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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Guinea’s bauxite boom: exports up 36% despite political uncertainty
Guinea exported 99.8 million tonnes of bauxite in the first half of 2025, a sharp 36 per cent rise from 73.4 million tonnes in the same period of 2024. That figure is almost equal to the country’s entire output in 2022. The rise is a result of strong run, with exports up 19.6 per cent in 2023 to...
GACC: China's Jan-July aluminium scrap imports rise 8% YoY
China's imports of aluminium scrap during January-July totalled 1.17 million tonnes, higher by a significant 8.4 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to the latest data released by the country's General Administration of Customs (GACC). The persistently tight availability of...
Germany leads global aluminium foil exports in 2025 while China falls out of top 5
As per UN Comtrade data, Aluminium foil (whether or not printed or backed with paper, paperboard. plastics or similar backing materials) of a thickness (excluding any backing) not exceeding 0.2mm saw a notable reshuffle between 2024 and 2025. From January to May 2025, Germany led the market with a...
DAILY: Chinese alumina prices fall in spot, futures markets
On Tuesday, Mysteel's assessments on spot prices for metallurgical-grade alumina with purity above 98.6 per cent in Shandong, Henan, and Guizhou provinces declined by RMB 10 per tonne (USD 1.4 per tonne) from Monday, averaging RMB 3,190–3,310 per tonne. Meanwhile, the assessed prices for the same...
Rumour has it: East Hope Sanmenxia Aluminum’s gallium tender concluded successfully
According to unofficial market feedback obtained by SMM, it is reported that a recent public auction of around 1 tonne of 4N gallium by East Hope Sanmenxia Aluminum Co., Ltd. was successfully concluded. After the final auction and negotiation, the transaction price was around RMB 1,595 per kg....
July: China's net imports of primary aluminium rebounded to over 200,000 tonnes
Primary aluminium imports: According to data from the General Administration of Customs, in July 2025, China's primary aluminium imports were approximately 248,300 tonnes, up 29.1 per cent M-o-M and 91.2 per cent Y-o-Y. From January-July, the total cumulative imports of primary aluminium were about...
NEA: China's power consumption in July hits record high
China's electricity consumption surged to an all-time high of 1.02 trillion kilowatt hours (kWh) in July, up 8.6 per cent compared to the same month last year, according to data from the National Energy Administration (NEA). The record – mainly driven by scorching heatwaves across China and the...
July alumina exports to Russia exceeded 200 KT, with a small net export pattern expected to be maintained in August
In July 2025, China exported 229,400 tonnes of alumina, up 56.4 per cent YoY; imported 125,900 tonnes of alumina, up 78.2 per cent YoY; net import of alumina was -104,000 tonnes. Image for representational purposes only From January to July 2025, China's cumulative imports of alumina were 394,000...
AL Circle x Marlene Johler: Europe’s aluminium scrap faces a critical test
In conversation with Marlene Johler, the Head of Sustainability & Public Affairs at Hammerer Aluminium Industries GmbH and also a lecturer of circular economy at the Technical University Vienna. She speaks about Europe’s aluminium recycling ecosystem. She highlighted that once a global benchmark...
Rare earths market turns volatile as US intervenes and China tightens control
The global rare earth metals market is undergoing a major market shift, as US price interventions, Chinese export restrictions, and surging demand disrupt supply chains and compel countries to rethink their strategies. In mid-July, the US took a bold step to challenge China’s dominance in rare...
GACC: China's bauxite imports climb 34% Y-o-Y in July
China imported 20.06 million tonnes of all types of bauxite in July, higher by 34.2 per cent from the same month last year and by 10.7 per cent from June, according to the latest data from the country's General Administration of Customs (GACC). For the first seven months, total bauxite imports...
Alumina inventory buildup continues, price disparity between North and South persists
As of Thursday this week, the SMM alumina index stood at RMB 3,244.97 per tonne, down RMB 3.15 per tonne W-o-W. In Shandong, prices were reported at RMB 3,180-3,230 per tonne, down 15 per tonne W-o-W; in Henan, prices were RMB 3,180-3,270 per tonne, down 15 per tonne W-o-W; in Shanxi, prices were...
Macro disturbances and peak season expectations are intertwined, aluminium prices fluctuate upward in the short term, awaiting validation
From a macro perspective, the July US Fed meeting minutes showed that most policymakers believe the upside risks of inflation exceed the downside risks of employment, leading to a cooling of interest rate cut expectations, with market focus on the global central bank annual meeting this Friday....
From €15.6B to €2.8B: Eurozone’s June trade surplus collapses under tariff pressure
The European Union’s vaunted export engine is sputtering under the combined weight of tariffs, softer demand, and eroding competitiveness. June 2025 marked a dramatic turning point: according to ING’s latest analysis, the bloc’s seasonally adjusted trade surplus collapsed to just EUR 2.8 billion,...
China escalates ongoing tariff battle with Canada by seeking WTO consultations
China has formally sought dispute consultations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Canada's surtaxes and quotas on aluminium and steel products, the WTO announced on Wednesday, August 20. According to the WTO notice, the contested measures include a surtax applied through tariff-rate quotas...
Aluminium dross recovery and metal extraction: What to expect in 2025
The global aluminium industry stands at a critical juncture where efficiency, sustainability, and resource recovery are shaping new business priorities. As per recent business market research, the aluminium sector — formed of primary aluminium smelters, secondary aluminium facilities, and...
GACC: China's alumina exports surge 64% Y-o-Y in Jan-Jul
China exported a total of 1.57 million tonnes of alumina, including metallurgical-grade and other types, during January-July 2025, shooting up by 64.3 per cent from the same period last year, according to new data released by the country's General Administration of Customs (GACC). Image source:...
LME aluminium rises to $2,570.5/t after 3-day fall, owing to demand hopes from China
After three consecutive days of decline from Monday to Wednesday, LME aluminium prices rebounded on Thursday, August 21, rising by USD 4 per tonne (0.15 per cent) and USD 3.5 per tonne (0.13 per cent). Why did the price increase? The growth was supported by expectations of stronger demand from the...
