August aluminum scrap imports recover MoM; multiple constraints suppress a sharp import rebound [SMM analysis]
According to data from the General Administration of Customs, China's aluminum scrap imports in August 2026 totaled 141,800 mt, up 18.60% MoM but down 17.67% YoY, ending a four-month decline since April. Cumulative imports from January to August 2026 reached approximately 1.243 million mt, down about 7.5% YoY, with the cumulative decline widening further from 6.1% in January-July. Overall, August imports recovered notably on a MoM basis, but the YoY decline remained close to 20%.