Asian aluminium import prices for Extrusion 95/5, Tally and Talk gained while those for Tense, Zorba 95/2 and A35 wheels dropped. Taint/Tabor prices were unchanged on the weak demand amidst lockdown measures to curb the second wave of COVID-19 infections. Despite a rise in the three-month LME aluminium contracts prices for most grades were under pressure.
ADC 12 trades to Japan continue to remain slow, and only a few manufacturers heard bids from China. Imports have slowed as many countries continue to grapple with the resurgence of COVID-19 along with the depreciation of currencies against the US dollar.
The official three-month aluminium contract rose to $2,368.5/mt April 21 from $2,344/mt on April, up by $24.5/mt.
The weekly Davis Indexes for Zorba 95/2 settled at $1,725/mt from $1,783/mt cfr India port, down by $58/mt, while for Zorba 99/3 it settled flat at $1,700/mt cif China port.
The weekly Indexes for 6063 extrusions settled at $1,900/mt from $1,855/mt cfr India port, up by $45/mt while for A356 wheels, it dropped to $2,048/mt cfr India port, down by $1/mt.
The weekly Index for Taint/Tabor gained by $18/mt to settle at $1,740/mt from $1,722/mt cfr India port and the index for Tense settled at $1,700/mt from $1,725/mt, down by $25/mt.
The weekly Davis Index for Talk or Aluminium-Copper radiators settled at $4,380/mt from $4,369/mt, up by $11/mt cfr India port.
ADC 12 trades
The weekly Davis Index for ADC 12 cfr China settled at $2,200/mt from $2,193/mt, up by $7/mt cfr China port, while the index for ADC 12 cfr Japan settled flat at $2,250/mt as Japanese bids have gone silent since the past few days amid disruptions in the manufacturing sector due to a shortage of microchips.
In India, manufacturers reported production cuts in several regions as temporary labourers returned to their hometowns following the imposition of the lockdowns in industrial regions. Loading and unloading operations at major ports are so far unaffected, but importers fear a disturbance in the near future if lockdown measures continue for long.