Weak Market Purchase Sentiment, Declining Market Transaction Prices [SMM Spot Aluminum Midday Review]

Published: May 14, 2026 14:21

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SMM May 14:

During the morning session, the SHFE aluminum 2606 contract fluctuated upward, with the overall price center moving higher than the previous trading day. Today, market procurement sentiment remained weak, while seller shipments sentiment rose due to higher aluminum prices. Mainstream spot quotes ranged from SMMA00 minus 10 yuan/mt to minus 20 yuan/mt. Today, the east China market shipments sentiment index was 3 (up 0.04 MoM), and the procurement sentiment index was 2.8 (down 0.06 MoM).

Aluminum prices rose significantly during last night's night session, and the central China market's initial premiums were low today. Although prices continued to decline after the opening, transaction price premiums remained low and showed a continued downward trend, affected by insufficient invoice quotas and high aluminum prices suppressing downstream procurement sentiment. Ultimately, the actual transaction price range in the central China market was around 20 to 50 yuan discount to the central China price. Today, the central China market shipments sentiment index was 2.83 (up 0.01 MoM), and the procurement sentiment index was 2.26 (down 0.02 MoM).

Inventory side, aluminum ingot inventory in major consumption areas fell 0.15 MoM today, with destocking originating from Guangdong and Wuxi.

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.

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