As the steel and aluminum markets wait to see how new tariffs will play out, one big question is what they will mean for demand. A panel hosted by SMU and the Association of Women in the Metal Industries (AWMI) Pittsburgh Chapter met virtually on Wednesday to discuss what the flurry of edicts from President […]
February didn’t let the aluminum market rest. Between tariff battles, supply chain disruptions, and big shifts in domestic production, we’re seeing a major reshaping of the industry. The U.S. is tightening trade policies, global premiums are fluctuating, and key players are making moves that will define the next few months. Here’s a full breakdown of […]
We have all been obsessed with the tariff tumult since Trump’s election and return to the Presidency. During this pre-occupation with handicapping the possible outcomes of the tariffs, an important event occurred that really did not get the attention it deserves. That event is China’s decision to rescind its export VAT (Value-Added-Tax) rebate program. VAT […]
The 25% tariff on aluminum imports, implementing in Q1 2025, has completely shifted global trade flows. With country specific exemptions gone, Canada and Mexico are feeling the hit. With the playing field now level, the assumption was that the UAE and India would fill the gap, but now, Ukraine may be the wild card that […]
The latest round of tariffs on aluminum and steel isn’t just about stopping direct imports, it’s about shutting down the backdoors that have let foreign metal, especially from China, slip into U.S. manufacturing through other countries. The new rules focus on where the metal was originally smelted and cast, not just where the final product […]
The newly announced amendments to Section 232 boost the ad valorem duty (a volume-based tariff) from 10 to 25% of the declared customs value for primary aluminum. This boost in the rate gives Alcoa and Century windfall revenue gains as the Midwest physical premium responds to this. If we measure the windfall from Inauguration Day […]
What happened this week: Why it matters: What to watch next: For now, MWP remains elevated, but the key question isn’t if a correction comes, it’s when.
(This conversation with ADI took place on February 6, 2025.) Aluminum is quietly undergoing a shake-up, and ADI is right at the center of it. Backed by Steel Dynamics (SDI), ADI is gearing up to make a serious impact, just like SDI did with steel. With new capacity coming online, shifting trade policies, and a […]
The latest turn on U.S. tariff policy has seen a universal, 25% tariff applied to all countries effective March 12, 2025. It applies to primary aluminum and its ‘derivatives’. We interpret that to apply to semi-fabricated and finished products under Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) Chapter 76. We also suspect that it will be extended to […]
In our Final Thoughts commentary last week, we discussed how used beverage container (UBC) price had become expensive. Conversations at the Platt’s conference centered around what would break the upward trend in prices. As I learned from my oldest mentor at Cargill (when I was a very green and very naïve grain trader), “the cure […]