The Paradoxical History of Chinese Aluminum: Between Record Imports and Massive Exports
China is unique in the global aluminum landscape. In 2024, it produced nearly 43 million tons of primary aluminum, more than half of global production. Yet, in the same year, it imported over 3 million tons of primary metal—primarily from Russia—and simultaneously...
US Stainless Steel Prices: Stability and Expectations for New Dynamics in Q4
During August, US stainless steel prices moved sideways. Steel mills, after a series of announcements in the previous months, successfully maintained base price increases. These increases eroded the historically high discounts that had characterized the market in...
Base Metal Prices at the SHFE: Mixed Trends Amid Fed Expectations and Poor US Labor Data
On the morning of Monday, September 8, base metal prices traded on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) showed mixed trends. Trader sentiment was influenced by expectations of a possible interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve, a hypothesis reinforced by weak US...
P1020 Aluminum Premiums in Asia: Stability Awaiting Negotiations
In the Asian premium market for primary aluminum P1020A, the week ending Thursday, September 4th, saw substantially stable values. Traders' attention remains focused on quarterly negotiations for Main Japanese Port (MJP) contracts, a key element in defining benchmark...
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