Feb aluminium foil exports grow 0.7% YoY

The average weighted operating rate of Chinese aluminium foil producers was 87.08% in May, down 1.21 percentage points month on month, but up 3.22 percentage points year on year.

Operating rates across major aluminium processors rose slightly last week as they had to accept high aluminium prices to deliver orders. End-users find it difficult to accept current high aluminium prices. As some end-users adopt quarterly or semi-annual pricing, high aluminium prices will not pass through to end-users until they complete Q2 pricing.

SMM has surveyed 41 aluminium processing enterprises across 12 provinces. Operating rates across major aluminium processors increased 19 percentage points from a week ago to 60.1% last week.

Car imports in China stood at 102,000 units in December, up 24% on the month

On a monthly basis, however, aluminium foil exports edged up 1.87% last month

Imports may edge lower in Sep on rising concerns about a scale-back in Q4 quotas

The monthly decline grew from a 2.39% drop in Jul, to 13.32% in Aug

Stocks in metal content dipped 3,100 mt last week to 107,000 mt

Imports in the first seven months of this year amounted to 43,600 mt, flat from a year ago

However, H1 exports hit a record high of 670,300 mt, up 8% from Jan-Jun of 2018