Alumina: Prices in north China rose slightly, high sea freight curbed imports

Published: Mar 24, 2021 15:59

Save

Trades in the domestic alumina market remained thin last week. Prices under negotiation and traded prices in north China were largely stable between 2,340-2,350 yuan/mt. Some aluminium plants in north-west China made purchase.

SHANGHAI, Mar 24 (SMM)—Trades in the domestic alumina market remained thin last week. Prices under negotiation and traded prices in north China were largely stable between 2,340-2,350 yuan/mt. Some aluminium plants in north-west China made purchase. Trades were muted in south-west China where aluminium plants secure supply under long-term contracts Domestic alumina prices are expected to remain largely stable in the short term as supply and demand are basically balanced or tend to shift to a slight surplus.

In the overseas market, sea freight rate from Western Australia to major ports in China has risen to $40/mt, which severely hurt buying interest of global buyers, except for aluminium plants in India and Malaysia that have urgent needs. Alumina FOB prices frequently hit new lows. The latest transaction was done at $289/mt FOB in Western Australia, down $5/mt from the previous transaction. Chinese buyers also made no inquiry. Smelters in east Inner Mongolia began to turn to domestic alumina plants and traders. Loss on alumina imports stood at 121 yuan/mt last Friday. High sea freight will continue to constrain China's alumina imports in the short term.

Alumina

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM‘s internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or to learn more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn

For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn

Related News

41 mins ago

Iranian Drones Strike US Military Targets in Kuwait and UAE, Hitting Aluminum Facilities Linked to F-35 Production

On April 5, the Iranian military issued a statement on April 4, saying that the Iranian military used drones to strike multiple US military targets in Kuwait and other Gulf countries on the same day. The report said that the targets also included aluminum industrial facilities in the United Arab Emirates. The United States and Israel have invested a lot of money in the aluminum industry in the United Arab Emirates, and use it to produce a variety of fighters, including the F-35 stealth fighter, as well as missiles, tanks, and armored vehicles.

41 mins ago

42 mins ago

Eurasian Economic Commission Proposes Maintaining Anti-Dumping Duties on Chinese and Azerbaijani Aluminum Tape

On April 3, according to the China Trade Remedies Information Network, on April 2, 2026, the Internal Market Protection Department of the Eurasian Economic Commission issued the final disclosure of the first sunset review of the anti-dumping measures on aluminum tape originating in China and Azerbaijan. If the anti-dumping duties on the products involved in China and Azerbaijan are cancelled, the dumping of the products involved and the substantial damage caused by the dumping to the relevant industries of the Eurasian Economic Union will continue or recur. Therefore, it is recommended to maintain the anti-dumping tax determined in Announcement No. 115 of 2020 unchanged and continue to impose an anti-dumping tax on the products in question for a period of five years, of which the tax rate

42 mins ago

Shaanxi-Henan UHV DC Project, Final in "Three Exchanges Nine Direct," to Be Completed by 2028

On March 31, the National Grid announced that the Shaanxi-Henan ± 800 kV UHV DC project, the final project of the "three exchanges and nine direct" projects in the National "14th Five-Year" plan, with a total investment of 19 billion yuan.It starts in Yulin, Shaanxi, and ends in Kaifeng, Henan, passing through Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Henan provinces. The total length of the line is 728 kilometers, the transmission capacity is 8 million kilowatts, and it is planned to be completed and put into operation in 2028.

42 mins ago