On February 11, 2025, President Trump slammed the door on aluminum imports with a sweeping 25% tariff, eliminating all previous country exemptions. No more breaks for Canada, Mexico, or the EU, if aluminum is coming into the U.S., it’s getting taxed. Period. This move is a game-changer for manufacturers, processors, and buyers who rely on […]
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 […]
This first week of February 2025 saw tariffs dominate the aluminum market conversation, with Trump imposing 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, then delaying their implementation for 30 days after negotiations with both governments. China wasn’t so lucky, as the U.S. followed through with a 10% tariff on Chinese goods, prompting immediate retaliatory tariffs […]
Tariffs are making headlines, but aluminum doesn’t wait for politics to play out. The market is already shifting, supply chains are adjusting, and smart money is moving ahead of the noise. So, where does that leave us? What’s happening right now?What if this escalates further?What should we be doing now?What’s Happening? The biggest shifts aren’t […]
This month has been all over the place for aluminum-tariffs, trade fights, and global supply chain shakeups. Some threats are still on the table, some haven’t gone anywhere, and some could turn into a real mess if they go through. Here’s what’s happening and what it means for the aluminum industry. United States: Trump’s big […]
Tariff talks What that means for Midwest premiums (MWP) Unintended consequences: Who fills the supply gap? The EU might ban Russian aluminum UBC prices are squeezing mills Good turnout, but a market looking for direction Economics & pricing flows Short-term tightening in spreads and inflationary pressures suggest an environment of increasing cost sensitivity and continued […]
The impact of Trump’s proposed tariffs and the tightness in used beverage container scrap