Contributor: Greg Wittbecker

AMU takes a closer look at obscure but telling markets - corrugated boxes, cement, and coatings - for early clues on where aluminum demand may really be headed in 2025.

Indonesia is grabbling a lot of attention these days, thanks to ambitious plans by Chinese investors to bet big on aluminum smelting. This is not the first time that Indonesia has captured the attention of the aluminum industry.

Freight data - especially truck movements - remains flat year over year, underscoring its role as a leading indicator of commodity demand and an early signal for aluminum's dependence on final-mile delivery.

Debates are underway on how to get more supply to electric grids

As billet upcharges mount, scrap spreads stay wide, and talk of an export ban rattles recyclers, the aluminum industry heads into 2026 facing some of the toughest cost and supply negotiations yet.

Broadly speaking, the OECD is more positive on growth than what one might have thought.

An in-depth look at how solar installations shape aluminum demand and U.S. market dynamics amid growing domestic capacity and the rising panel imports in the run-up to tariffs.

There are plenty of opportunities to make money in scrap

Upcoming USTR port fees targeting Chinese-built vessels are set to upend transpacific shipping costs, squeeze capacity, and ripple through U.S. supply chains as early as 2026.

Rising Midwest and European premiums are giving Canadian aluminum producers a rare boost, restoring pricing power just ahead of key 2026 negotiations.