[SMM Aluminum Flash] According to multiple media reports, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran, prices in the international energy and metals markets fluctuated significantly. WTI crude oil futures fell by over 5%, while European natural gas prices plunged more than 10%. In the metals market, LME aluminum prices declined during the evening session, dropping over 5% to $3,357/mt. China's most-traded SHFE aluminum contract was also affected, with open interest rising by over 14,000 lots and the price falling by as much as 2% to 23,730 yuan/mt. Market concerns now center on persistently high operating aluminum capacity in China, while new and resumed aluminum capacity outside China will also put pressure on LME aluminum prices.

SMM June 15 news: In the morning session, the SHFE aluminum 2606 contract fluctuated, with aluminum prices holding at relatively high levels. However, high aluminum prices dampened downstream purchasing sentiment, pushing quotes and transaction prices lower. Mainstream spot transaction prices were at a discount of 90–100 yuan/mt against the SHFE aluminum 2607 contract. Today, the selling sentiment index in East China stood at 2.96, flat MoM, while the purchasing sentiment index came in at 2.76, down 0.06 MoM. During the night session, aluminum futures prices rose again. Before the opening, quotes in the central China market had already shown a softening trend. After the opening, absolute prices pulled back, but downstream processing enterprises largely stayed on the sidelines, leading to weak purchasing sentiment. Suppliers showed little willingness to hold prices firm, and quotes declined steadily. Ultimately, actual transaction prices in central China centered around a discount of 170–190 yuan/mt against the SHFE aluminum 2607 contract. Today, the selling sentiment index in central China was 2.92, up 0.01 MoM, while the purchasing sentiment index was 2.20, down 0.01 MoM. On the inventory front, aluminum ingot inventory in major consuming areas fell by 0.7 MoM today, with destocking mainly driven by Guangdong and Wuxi.

According to foreign media reports, in response to applications from Indian Aluminium Industries Limited (IAIL) and SRF Altech, among other companies, India has decided to extend the deadline for imposing anti-dumping duties on aluminum foil with a thickness of 80 micrometers or less imported from China, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia until December 15, 2026. On September 29, 2025, the Directorate General of Trade Remedies under the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry initiated sunset reviews of aluminum foil imports from China, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.

Recently, the mass production ceremony for the new automotive aluminum parts plant of the Norwegian Hydro Group was held in the Sino-European Advanced Manufacturing Industrial Park in Chengxiang Town, Taicang. Hydro is deeply involved in the research, development, manufacturing, and low-carbon recycling technologies of aluminum profiles, and its products are widely used by high-end automakers such as BMW, Tesla, and Audi. The project has successfully passed the PPAP production parts approval audit and has officially entered the full-scale mass production stage. It will stably supply high-end lightweight aluminum structural parts for BMW models. After reaching full production capacity, it is expected to generate an additional annual output value of 50 million yuan, adding high-quality foreign-invested capacity to the Taicang automotive parts industry chain.

On June 11, a delegation led by Boris Titov, Russian Chairman of the Russian-Chinese Committee for Friendship, Peace and Development, visited Shaanxi Nonferrous Metals Group. Wu Qunying, Party Secretary and Chairman of the Group, held talks with Titov and his delegation at the Group's headquarters, reaching a consensus on deepening trade and expanding cooperation in various business areas. Zhao Liming, member of the Group's Party Committee and Vice General Manager, also participated in the talks. Wu Qunying welcomed Titov and his delegation, noting that Shaanxi Nonferrous Metals Group had previously sent a delegation composed of relevant enterprises from the SCO Nonferrous Metals Joint Venture to Russia and other regions for economic and trade exchanges, achieving a series of fruitful results. He expressed hope that both sides would establish a regular cooperation mechanism in areas such as nonferrous metals, oil and gas, new energy, and import and export business, implementing "list-based management, milestone-based advancement, and responsibility-based implementation." He hoped that with the support of the Russian-Chinese Committee for Friendship, Peace and Development, negotiations would be accelerated to ensure the smooth delivery of trade orders, promoting deeper and more effective pragmatic cooperation in various fields across the Group's overseas operations, achieving a strong alliance and complementary advantages, and creating a new benchmark for in-depth Sino-Russian friendly cooperation.

