In 2016, the aluminium industry performed well and exceeded industry predictions. Even during Q4, the industry’s low season, the price of aluminium has remained strong.

New transportation policies banning overloaded long-haul transport resulted in a low inventory in China’s physical market, as metal has been log-jammed at shipping points. This played a major role in buoying Q4 prices. Finally, the increasing supply of liquid aluminium created an artificial shortage in the aluminium inventory, creating positive market sentiment that raised prices further.

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An unexpected decline in Germany’s powerhouse industrial sector dragged industrial output in the eurozone back into decline in September, but the fall was not as severe as economists had expected.

Industrial output excluding construction declined by 0.8 per cent over the month, but was 1.2 per cent higher than the same month a year ago. Although lower than August, the decline was less severe than the 1 per cent fall predicted by economists.

Eurostat also revised upward August’s already strong figures, from 1.6 per cent monthly growth to 1.8 per cent.

The Eurostat data follow disappointing figures from the French and German statistics offices last week, which both showed unexpectedly severe declines in industrial output.

Germany’s decline was one of the largest in the entire eurozone, alongside Denmark and Greece. Sweden, Ireland and Estonia were the best performers.

September’s fall was caused by a 5.6 per cent decline in production of durable consumer goods, whereas production of non-durable consumer goods rose by 0.3 per cent.

Magnesia prices in China decreased substantially at the start of January as the market adjusted following the cancellation of the export quota system in end-2016…

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Suppliers of chromite have been busy as both foundry and chemical grade material posted price upticks right up to Christmas, while buyers hope the market will slow down in 2017.

The chromite market closed 2016 at fresh highs, as spot prices for both chemical grade and foundry grade material edged up further during the final weeks of last year.

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Fused alumina production has experienced mass shut downs in China due to a draconian environmental clampdown on polluting plants since early December, which has pushed spot prices higher.

Many fused alumina and bauxite producers in Shanxi and Henan provinces in China have been forced to shut down by local government since 8 December amid worsening pollution levels in the region.

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