The German auto-manufacturer BMW opened its first press shop in North America at its plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where it will produce the exterior for its X3 model, the company announced on Friday June 21

China’s exports of refined copper rose to an eight-year high in May, with exports expected to stay elevated through June, sources told Fastmarkets in the week to Friday June 21

Saudi Arabia, through its spearheading of a mining and minerals production and consumption push in the Middle East, a region usually associated with oil and gas, is leading neighboring countries to increase their presence in the base metals markets

Indonesia is preparing to invest more in its aluminium supply chain as part of its wider critical metals strategy, Fastmarkets understands

Market sentiment remain mixed on whether the investigation will impact aluminium prices and production

Aluminium premiums in all key regions remained well-supported in the week to Tuesday June 18, amid ongoing reports of tight availability, while market participants in Europe and Asia are focusing on ongoing negotiations for Japanese third-quarter supplies

Fastmarkets proposes to amend the name of the MB-AL-0231 Aluminium P1020A all-in price, delivered Midwest US, US cents/lb to clarify that the price is based on the London Metal Exchange cash aluminium price.

Read more from senior analyst Andy Farida on how the price action in LME nickel has played out in the first half of 2024

Tight aluminium scrap availability, the increase in container costs, sluggish demand in the US and the US market’s current indifference to rising premiums in Europe and Asia were the top subjects discussed during the Harbor Aluminum Summit that took place in Chicago on June 4-6

Germany-based copper recycling and non-ferrous metal provider Aurubis has started commissioning their secondary smelter in Augusta, Georgia, and could eventually introduce black mass recycling to the facility