Fastmarkets launches low-carbon aluminium differential 

Read more about how we are responding to growing demand for green metal in Japan and South Korea

Fastmarkets, an industry-leading cross-commodity price-reporting agency (PRA), has announced the launch of a new low-carbon-aluminium differential price in Asia.  

The launch of a low-carbon aluminium price differential responds to the increasing demand for sustainable materials in the automotive and manufacturing sectors in Asia. Recognizing the inflow of low-carbon aluminium to Japanese and South Korean markets, and the readiness of these sectors to pay a premium over conventional aluminium, Fastmarkets aims to establish a transparent pricing mechanism that reflects the growing green economy in Asia.  

Starting March 1, Fastmarkets will publish a CIF Japan and South Korea differential, making it the premier PRA to price East Asia’s low-carbon aluminium. The launch of the price expands Fastmarkets’ suite of low-carbon aluminium prices to include Asia and complements its European and US prices.  

The CIF Japan and South Korea low-carbon aluminium differential will be assessed against CIF major Japanese ports premium, Fastmarkets’ benchmark price for aluminium in Asia.  

The differential features a robust specification as follows:

  • Carbon limit: 4tCO2e per tonne of aluminium produced (Scope 1 and 2 emissions) 
  • Quality: P1020A or 99.7% minimum aluminium purity 
  • Quantity: Minimum of 100 tonnes 
  • Location: Delivered to Japan & South Korea 
  • Delivery window: Within three months 
  • Unit: USD per tonne 
  • Publication: Monthly, first Friday of the month, 4 pm London time 

Raju Daswani, CEO of Fastmarkets, underlines the company’s commitment to providing prices, news and analysis to a fast-evolving market, stating, “We are excited to lead the charge in pricing transparency for sustainable commodities, especially at a time when the industry at large is moving towards a greener future.”  

With this launch, Fastmarkets reaffirms its reputation as a standard-bearer of innovation in commodity pricing, alongside notable actions such as pricing black mass, launching an Asia green steel differential and a new European carbon-reduced flat steel price

What to read next
Capital is flowing back into junior mining, but selectively. Investment is increasingly favouring development‑stage assets with clearer paths to production, supported by government funding and strategic partnerships. While demand for critical minerals underpins the cycle, early‑stage explorers continue to struggle for capital as investors prioritise discipline, ESG alignment and near‑term cash flow.
In this episode of Fast Forward, Andrea Hotter speaks with Stella Li, executive vice president at BYD, one of the world’s fastest-growing electric vehicle and battery companies. From ultra-fast charging and vertical integration to global expansion and shifting consumer expectations, Stella explains how BYD is redefining what it means to be a carmaker.
North American automotive OEMs are navigating one of the toughest cost pressures today: raw material volatility. As supply chains become more localized through USMCA, the IRA, and reshoring, manufacturers continue to face rising material price risks.
European automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers are facing a period of unprecedented market uncertainty.
China's Tsingshan Holding Group is in talks with potential project partners about building another aluminium smelter in North Maluku, Indonesia, sources told Fastmarkets in the week to Thursday April 16.
Fastmarkets and Expana, global leaders in commodity price reporting and market intelligence, today announced a strategic partnership to deliver deeper, more actionable forest products intelligence to customers. Under the partnership, Fastmarkets’ trusted forest products price benchmarks will be integrated directly into the Expana platform, giving customers streamlined access to essential upstream pricing alongside downstream market […]