US aluminum export prices varied by grade over the week as LME sensitive scrap prices fell in tandem with the LME Aluminum market. Traditional export grades, on the other hand, continued to push higher over the short week.
The weekly Davis Index for 95/2 Zorba increased by 2.5¢/lb to 71.9¢/lb fas US port while 99/3 Zorba climbed by 1.6¢/lb to 76¢/lb fas. At these numbers, many shredder operations are dumping traditional export aluminum grades in the shredder for processing, reducing the processing cost, and decreasing the chance of rejection at Chinese customs.
The Davis Index for Taint/Tabor and Tense jumped this week with Taint/Tabor indexing at 67¢/lb fas, higher by a penny, and Tense moving to 67.3¢/lb fas US ports, better by 0.3¢/lb.
The index for 6063 new bare scrap stepped down by 1.5¢/lb to 88.5¢/lb fas, while A356 wheels increased by 2¢/lb to 83.5¢/lb fas US port, due to a lack of quality cast availability in the scrap market.
The official three-month LME Aluminium contract decreased by $28/mt to $1,980.50/mt on Thursday, from $2,008.50/mt on Dec 23.