Covid-19 pandemic was period of high highs, low lows for battery raw materials, copper, aluminium – 2022 looks set to be smoother year for prices, supply, demand

Aluminium producers are now considering different contract structures for value-added products with alloying elements such as silicon to mitigate upside production cost risks

Fastmarkets analyst Yang Cao and reporter Justin Yang size up the aluminium market ahead of LME Week, which begins Monday October 11

Base metals prices on the LME were mainly rebounding on Wednesday September 22, after dip buyers took advantage of Tuesday's price weakness, while metals in Shanghai were mixed but mainly down in response to the downturn in London this week.

Fastmarkets, the industry-leading cross-commodity price reporting agency (PRA), is delighted to announce the successful completion of an independent assurance review of 34 key metals benchmarks.

Base metals prices on the LME and SHFE were mixed on the morning of Friday September 17, with most remaining listless despite being buffeted by a firmer US dollar, generally weaker economic data and disruption to both production and supply.

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange largely edged up on the morning of Wednesday September 15 after a day of weakness, but those on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were weaker because they followed movements in London on Tuesday and reacted to weaker Chinese economic data.

Fourth quarter negotiations for aluminium into Main Japanese Ports (MJP) between producers and market participants have been extended for another week, with negotiations now expected to conclude on Friday September 17.

Base metals prices were higher on both the LME and the SHFE this morning, Friday September 10, with the broader markets also up. Additionally, metals that were previously looking vulnerable now look less vulnerable, suggesting traders are still comfortable being exposed to the metals.

Steelmakers in the United States and the United Steelworkers (USW) union warned that a potential US accord with the European Union to end the dispute resulting from the former President Donald Trump administration’s Section 232 steel and aluminium tariffs could boost imports from Europe and hurt the domestic industry.