Extension of the consultation period for the amendment to US Midwest low-carbon aluminium differentials

Following an initial 30-day consultation period, Fastmarkets has elected to extend the consultation period to amend the frequency of its US Midwest low-carbon aluminium differentials to allow for further feedback from the industry.

Fastmarkets has proposed to increase the frequency of its MB-AL-0389 aluminium low-carbon differential P1020A, US Midwest and MB-AL-0390 aluminium low-carbon differential value-added product, US Midwest to a weekly basis from the current monthly basis.

The new proposed specifications are as follows:

MB-AL-0389 Aluminium low-carbon differential P1020A, US Midwest, US cents/lb
Carbon limit: 4tCO2e per tonne of aluminium produced, Scope 1 and 2 emissions*
Quality: P1020A or 99.7% minimum Al purity (Si 0.10% max, Fe 0.20% max). Ingot, T-bar, sow
Quantity: Min 100 tonnes
Location: Delivered consumer works Midwest, differential on top of P1020A premium and exchange-listed aluminum price.
Unit: US cents per pound
Timing: Delivery starting within three months
Publication: Weekly on Fridays. 3-4pm London time.

MB-AL-0390 Aluminium low-carbon differential value-added product, US Midwest, US cents/lb
Carbon limit: 4tCO2e per tonne of aluminium produced, Scope 1 and 2 emissions*
Type: Extrusion billet, primary foundry alloy, wire rod, slab
Quantity: Min 100 tonnes
Location: Delivered into US Midwest region, differential on top of value-added product premium and exchange-listed aluminum price
Unit: US cents per pound
Timing: Delivery starting within three months
Publication: Weekly on Fridays. 3-4pm London time.

* Fastmarkets will define low-carbon aluminium originating from smelters that emit a maximum of 4tCO2e per tonne of aluminium produced under Scope 1 and 2 emissions. Scope 1 and 2 includes direct carbon emissions from the smelter itself and indirect emissions from the power source of the smelter.

These prices are a part of the Fastmarkets base metals package.

The extended consultation period for these proposed amendments starts on Thursday March 14 and will end on Monday April 15. The amendment will then take place, subject to market feedback, on Friday May 3.

To provide feedback on these differentials, or if you would like to provide price information by becoming a data submitter to these differentials, please contact Yasemin Esmen by email at pricing@fastmarkets.com. Please add the subject heading: “FAO: Yasemin Esmen, re: US low-carbon aluminium differentials.”

Please indicate if comments are confidential. Fastmarkets will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available upon request.

To see all Fastmarkets pricing methodology and specification documents, go to https://www.fastmarkets.com/methodology.

What to read next
Fastmarkets invited feedback from the industry on the pricing methodology for its global soybean prices, via an open consultation process between April 15 and May 10, 2025. This consultation was done as part of our annual methodology review process.
Due to the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day on Monday May 19, these prices will be published instead on May 20, in accordance with Fastmarkets’ policy. This change was not initially noted on Fastmarkets’ 2025 pricing schedule. The pricing schedule has now been updated. The affected prices are:MB-STE-0093 steel scrap, auto bundle scrap, […]
The US trade roller coaster ride seems to be flattening, with signs of potential moderation and stability. It appears increasingly likely that our original expectation that the US Trump administration would primarily use the threat of tariffs as a negotiating strategy will be correct. While we do not expect to the US tariff position return to pre-2025 levels, we believe the overall US tariff burden is more likely to settle at around 10-30% globally rather than the elevated rates of 50-100% that seemed possible in recent weeks.
Fastmarkets proposes to launch Nordic sawn timber export prices for selected European markets and grades, while discontinuing the PIX Sawn Timber FAS Finland indices. The PIX sawn timber FAS Finland indices have not been widely adopted by the industry and the new price assessments will offer more end-market-specific data for major European markets and will […]
To increase transparency, Fastmarkets has further clarified how it handles price movements during periods of low liquidity. Factors that Fastmarkets may consider during times of low liquidity include, but are not limited to: market fundamentals such as changes in inventory levels, shipments, operating rates and export volumes; relative fundamentals of similar commodities in the same […]
Fastmarkets invited feedback from the industry on the pricing methodology for PIX Packaging GCC indices via an open consultation process between April 16 and May 14, 2025. This consultation was done as part of our published annual methodology review process. Full details of the prices covered by this consultation can be found here. No feedback […]