US secondary aluminum alloys prices increased on Friday for most grades as secondary smelters benefited from better global automotive demand.
The weekly Davis Index for A380.1 rose by 0.9¢/lb to 74.8¢/lb delivered US consumer on Friday, while A360.1 was up 0.3¢/lb to 85.5¢/lb delivered. The index for A413.1 moved up by 1.9¢/lb to 87.4¢/lb delivered US consumer on Friday.
The three-month LME aluminum contract closed Friday at $1,785/mt, unchanged from September 11.
The demand for secondary aluminum alloys remains strong in Asia, with Japan actively buying alloys from India. China, on the other hand, is not buying as much scrap to melt into secondary alloys, effectively removing Chinese capacity from the markets. As a result, alloy prices are likely to continue moving higher in the short term.