The Iran conflict's impact on demand, prices
Aluminum markets remain in flux as the US-Israeli attack on Iran enters its second week.
Aluminum markets remain in flux as the US-Israeli attack on Iran enters its second week.
These producers are not rookies. They understand how to manage the long supply chains from the Gulf into the US.
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Markets have been taken aback by the intensity of the conflict and the Iranian retaliatory strikes on at least 14 different countries. Investors were also shaken by the severe disruptions to oil and gas flows coming out of the Persian Gulf.
Cheap aluminum scrap has not triggered widespread buying due to saturated demand, chemistry limits, and limited processing capacity.
February aluminum imports fell sharply despite strong Midwest premium incentives, leaving US inventories at roughly two weeks of demand and raising the risk of higher physical premiums amid tight supply and geopolitical uncertainty.
US Customs and Border Protection concluded the first of two scheduled auctions of seized extruded aluminum pallets on Feb. 19.
Alcoa Corp. plans sell 10 of its closed or curtailed sites to one of the aluminum industry's biggest competitors for electricity: the data center industry.
A weekly review of global political developments, market volatility and key macroeconomic data shaping equities, commodities, energy and trade heading into the week of Feb. 16.
It will likely be the second quarter before we see total imports return to the robust levels of Q1'25