US secondary aluminum alloys prices trended flat on Friday amid news of one of the big three automakers going back to three shifts June 1 onwards, for its mid- to full-size truck assembly lines.
The weekly Davis Index for A380.1 decreased by 0.03¢/lb to 67.3¢/lb delivered US consumer on Friday and moved down by 0.01¢/lb to 74¢/lb delivered for 319.1.
The index for A360.1 decreased by 0.07¢/lb to 81.9¢/lb delivered US consumer and was unchanged at 82.3¢/lb delivered US for A413.1.
The three-month LME aluminum contract closed at $1,537/mt on Friday, up by $38/mt from $1,499/mt on May 22.
Secondary smelters are bracing for demand to pick up after General Motors announced it would be ramping up operations to three shifts at its pickup truck plants. However, credit-related concerns could hinder the speed of recovery and expose gaps in the supply chains.
Secondary alloy pricing could rise based on higher scrap prices as supply remains low and more demand is anticipated from the automotive industry, especially for secondary aluminum grades.