North American aluminum demand falls 9.1% yr-yr in Aug
Times：2008-11-25 08:31:58 Author：
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Demand for North American aluminum mill products in August fell 9.1 percent from August 2007, although August shipments were up 3.1 percent from the previous month, preliminary estimates of aluminum industry data show.
In its latest Aluminum Situation report, the Aluminum Association said August shipments fell to an estimated 1,961.1 million lbs from 2,156.7 million lbs in August 2007, but were higher than 1,893.8 million lbs shipped in July.
Demand for North American aluminum is measured as shipments from U.S. and Canadian producers plus imports.
Shipments for the first three quarters were down 5.7 percent at 15,729.3 million lbs from 16,675.8 million lbs in the 2007 period.
Demand for semi-fabricated, or mill, products fell 9.0 percent in August to 1,290.0 million lbs from 1,417.6 million lbs in August 2007, and lost 3.9 percent from 1,342.7 million lbs in July, the report said.
In its breakdown of U.S. and Canadian mill products, it said demand for aluminum sheet and plate fell 4.1 percent to 778.2 million lbs in August from 811.3 million lbs in August 2007, and dropped 4.6 percent from 815.5 million lbs in July.
Shipments of extruded products slid 16.9 percent to 289.2 million lbs in August from 348.1 million lbs a year earlier. They fell 3.2 percent from 298.9 million lbs in July.
August shipments of aluminum ingot for castings and other uses slipped 9.2 percent to 671.1 million lbs from 739.2 million lbs in August 2007, but jumped 21.8 percent from 551.1 million lbs in July, the report said.
U.S. and Canadian producer inventories declined by 4.6 percent in August to 2,928.1 million lbs from 3,070.5 in August 2007, but increased 1.8 percent from 2,877.4 million lbs in July.
The association said aluminum exports from the United States and Canada, excluding cross-border trade, tumbled 9.0 percent to 698.7 million lbs in August from 767.6 million lbs in July. Exports surged 23.7 percent over August 2007's 564.8 million lbs.
For the first three quarters, exports jumped 30.0 percent to 5,528.0 million lbs from 4,251.3 million lbs for the same period in 2007, the industry group said.
Total imports of aluminum ingot, scrap and mill products into the U.S. and Canada, minus cross-border trade, tumbled 20.2 percent in August to 270.7 million lbs from 339.1 million lbs in July, and slid 37.4 percent from 432.1 million lbs of aluminum imported in August 2007.
For the year through September, imports contracted by 18.4 percent to 2,627.6 million lbs from 3,220.2 million lbs for the same period in 2007.
The Aluminum Association's Index of Net New Orders of Aluminum Mill Products declined 3.2 percent in September to 92.2 from the August reading of 95.3. The orders index was down 4.4 percent from the September 2007 reading of 96.5. The report said the index's base of 100 equals the average month in 2001.
For flat rolled products, including can stock and foil, the September index lost 5.1 percent at 92.2 from 97.2 in August and was down 3.3 percent from 95.4 in September 2007.
September orders for extruded products gained 3.2 percent to 88.7 from August at 85.9, but slid 13.5 percent from 102.5 in September 2007. Orders for other mill products, including drawing stock, electrical conductor and forgings, were up 2.0 percent at 97.7 in September over August's 95.8 and up 2.0 percent from 95.8 in September 2007.
In its latest Aluminum Situation report, the Aluminum Association said August shipments fell to an estimated 1,961.1 million lbs from 2,156.7 million lbs in August 2007, but were higher than 1,893.8 million lbs shipped in July.
Demand for North American aluminum is measured as shipments from U.S. and Canadian producers plus imports.
Shipments for the first three quarters were down 5.7 percent at 15,729.3 million lbs from 16,675.8 million lbs in the 2007 period.
Demand for semi-fabricated, or mill, products fell 9.0 percent in August to 1,290.0 million lbs from 1,417.6 million lbs in August 2007, and lost 3.9 percent from 1,342.7 million lbs in July, the report said.
In its breakdown of U.S. and Canadian mill products, it said demand for aluminum sheet and plate fell 4.1 percent to 778.2 million lbs in August from 811.3 million lbs in August 2007, and dropped 4.6 percent from 815.5 million lbs in July.
Shipments of extruded products slid 16.9 percent to 289.2 million lbs in August from 348.1 million lbs a year earlier. They fell 3.2 percent from 298.9 million lbs in July.
August shipments of aluminum ingot for castings and other uses slipped 9.2 percent to 671.1 million lbs from 739.2 million lbs in August 2007, but jumped 21.8 percent from 551.1 million lbs in July, the report said.
U.S. and Canadian producer inventories declined by 4.6 percent in August to 2,928.1 million lbs from 3,070.5 in August 2007, but increased 1.8 percent from 2,877.4 million lbs in July.
The association said aluminum exports from the United States and Canada, excluding cross-border trade, tumbled 9.0 percent to 698.7 million lbs in August from 767.6 million lbs in July. Exports surged 23.7 percent over August 2007's 564.8 million lbs.
For the first three quarters, exports jumped 30.0 percent to 5,528.0 million lbs from 4,251.3 million lbs for the same period in 2007, the industry group said.
Total imports of aluminum ingot, scrap and mill products into the U.S. and Canada, minus cross-border trade, tumbled 20.2 percent in August to 270.7 million lbs from 339.1 million lbs in July, and slid 37.4 percent from 432.1 million lbs of aluminum imported in August 2007.
For the year through September, imports contracted by 18.4 percent to 2,627.6 million lbs from 3,220.2 million lbs for the same period in 2007.
The Aluminum Association's Index of Net New Orders of Aluminum Mill Products declined 3.2 percent in September to 92.2 from the August reading of 95.3. The orders index was down 4.4 percent from the September 2007 reading of 96.5. The report said the index's base of 100 equals the average month in 2001.
For flat rolled products, including can stock and foil, the September index lost 5.1 percent at 92.2 from 97.2 in August and was down 3.3 percent from 95.4 in September 2007.
September orders for extruded products gained 3.2 percent to 88.7 from August at 85.9, but slid 13.5 percent from 102.5 in September 2007. Orders for other mill products, including drawing stock, electrical conductor and forgings, were up 2.0 percent at 97.7 in September over August's 95.8 and up 2.0 percent from 95.8 in September 2007.
