China trade data: Pivoting away from U.S. dependency
Ever since it launched its One Belt One Road campaign in 2013, China has been relentless in building markets overseas.
Tag: Trading
LME outlines plans to modernize options market
Most of the world’s global non-ferrous futures business is conducted on the LME’s three trading platforms, totaling $18 trillion, 178 million lots and 4 billion tonnes with a market open interest high of 1.8 million lots in 2024.
Join AMU for a webinar about the future of premiums and scrap tolling
Join AMU experts Greg Wittbecker and Nicholas Bell on Thursday, September 25 at 11 a.m. ET
LME contangoes: Why they may or may not matter
Volatile LME spreads may not directly dictate physical aluminum prices, but with tight inventories, rising Midwest premiums, and traders creating "artificial contangoes", financing costs are increasingly being pushed into the physical market.
Traxys teams up with Pure Aluminum, Consortium Metals to boost US recycled aluminum production
The partnership could reshape how recycled aluminum is processed and delivered to customers across the United States.
Court of International Trade sets limits on extrusion duty appeals
The ruling might not be the last word – but it’s a signal on where future cases my land.
Understanding aluminum imports: What are your options?
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 […]
Week in review- Tariffs take center stage
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 […]
Can trade ties survive tariffs?
On January 10th, a newly formed Canada-U.S. Trade Council was formed. It is meant to smooth over growing trade tensions, inspired by the tariff threat, but skepticism is already running high. A service center I spoke with dismissed the council outright, saying, “The bios are heavy on politicians, which means little will be accomplished.” It’s […]
The big bad backwardation – How the future’s spread will affect you
Some of you might be scratching your heads, wondering why you should even care about future’s spreads when you’re doing deals back-to-back. Well, hang tight, and I’ll break it down for you in plain terms. What happened to the Mar-April aluminum spread on the LME? The spread between March and April went into a backwardation, […]