volume...
The battle for the Americas: Washington confronts China’s expanding reach
China’s economic rise across Latin America and the Caribbean has quietly redrawn the map of global influence. What began as scattered infrastructure projects has evolved into a network of ports, energy facilities, and data hubs that increasingly serve Beijing’s strategic interests. For years,...
NBS: China's primary aluminium production rises 2.2 per cent Y-o-Y during Jan-Sept
In September alone, primary aluminium output nationwide reached 3.8 million tonnes, rising by 1.8 per cent from the same month in 2024, the NBS data showed. This was 0.3 per cent higher than August, Mysteel Global calculated based on the NBS statistics. Improved profitability encouraged many...
Canada eases tariffs on select US and Chinese aluminium imports
Canada has announced tariff relief on specific steel and aluminium products imported from the United States and China. This move aims to support domestic industries affected by ongoing trade tensions. The decision was formalised through an amendment to the 2024 surtax remission order, effective...
SHFE non-ferrous metal futures decline on week
Major futures prices for key non-ferrous metals – copper, nickel, and aluminium – on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) all declined during the week of October 10–17, as macroeconomic uncertainties weighed on market sentiment. Image source: https://www.unionfab.com/ Also read: DAILY: China's...
Shandong Hontron Aluminum stock jumps 7.2% amid market dip
Shandong Hontron Aluminum Industry Holding Co., Ltd. experienced a remarkable surge in its stock performance on October 15, 2025, reaching an intraday high even as the broader market faced a downturn. The company has demonstrated impressive annual growth, but it does grapple with some hurdles,...
