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...
Grow with
AL Circle
MONTHLY: China's thermal coal may gain steam on tighter supply, winter demand
China's spot market for thermal coal is entering October on a firmer tone, as tightening supply coincides with a seasonal recovery in demand. This follows a volatile September, when a spurt of restocking by utilities drove a short-lived price rally, Mysteel noted in its latest monthly report....
US tariffs hit China’s container trade, including aluminium, electric machinery and other items
US imports of containerised goods fell 8.4 per cent in September compared with a year earlier, reflecting the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. Shipments from China dropped sharply by 22.9 per cent, according to new data released on Thursday. The effect was seen on aluminium ,...
Post-Holiday surge in cast aluminium alloy futures and spot prices: focus on costs, inventory, and demand sustainability
The centre of aluminium scrap prices fluctuated upward around the National Day holiday. As of October 9, the SMM A00 aluminium price closed at 20,960 per tonne, up 190 per tonne from September 25. Ahead of the holiday, enterprises in Henan, Jiangxi, Shandong, and other regions actively stockpiled,...
China issues 2025-2026 action plan to drive growth in non-ferrous metals sector
Resource development and recycling A core priority of the plan is to strengthen resource development and utilisation. Strategic initiatives will target breakthroughs in the exploration of key minerals such as copper, aluminium, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and tin. Regions with favourable conditions...
Expectations for US Fed interest rate cuts heat up, aluminium prices expected to hover at highs in the short term
Futures: On the night session before the holiday (September 30), the most-traded SHFE aluminium 2511 contract opened at RMB 20,765 per tonne, with the highest price at RMB 20,770 per tonne, the lowest price at RMB 20,680 per tonne, and closed at RMB 20,680 per tonne, down 0.43per cent from the...
Tight supply chain triggers 0.64% aluminium price growth
The persistent supply chain concerns owing to growing demand in tandem with improved industrial operating rates have reportedly driven aluminium prices up by 0.64 per cent, reaching INR 261.35 (USD 2.94). Limited Chinese aluminium output coupled with supply chain disruptions in Guinea have...
China's cumulative petroleum coke imports exceeded 10 million/t in 2025, Q3 imports expected to drop around 30% M-o-M
According to customs data, China's petroleum coke imports in August 2025 totalled 1.0304 million per tonne, down 26.53 per cent m-o-m but up 24.74 per cent y-o-y. The estimated import price of petroleum coke in August was USD199.06 per tonne, down 1.79 per cent m-o-m but up 30.45 per cent YoY. From...
China's alumina operating capacity set to fall in October as prices squeeze margins
According to SMM data, China's metallurgical-grade alumina production in September 2025 (30 days) increased by 1.52 per cent month-on-month and 10 per cent year-on-year. As of the end of September, China's metallurgical-grade alumina built production capacity was approximately 110.32 million...
In September, the operating rate of primary aluminum alloy steadily rose, and aluminum alloy wheel hub exports hit a record high
In September 2025, the operating rate of China's primary aluminium alloy industry showed a steady upward trend, while aluminium alloy wheel hub exports hit a new record high, injecting strong momentum into the industry's development. In terms of operating rate performance, the preliminary operating...
China's alumina cost expected to edge down in October
The national weighted average full cost for alumina in September was approximately RMB 3,002 per tonne, up RMB 15 per tonne month-on-month. The weighted average cash cost was approximately RMB 2,832 per tonne. Cost Breakdown Analysis: Bauxite market: The spot price for imported bauxite from Guinea...
Special review for National Day: The past and present of China's aluminium capacity ceiling
Since its inception in 1953, China's aluminium industry has developed from scratch and grown from small to large, ultimately making China the world's largest aluminium producer. Throughout this process, the formation and evolution of the capacity ceiling reflect the complex interplay between...
WEEKLY: Chinese alumina prices ease under supply pressure
China's spot alumina prices edged lower last week, mainly pressured by ample supply of the commodity in the physical market. Mysteel's price assessment showed that the national average spot price of alumina with purity above 98.6 per cent dropped by 1.3 per cent on week to RMB 3,025 per tonne (USD...
World primary aluminium production in Aug’25: Muted monthly growth, modest annual gains
The world’s primary aluminium production remained almost muted over a month in August 2025, mirroring the same trend as the previous year. However, on an annual basis, the output stood 1 per cent higher than 6.222 million tonnes. According to the data reported by the International Aluminium...
Aluminium scrap supply tightness supports prices fluctuating at highs; pre-holiday enterprise stockpiling nears end
Futures: The most-traded cast aluminium alloy ad2512 contract opened at RMB 20,325 per tonne overnight, hit a high of RMB 20,360 per tonne, and finally closed at the lowest of 20,240 per tonne, down RMB 85 per tonne or 0.42 per cent from the previous close. Trading volume was 1,110 lots, open...
Typhoon temporarily disrupted the Guangdong secondary aluminium market, mid-week, cast aluminium alloy futures warrants exceeded 19,000 tonnes
Domestic aluminium scrap prices generally hovered at highs this week. At the beginning of the week, driven by the weakening of primary aluminium prices, some aluminium scrap varieties pulled back slightly. As of September 25, the SMM A00 aluminium price closed at RMB 20,770 per tonne, down RMB 10...
Upstream weekly: From supply crunch to decarbonisation, key moves in the aluminium value chain
The global aluminium industry is at a crucial turning point as the surge in demand driven by the clean energy transition meets the urgent need to decarbonise a sector known for its high energy consumption. From new smelter projects popping up in Asia to the shifting supply-demand balance in China,...
DAILY: Chinese spot alumina prices soften further, futures momentum falters
Chinese spot alumina prices softened further on September 25, while the upward momentum in its futures market faltered in the nighttime trading session after posting daytime gains. On Thursday, the national average spot price assessed by Mysteel for smelter-grade alumina with purity exceeding 98.6...
Stockpiling before the holiday season nears its end, aluminum prices continue to encounter resistance
Futures: In yesterday's night session, the most-traded SHFE aluminium 2511 contract opened at RMB 20,790 per tonne, with the highest price at RMB 20,840 per tonne, the lowest price at RMB 20,750 per tonne, and closed at RMB 20,800 per tonne, up RMB 20 per tonne or 0.10per cent from the previous...
