The fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is changing global trade flows for bauxite, with Brazilian material once again flowing into China and with the introduction of export restrictions elsewhere likely to influence availability through 2023

The recent drop in freight rates and rising Chinese alumina prices have reportedly opened the arbitrage window for imports from Australia to restart, sources told Fastmarkets

Key talking points at Fastmarkets’ International Aluminium conference, held in Barcelona, Spain, on September 12-15

The publication of Fastmarkets’ inferred alumina index for Thursday September 15 was delayed due to a technical error

Brazilian alumina exports grew by 62.24% year on year in August on higher shipments, in particular from northeastern Maranhão state, where the Alumar refinery is located, according to data published by the economy ministry on Monday September 5.

India’s push toward the beneficiation of low-grade iron ore could result in new trade patterns emerging in the future if implemented, market sources told Fastmarkets this week

The alumina sector is continuing to grapple with rising costs and weakening market conditions, while the Atlantic differential could switch direction due to refinery production cuts and aluminium smelter closures, sources told Fastmarkets.

China’s alumina exports into Russia jumped again in May amid steady demand from the latter country to plug its shortfall due to its invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions against it

Some alumina refineries in China were finding it difficult to make profits in the face of higher production costs and falling alumina prices, raising the risk of production cuts in the future, Fastmarkets heard on Thursday June 9

Dwindling demand and differing supply situations between regions pressured aluminium billet premiums down or kept them unchanged across the world on Wednesday June 1, with clear bearishness slowly taking over global markets