Week-in-review: Smelters, scrap, and a squeeze play
Terminal markets firmed up amid new smelting announcements, tightening bauxite expectations, and jittery macro signals.
Category: Global Trade
Billet Market Starts to Move Higher
The billet market has been quiet in 2025 so far, but extruders exposed to the spot market are now facing some challenges.
From the front lines to the furnace: Aluminum’s role in American resilience
Memorial Day gives us a moment to reflect on the materials and industries that have supported American strength.
Recycled metal exports bans - An idea that masks the problem
Domestic increases in mill capacity and a struggling recycling rate, amid China's relaxed UBC scrap import policy, fail to make the case for banning US exports.
Container bookings and prices surge
Average bookings for the seven days ended on May 14th skyrocketed, which could cause bottlenecks, as containers getting stripped and shipped from the Los Angeles/Long Beach ports
The downside of the US-China tariff rollback: Container lines’ price hikes
The container lines operating in this shipping lane were quick to respond to the expected surge in freight demand.
What Superior’s lost wheel contract says about regional sourcing
While Michigan-based Superior did not name the “large North American OEM customer”, the scale suggests a major Detroit-based automaker.
Tariff time out: US and China pause punitive measures
Since the aluminum market is subject to Section 232 tariffs of 25%, regardless of source, and which supersedes the 10% tariff, it would bring the effective tariff rate on aluminum products brought into the US from China to 45%.
Small deal, sharp edge: Litho sheet finds its niche in trade pact
Litho sheet is typically costly and a rare grade of scrap to come by. Unlike other more specific alloys, like 6061 or 5052, it can be consumed by just about anyone or added to just about any melt mix.
A week of underwhelming developments
The Administration was eager to announce its first major trade deal on Thursday May 8. Unfortunately, the media probably gave more airtime to the news that Robert Prevost was the first American elected Pope in the Roman Catholic Church. Timing is everything…. but still the deal had important symbolism.