Mexico and Argentina take different AD actions on Chinese aluminium products
Mexico and Argentina are moving in different directions on aluminium imports from China. Mexico has imposed a new anti-dumping duty on aluminium bars, rods and profiles, while Argentina has dropped its existing anti-dumping order on certain aluminium tubes. Mexico has issued an anti-dumping duty...
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...
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Aluminium alloy ingot prices take a wild turn, with record highs in the US and slumping in China
It’s a tale of two markets, wherein aluminium alloy ingot prices in China are stuck in the mud owing to downsized demand, and the US is witnessing an explosive spike, fuelled by tariffs and supply strains. Let’s break down what’s happening on the opposite sides of the globe. China is stuck in a...
US employment data falls short of expectations, aluminium ingot continues destocking trend this week
Futures: Last Friday, the SHFE aluminium 2504 contract opened at RMB 20,855 per tonne, with a high of RMB 20,920 per tonne and a low of RMB 20,790 per tonne, closing at RMB 20,880 per tonne, down RMB 5 per tonne or 0.02 per cent from the previous settlement. On the same day, LME aluminium opened at...
World alumina production in January 2025 impacted by South America, Europe, Oceania and China
According to the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) survey, the world alumina production (including chemical-grade alumina) in January 2025 showed a slight month-on-month decline, totalling 12.83 million tonnes versus 12.852 million tonnes in December 2024. Probing into the output A closer...
China’s total bauxite supply may increase with short-term bauxite prices likely under pressure
According to data from March 7, the weekly total bauxite port arrivals at Chinese ports reached 3.889 million tonnes, a decrease of 681,400 tonnes compared to the previous week. The weekly total bauxite port departures from Guinea's main ports were 3.2182 million tonnes, down by 898,500 tonnes from...
Aluminium fluoride raw material costs rebound; Short-term recovery possible but long-term trend remains weak
During the February cycle (February 6 to March 6), despite the increased support from raw material costs, aluminium fluoride prices still experienced a significant decline due to the impact of previous price drops and the continued weakness in downstream demand. As of now, SMM aluminium fluoride...
US Commerce Department finalises anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Chinese aluminium containers
The US Department of Commerce has reportedly determined the excessive imports of disposable aluminium containers, pans, trays, and lids from China sold at unfairly low prices in the US market. As a result, the department has set final anti-dumping duties ranging from 193.90 per cent to 287.80 per...
March prebaked anode prices surge, next month's prices may decline with weaker raw materials
During the February cycle (February 6 to March 6), SMM prebaked anode prices increased significantly. The March 2025 procurement benchmark price of a certain aluminium smelter in Shandong was RMB 5,066 per tonne, up 23.26 per cent M-o-M. According to SMM, March prebaked anode export order prices...
Tariffs on Mexico finalised, SHFE aluminium weakens due to alumina drag
Today, the most-traded SHFE aluminium 2504 contract opened at RMB 20,600 per tonne, with a high of RMB 20,660 per tonne and a low of RMB 20,560 per tonne, closing at RMB 20,620 per tonne, up 0.22 per cent. The trading volume was 77,000 lots, and the open interest was 183,000 lots. SMM Comments: The...
Aluminium prices diverge as LME gains, SHFE declines amid rising inventories
China's aluminium industry remains the world's largest, driven by high production capacity and growing downstream demand. However, rising inventories, fluctuating raw material costs, and cautious buyer sentiment are shaping market dynamics. Despite challenges, facility expansions and policy shifts...
Overview of China's alumina production in February 2025 and March forecast
According to SMM data, China's metallurgical-grade alumina production in February 2025 (28 days) decreased by 8.5 per cent M-o-M but increased by 10.4 per cent Y-o-Y. As of February 28, China's metallurgical-grade alumina existing capacity was approximately 105.02 million tonnes, with operating...
Major economic uptick: China’s manufacturing PMI rebounds in February powered by the aluminium industry
China's factory activity accelerated in February, fuelled by stronger supply, rising demand, and a rebound in export orders, according to a private-sector survey released Monday. Seasonal factors linked to the holiday period also contributed to the growth. The Caixin/S&P Global manufacturing PMI...
Overseas alumina transactions decline while domestic spot prices remain largely stable
In the overnight session, the most-traded alumina 2505 futures contract opened at RMB 3,348 per tonne, reached a high of RMB 3,380 per tonne and a low of RMB 3,348 per tonne, and finally closed at RMB 3,370 per tonne, up 0.66 per cent. Open interest stood at 168,000 lots, down 5,797 lots. Regarding...
Overview of China's aluminium production in February 2025 and March forecast
According to SMM statistics, China's aluminium production in February 2025 (28 days) increased by 0.4 per cent Y-o-Y but decreased by 95,000 tonnes M-o-M. The operating capacity of domestic aluminum increased M-o-M, mainly driven by the resumption of production at previously curtailed enterprises...
After the New Year, the aluminium wire and cable industry shows weak recovery
After the Chinese New Year, the aluminium wire and cable industry resumed production at a steady pace. This week, the operating rate of leading enterprises reached 53%, up 2 percentage points MoM, mainly due to the orderly resumption of work as planned. However, compared to the 60% operating rate...
China’s renewable energy surges with 356 GW of capacity boost in 2024 – Why is then low-carbon aluminium production lagging?
China continues to spearhead the global transition to renewable energy, achieving remarkable progress in 2024 with an addition of 277 GW of solar and 79 GW of wind capacity — outpacing many other nations. Image source: Freepik These new additions elevated China's total renewable energy capacity...
Automotive sheet capacity continues to expand, supply-demand imbalance intensifies, putting industry profits under pressure
According to SMM statistics, China's automotive sheet production in 2024 totalled approximately 492,000 tonnes, an increase of about 8,000 tonnes compared to 2023. The growth rate continued to slow but remained positive. By year-end 2024, there were eight domestic companies with stable automotive...
Aluminium downstream operating rate continued to rise W-o-W; March peak season yet to be verified
This week, the operating rate of leading enterprises in China's downstream aluminium processing sector continued its mild post-holiday recovery, up 1.1 percentage points W-o-W to 59.8 per cent. By segment, the operating rate of primary aluminium alloy slightly increased WoW, with production...
Tiangong 05: The all-electric midsize sedan featuring AI-powered deep-learning engine ready to hit the streets of China
Hongqi, one of China's oldest and largest automotive groups (owned by FAW Group), has officially launched the Tiangong 05, an all-electric midsize sedan and the first model in the Tiangong series. Available in four variants, the vehicle is priced between RMB 159,800 and RMB 185,800. About Tiangong...
