SHANGHAI, Jul 23 (SMM) – Inventories of aluminium billet in China edged higher this week, following after two straight weeks of decline, as arrivals increased while shipments from warehouses shrank.

SMM data showed that stocks of 6063 aluminium billet across the five major consumption areas – Foshan, Wuxi, Huzhou, Changzhou and Nanchang – in China grew 3,600 mt from a week ago to 68,600 mt as of Thursday July 23, after a drop of 7,240 mt in the previous week.

Inventories in Foshan, Wuxi, Huzhou and Nanchang expanded this week while stocks in Changzhou fell slightly.