China
South Korea’s aluminium foil imports hit five-year high at 57kt in YTD July 2026 as China drives 96% of new volume
South Korea’s aluminium foil market has entered a stronger phase in 2026, with imports reaching their highest level in five years. But the trade data points to a more specific shift beneath the headline growth: most of the additional aluminium foil entering South Korea is coming from China. South Korea imported 57,261.18 tonnes of aluminium foil from the world in YTD July 2026, up 23.94 per cent from 46,201.68 tonnes in YTD July 2025. Imports stood at 50,840.22 tonnes in YTD 2022, 43,145.18 tonnes in YTD 2023 and 47,238.94 tonnes in YTD 2024, before slipping to 46,201.68 tonnes in 2025, as per ITA. The return to growth is clear, but the supplier data reveals where that recovery is coming from. China supplies 92% of South Korea’s aluminium foil imports China supplied 52,751.81 tonnes of...
Gallium, germanium in automotive electronics: Study maps Europe’s critical-mineral recycling edge
As electronics occupy a larger share of the backbone of automotive industry, Europe’s reliance on imported critical minerals is drawing greater attention. A recent bachelor’s thesis from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg has explored the recycling potential of two strategic materials, viz., gallium and germanium, within automotive electronics, particularly in Electronic Control Units (ECUs), which control functions ranging from powertrain systems and safety technologies to battery management in electric vehicles. Although recycling rates for both metals remain negligible today, the study suggests that industrial waste streams, semiconductor scrap and future end-of-life electronics could become important secondary sources if recovery infrastructure develops in time. To learn...
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A report that reveals where the aluminium casting industry is heading and how businesses can act.
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A report that reveals where the aluminium casting industry is heading and how businesses can act.
LEARN MOREGermany’s aluminium FRP consumption reaches 1.68 Mt as 2025 trade surplus tops $3.1 billion
AL Circle Analysis: Europe’s aluminium scrap curbs, India’s risk and US’s supply opportunity
German downstream aluminium exports fall 13% in H1 2026 but US enters top 5 with 228.1% import surge
Caustic soda plant setup in India: How aluminium growth is reshaping demand, costs and opportunities
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Yantai Port's rail freight corridor crosses 10Mt as African bauxite heads to Shanxi
Yantai Port's growing role in China's bauxite and aluminium supply chain has come into focus after its Dezhou-Longkou-Yantai rail freight corridor surpassed 10 million tonnes of total cargo. The milestone was reached as 3,200 tonnes of African bauxite moved from the Shandong port to an aluminium processing plant in Shanxi province. The bauxite shipment departed Yantai Port on September 29, travelling along a railway network that stretches roughly 1,000 kilometres and connects the coastal port with inland industrial markets. The corridor now serves 25 destinations across five provinces and regions - Shandong, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia. Six destinations are located in Shandong, while 19 are in other provinces. The scale of the network has expanded alongside its cargo...
Module deliveries support near-term frame demand; Aluminium prices under pressure amid post-holiday inventory buildup and demand weakening risks
PV aluminium extrusion: This week, operating rates at sampled PV frame enterprises remained broadly stable. Some PV frame enterprises in Hebei and Anhui reported that their October production schedules were basically flat versus September. During the National Day holiday, production lines will run normally to ensure on-time delivery of early-October orders, extending the pre-holiday rush to meet delivery deadlines. From the downstream module side, October module scheduled production is expected to see limited M-o-M change. With centralised projects gradually requiring delivery and growth in new overseas orders, total module production is expected to rebound slightly, and demand for PV frame support remains intact in the near term. Overall, the October delivery window provides phased...
Aluminium prices retreat as bulls reduce positions before the holiday; aluminium under pressure amid risks of post-holiday inventory buildup and weakening demand
The US September consumer confidence index plunged 6.7 points to 81.9, the lowest since 2014 and deteriorating across the board. The University of Michigan survey showed consumers' assessments of their current financial situation and that one year ahead both fell about 10 per cent, with high-price concerns continuing to brew. Inflation pressure showed no signs of easing. US Fed Governor Cook said AI demand growth, rising oil prices, and supply chain disruptions from Middle East conflicts would keep inflation under pressure, but gave no clear guidance on rate hikes. CME data showed the market-implied probability of a 25 bp rate hike in October had risen to 70.9 per cent, and the probability of a cumulative 50 bp hike by December reached 58.7 per cent. Tightening expectations strengthened...
Operating rate declines notably due to holiday; ADC12 price expected to remain strong after the holiday
This week, the aluminium scrap market price centre moved slightly lower along with primary aluminium. As of September 30, SMM A00 aluminium prices closed at RMB 24,030 per tonne, down RMB 190 per tonne from last Thursday, with aluminium scrap prices broadly following the decline. In terms of price spreads, the price difference between A00 aluminium and mixed aluminium extrusion scrap free of paint in Foshan stood at about RMB 2,550 per tonne, while the price difference between A00 aluminium and shredded aluminium tense scrap was about RMB 1,384 per tonne. On the import side, imported shredded aluminium zorba prices at Ningbo Port and Tianjin Port were recorded at RMB 21,470 per tonne and RMB 21,520 per tonne respectively (tax inclusive). After the National Day holiday, the aluminium scrap...
Domestic aluminium ingot accumulation after National Day Holiday expected to be moderate and controllable
Ahead of the National Day holiday, domestic aluminium ingot inventories continued to set fresh year-to-date lows. According to SMM statistics, as of September 30, electrolytic aluminium ingot inventories in China's major consuming regions stood at 638,000 tonnes, down 36,000 tonnes from Monday and 40,000 tonnes from last Thursday. The pace of pre-holiday destocking was relatively fast overall, leaving ample buffer for inventory accumulation during the holiday. Source: SMM On the supply side, domestic downstream demand recovered somewhat month on month in September, but processing fees for some fabricated products came under pressure, leading some downstream enterprises to cut or suspend production, which lowered their willingness to purchase molten aluminium and pulled the...
South China A00 aluminium ingot premium expected to ease from highs after national day holiday
In the final three trading days before the National Day holiday, the South China spot market stayed soft: aluminium prices continued to edge lower, the SHFE aluminium backwardation structure strengthened, and premiums over the next-month and far-month contracts were actually elevated. Ahead of the holiday, the willingness to cash out at the high basis was strong, and amid ongoing destocking, discount-priced cargoes still dominated spot circulation; demand was largely subdued, with only localized bargain-hunting replenishment and quite limited buying interest. On the whole, however, the high spot premium for aluminium ingots in South China remained largely intact. As of September 30, the SMM A00 aluminium (Foshan) spot premium over the 2610 contract stood at RMB 260 per tonne, still within...
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