City warns the era of surplus is ending, with Chinese exports capped and LME stocks falling below 700,000 t. Prices may exceed $3,000/t soon.
👉 Source: Reuters

China has also become the world’s largest aluminium consumer over the same time-frame but persistent over-production has spilled out in the form of semi-manufactured products. Exports last year hit a new record of 6.7 million tons.

Exports of products such as rod, tube and foil fell by 9% year-on-year in the first seven months of the year. Imports of primary metal, on the other hand, rose by 11% to 1.5 million tons on the back of a near doubling in shipments from Russia.