Aluminium billet premiums have remained largely stable worldwide, although Asian premiums have seen some weakness. Supply is generally regarded as tight globally, although slowing demand may loosen supply.
European markets draw interestEuropean billet premiums were relatively stable on Friday October 26, holding near highs following the United States' sanctions against UC Rusal.The premium for 6063 series extrusion billet in northern Italy on a delivered duty-paid basis with 60-day payment was assessed at $520-550 per tonne Friday, unchanged from the week before but close to $540-580 achieved following the imposition of sanctions against Rusal. The current level has attracted billet from Asia to the market."You have billets in the market from Turkey to [South] Korea. You have all these various origins. [Participants from other countries] are opportunistic. They see the party in Europe and they invited themselves," a billet consumer said.Several market participants said the premium for billet from Asia was being offered toward the low end of the range.The market in Spain has also attracted interest on news of Alcoa potentially shutting its aluminium smelting operations at La...