Bauxite Inventory at Ten Chinese Ports Rises by 650,000 MT in a Week

SMM News, April 30: According to SMM statistics, China's primary aluminum output in April 2026 (30 days) rose 1.7% year-on-year and fell 2.9% month-on-month. Driven by peak seasonal demand and improved consumption of aluminum sheet, strip, foil and aluminum cables & wires, the domestic aluminum water proportion edged up overall in the month, climbing 1.7 percentage points month-on-month to 75.3%, slightly lower than early-month expectations. The main drag came from a sharper-than-expected decline in profile orders. Calculated based on SMM aluminum water proportion data, domestic primary aluminum ingot output in April dropped 3.4% year-on-year and 9.0% month-on-month.

According to SMM research, in May 2026, the aluminum water proportion varies among domestic aluminum producers. Overall, as overseas demand for domestic aluminum fabricated products keeps picking up, the aluminum water proportion is expected to see a mild rebound. Overall, the aluminum water proportion is projected to rise by 0.5 percentage points to 75.8%.

[SMM Aluminum News] This week, the operating rate of leading enterprises in China's secondary aluminum industry edged down WoW. On one hand, amid shrinking orders, downstream enterprises generally reduced procurement volumes, maintaining a pace of just-needed, small-batch restocking. On the other hand, some enterprises halted production and went on early holidays due to insufficient orders or inventory risk control considerations, further suppressing market transaction activity and dragging down the operating rate of secondary aluminum producers. As off-season characteristics in May further intensified, if downstream resumption pace remained slow and new orders failed to follow through, the industry's operating rate would still face certain downward pressure.