WBMS: Primary Aluminum Metal Market Ended in Significant Deficit

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The January to November 2021 Metals Balances Report published by the World Bureau of Metal Statistics (WBMS) suggests that primary aluminium market ended in notable deficit of 1,477 kt. This follows a surplus of 1,272 kt recorded for the whole of 2020.

ALSO READ:

World Nickel Market Posted Deficit Till October This Year

World Copper Metal Balance Ended in Deficit Until October 2021

The global aluminum production during the initial eleven-month period of the previous year rose by nearly 3.7% upon comparison with the corresponding period a year before. The Chinese output, at 35,446.6 kt, accounted for about 57% of the global aluminium production. The Chinese net exports of aluminum semi manufactures rose 14% to 4,415 kt during January to November in 2021, in comparison with the corresponding period a year before that.

The demand stood higher by 4,648 kt from the comparable period in 2020 to around 63.25 million tonnes. The Chinese apparent demand surged higher by 5.9% than in Jan-Nov ‘20. The Japanese demand was up by 303 kt, while the U.S. demand too was up by 181 kt.

The total reported stocks of the metal dipped in November 2021 to close the period at 1,483 kt below the end-2020 levels. The Shanghai stocks increased during the month of November last year and ended the period 103 kt above the end-2020 levels. Meantime, the LME stocks closed at 1,341.2 kt at the end of November 2021, compared with 2,917.0 kt at the end of 2020.

In November 2021, primary aluminium production totalled 5,499.6 kt, whereas the demand stood at 5,698.5 kt.