Aluminium alloy LME prices began 2025 on stronger ground, marking a shift upward from the levels seen a year earlier. The LME offer price opened in January at around USD 2250 per tonne but quickly slipped to approx. USD 2100 per tonne.
For much of the first quarter, values held between USD 2100 and USD 2500 per tonne. From March 17, momentum turned higher, reaching USD 2547 per tonne and closing the month at USD 2577 per tonne.
This was tied to developments in US trade policy. In February, Washington lifted aluminium tariffs under Section 232 from 10 to 25 per cent, effective March 12, 2025, while scrapping exemptions. Buyers rushed to secure supplies before the higher duties came into effect, boosting inventories and advancing shipments. Some attempted to claim exemptions for “melted and poured” U.-origin aluminium, though these required complex documentation.
April brought a reversal. Prices slipped from USD 2575 per tonne at the start of the month to USD 2455 per tonne on April 9 and USD 2402 per tonne on April 10. They then recovered to USD 2509 per tonne on April 14, a level that held steady through September 15.
For more insights, see the upcoming extrusion report: The World of Aluminium Extrusions – Industry Forecast to 2032
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