Commodities
Aluminum Keeps Flowing With US Buyers Set to Bear Trump Tariffs
- Traders, buyers, sellers don’t anticipate tons shifting to EU
- Shipping into US likely remains profitable despite 25% tariff
This article is for subscribers only.
Looming aluminum tariffs have put US makers of everything from cans to cars on edge. But as long as they’re willing to pay enough of a premium, the metal is likely to continue flowing across the northern border.
Aluminum shippers are engaged in a delicate dance — warning about the disruptive effects of tariffs while at the same time trying to ease customer concerns. The head of Rio Tinto Group, the top supplier of aluminum to the US, took the unusual step last week of presenting earnings from the firm’s Washington offices. That’s after metal buyers from Coca-Cola Co. to Ford Motor Co. said tariffs are at the very least causing uncertainty or at worst could “blow a hole” in their industry.