Shanghai Nonferrous Metals News
China produced 3.07 mln t of primary aluminium in July 2019, down 2% on-year, with daily average aluminium output of 98.9 kt. China’s total primary aluminium output reached 20.56 mln for the first seven months of 2019, down 1.66% on-year. July saw domestic aluminium capacity growth contributed by new startups and resumptions of smelters in IM, Shanxi and Shandong, but capacity cuts from smelters in northeastern and northwestern China. China had 40.73 mtpy of completed primary aluminium capacity by end-July, of which 36.59 mtpy is operational.
SMM forecast China’s aluminium output at 3.09 mln t for August in the wake of increasing capacity resumptions in Guizhou, Shandong and IM, but this still shows a y-o-y decline of 1.8%. Stimulated by relatively high profit margins, the pace of new primary aluminium capacity startups and resumptions is expected to accelerate slightly.
