It was originally proposed to start publishing the alumina index on a daily basis from Monday 27 November. The frequency change has been postponed until December 1 to provide a full month of weekly pricing for the month of November.
The consultation period for the proposed changes to the fob Brazil alumina index and the fob Australia alumina index closed on Friday November 24.
Other amendments to the fob Australia and fob Brazil alumina indices, as outlined in the original consultation notices, will also come into effect on Friday December 1:
– Metal Bulletin will reduce the minimum tonnage requirement for the fob Australia and fob Brazil alumina indices to 5,000 tonnes, from 10,000 tonnes previously.
– The deadline for data submission will change to 3pm London time from 2pm previously. Indices will be published between 3pm and 4pm on their respective publication days.
– The frequency of the inferred fob Brazil alumina index will be increased to daily, to match the daily publication of the benchmark fob Australia alumina index.
Links to the original pricing notices can be found below:
PRICING NOTICE: Proposal to amend frequency of fob Australia alumina index
PRICING NOTICE: Proposal to amend fob Brazil alumina index
Full specifications for each of the alumina indices, incorporating the above changes, are as follows:
Description: Alumina index, fob Bunbury, Australia
Units: US$/ dry metric tonne
Basis: fob Bunbury, Australia
Material origin: Australia (other Pacific origins normalized)
Grade: Smelter grade alumina, minimum purity of 98.5% Al2O3
Trade Size: Minimum 5,000 tonnes
Payment Terms: 30 days after loading
Loading Port: Bunbury/Kwinana (other ports normalized)
Loading window: Within 2 months
Delivery Method: Bulk carrier
Publication: Every weekday between 3pm and 4pm, London time (rolled over on UK public holidays)
Description: Alumina index, fob Brazil (adjustment)
Units: US$/dry metric tonne
Basis: fob Vila do Conde, Brazil
Grade: Smelter grade alumina, min purity of 98.5% Al2O3
Loading port: Vila do Conde (other ports normalized)
Material destination: All destinations
Trade size: Minimum 5,000 tonnes
Loading window: Within two months
Delivery method: Bulk carrier
Payment terms: 30 days after loading
Publication: Fortnightly on Thursdays between 3pm and 4pm London time.
Note: Published as a discount or premium to Metal Bulletin’s fob Australia alumina index
Description: Alumina index, fob Brazil (inferred)
Units: US$/dry metric tonne
Basis: fob Vila do Conde, Brazil
Grade: Smelter grade alumina, min purity of 98.5% Al2O3
Loading port: Vila do Conde (other ports normalized)
Material destination: All destinations
Trade size: Minimum 5,000 tonnes
Loading window: Within two months
Delivery method: Bulk carrier
Payment terms: 30 days after loading
Publication: Every weekday between 3pm and 4pm London time
Note: Calculated by netting the fob Brazil adjustment against the fob Australia alumina index
All historical data relating to the fob Australia alumina index, fob Brazil alumina index, and inferred fob Brazil alumina index prior to these amendments will remain available in the pricing section of the Metal Bulletin website.
To discuss the points outlined above in further detail, to organize a meeting or if you would like to provide price information by becoming a data submitter to these indices, please contact Charlotte Radford by email at: pricing@metalbulletin.com. Please add the subject heading FAO: Charlotte Radford, re: Alumina pricing.
To see all Metal Bulletin’s pricing methodology and specification documents go to the Fastmarkets Methodology.
