China’s Aluminum Exports to Surge as Mideast Disruptions Persist

Chinese aluminum exports are expected to surge in coming months as buyers look for other sources of the metal to offset disruptions in the Persian Gulf.

The conflict in Iran, now in its seventh week, has choked supply from a region that accounts for about 9% of global output. China, the world’s biggest producer, is an obvious alternative. International prices are showing their biggest premium to the Chinese market since 2022, creating an opportunity for smelters at a time when local inventories of the metal have climbed to a six-year high.