Aluminum Trades Near Four-Year Low as Global Stockpiles Climb

Aluminum traded near the lowest level in four years as stockpiles in London and Shanghai increased, signaling global supply is exceeding demand for the metal used in everything from beverage cans to airplanes.

The contract for delivery in three months on the London Metal Exchange fell as much as 0.5 percent to $1,747 a metric ton and traded at $1,753 by 4:10 p.m. in Tokyo. The metal declined 5.6 percent last month, touching $1,741.25 on Nov. 29, the lowest since July 2009. Today’s drop brought losses this year to 15 percent. Copper slid 0.3 percent to $7,034.75 a ton.