Aluminum Profitability Recovers, Curtailed Capacity Gradually Resumes in February: SMM Data

[SMM Data: Aluminum Profitability Recovers, Previously Curtailed Capacity Gradually Resumes in February]

SMM, February 27: According to SMM statistics, domestic aluminum production in February 2025 (28 days) was up 0.4% YoY but down 9.5% MoM. The operating capacity of domestic aluminum increased MoM, primarily driven by the recovery in aluminum profitability, which encouraged production resumption among curtailed enterprises and the commissioning of replacement projects. During this year's Chinese New Year holiday, the casting ingot output of many aluminum plants fell short of expectations. Coupled with stable downstream purchases after the resumption of work and production, the industry's proportion of liquid aluminum rose by 1.7 percentage points MoM and 6.7 percentage points YoY to 71.0% this month. Based on SMM's proportion of liquid aluminum data, the casting ingot production of domestic aluminum in February decreased by 18.4% YoY to approximately 969,000 mt.