Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials HomeCommoditiesEconomyAluminum hits four-year high on fears of China output cutsAlready the biggest producer in the world, China’s daily aluminum output rose to a record 129,000 tons last monthAuthor of the article:Last updated 0 minutes ago You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.China's aluminum smelters have been running beyond capacity to capitalize on a global shortage caused by the conflict in the Middle East. Photo by STR/AFP via Getty ImagesAluminum jumped to the highest in more than four years as fears of output cuts in top producer China compounded continuing disruptions in the Middle East.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThe industrial metal rose 0.6 per cent to settle at US$3,672.50 a metric ton on the London Metal Exchange, the highest since March 7, 2022. Traders are concerned that Chinese smelters will be asked to trim production amid a nationwide inspection of key industries’ energy use and emissions, according to researcher Mysteel Global.The nation’s aluminum smelters have been running beyond capacity to capitalize on a global shortage caused by the conflict in the Middle East. LME prices have jumped since the start of the war in late February as the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz dents supply from the region.Chinese authorities are now moving to rein in that over-production as inventories swell. A smelter in Baise, Guangxi province, has already cut output of molten aluminum, Mysteel wrote, without providing estimates of volumes affected. The steel and oil refining industries will also be targeted, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in a statement on May 13.Already the biggest producer in the world, China’s daily aluminum output rose to a record 129,000 tons last month, according to official data.LME copper swung between gains and losses before settling 0.3 per cent lower at US$13,623.50. Investors monitored progress toward a possible deal to end the war in the Middle East. The red metal rose near-record highs this month following a flurry of bets on the metals needed for the build-out of infrastructure linked to the artificial intelligence boom.Other base metals were mixed, with zinc down 0.3 per cent while tin was up 1.1 per cent.—With assistance from Jack Ryan and Yvonne Yue Li.Bloomberg.com Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. 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