"Major Central Banks to Announce Rates; US Fed Expected to Hold Steady"

The US Department of Energy (DOE) plans to provide up to $500 million in funding to expand domestic critical minerals processing and battery materials manufacturing and recycling, as Washington seeks to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.

According to South32’s official website on March 16, Mozal Aluminium (Mozal) was confirmed to have entered care and maintenance on March 15. South32’s CEO stated that extensive engagement had taken place over the past six years with the Government of Mozambique, Eskom, and other stakeholders, but it had not been possible to secure sufficient and affordable power supply for Mozal beyond March.

[SMM Cast Aluminum Alloy Morning Comment: Bulls Lost Momentum at High Levels, Aluminum Alloy Futures Prices Should Watch Lower Support] Last Friday, quotations in the secondary aluminum alloy market were mainly stable. Before noon, fluctuations in futures narrowed, enterprises' willingness to adjust prices weakened significantly, and most producers chose to hold prices steady and wait on the sidelines. In the afternoon, as futures fluctuated downward, some producers began to lower quotations by 100 yuan/mt. Demand side, downstream players still mainly made just-in-time procurement, but amid the pullback in aluminum prices and the approach of the weekend, some enterprises showed slightly stronger purchasing interest, and market transactions improved somewhat from the previous day.