China imports ever more aluminium as alloy demand booms

Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore between them hold 1.16 million tonnes of LME-registered aluminium, representing 86% of total exchange stocks. They are all within easy shipping distance of China.(File pic shows Aluminium stocks in Port Klang.)

LONDON: China imported another 220,000 tonnes of unwrought aluminium in October, extending one of the most unexpected trends in a year of metals market upheaval.

Net imports of primary aluminium and alloy totalled 1.74 million tonnes in the first 10 months of the year. That already exceeds the 1.43 million tonnes imported in the whole of 2009, the last time the world's largest producer turned to the international market for supply.