Global Trade
May 12, 2025
Written by Nicholas Bell
The US and China have agreed to a 90-day pause in their escalating tariff war.
The tariff pause will lower the Trump administration’s reciprocal tariffs by 115% on US imports of Chinese goods, maintaining a 10% duty rate in addition to the 20% fentanyl-related tariff, while China’s drops its duty rate on US goods to 10% from 125%.
EGA has restarted 631 of Al Taweelah’s 1,262 reduction cells and still expects the smelter to return to full production in Q1 2027.
Recycler forward views shifted toward undersupply in October even as Midwest Premium and UBC expectations moved lower.
Aluminum sheet lead times rose modestly in October, while broader supply indicators remained largely stable after September’s shift.
Alcoa expects two other unnamed sites to follow the Massena East sale.
A Luxembourg court withdrew an order blocking a potential sale of Ardagh Metal Packaging, allowing Ardagh Holdings to resume preparations.