On June 10th, the groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Qinghai Provincial Investment Group Qiaotou Aluminum & Electricity 600kA Green Aluminum 500,000-ton Capacity Replacement, Transformation and Upgrading Technological Transformation Project. Located in Beichuan Industrial Park, Datong Hui and Tu Autonomous County, Xining City, Qinghai Province, the project has a total construction area of ​​255,693.44 square meters. Its main components include raw material storage and transportation, anode assembly production area, electrolytic flue gas purification system, casting system, GIS power rectification system, and other production systems, as well as necessary auxiliary systems, a comprehensive office building, and living facilities. The structure is a reinforced concrete frame structure.

Qatar Aluminium Manufacturing Company (Qamco) confirmed on Sunday that it has terminated its marketing agency relationship with its partner, Norway's Hydro, in their joint venture, Qatalum. The company did not specify the reason. "Following the termination of the partnership, Qatar Aluminium will temporarily assume responsibility for the marketing and sales of its aluminum products," Qatalum said in a statement. It added that the company will continue constructive communication with Hydro to ensure an orderly transition. It is reported on Friday that Qatar Aluminium cancelled its metal supply agreement with Hydro; Hydro issued a force majeure notice to its customers. Qatalum, established in 2006, has an annual production capacity of 648,000 tons and is a 50/50 joint venture between Hydro and Qatar Energy; Qatar Energy holds a 51% stake in Qamco.

Recently, the group standard "Green Aluminum Enterprise Evaluation Specification," spearheaded by Yunnan Aluminum Co., Ltd., was officially released. Its release and implementation will effectively address prominent issues such as the lack of unified standards for green aluminum enterprise evaluation and insufficient alignment with international certification systems, providing a normative evaluation basis for green aluminum enterprises in Yunnan Province and across the country. This standard will help aluminum enterprises break through international trade barriers, enhance the premium capacity of green products, and drive the transformation of the aluminum industry toward high-end, intelligent, and green directions, offering a replicable and scalable "Yunnan Experience" for the carbon peak of the national non-ferrous metals industry. In the next step, Yunnan Aluminum Co., Ltd. will take this standard’s release as an opportunity to transform the enterprise’s advanced green manufacturing experience into industry-wide common standards, significantly enhancing its industry discourse power and brand influence in the green aluminum field, and leading the aluminum industry to forge a new path of green, low-carbon, and high-quality development.

China National Machinery Industry Corporation (SINOMACH) announced that on June 11, 2026, its wholly-owned subsidiary, SINOMACH International Engineering (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., signed a commercial contract with Huatong Angola Industrial Co., Ltd. at the 17th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Summit Forum and Exhibition for the Phase II Project (Sections 1-6) of the Huatong Electrolytic Aluminum Production Line in Angola. The contract amount is RMB 1.717 billion, and the project involves the expansion of an annual production line with a capacity of 120,000 tons of electrolytic aluminum. SINOMACH International Jiangsu will provide design, equipment procurement, and installation and commissioning services.

Today HRC futures held up well, with the most-traded contract settling at 3,397, up 0.68%. In the spot market, spot HRC offers rose 10-20 yuan/mt in many regions, while cold galvanized prices remained largely stable, and overall transaction performance was moderate. In news, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and other authorities issued a notice on launching a three-year campaign to promote energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformation in key industries. Starting from 2026, focusing on nine industries including steel, aluminum, cement, flat glass, oil refining, ethylene, synthetic ammonia, methanol, and coal power, comprehensive transformation will be carried out over three years; attention will be paid to subsequent implementation and progress. Outside China, Pakistan’s prime minister said on the 15th local time that after intensive negotiations, the US and Iran had reached a peace agreement, and Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would be fully opened. On the fundamentals, HRC inventory is expected to continue destocking this week, with limited accumulation of fundamentals. Considering the overall weakening demand during the off-season, steel prices lack self-driving force. In the short term, they are expected to hold up well, following raw material prices. Attention needs to be paid to the changing Middle East situation and its impact on future export orders.