Thursday, 19 Aug 2010
The Metals Activity Report from the Metals Service Center Institute showed that the rate of growth of aluminum shipments from metals service centers in the United States and Canada slowed in July. Inventories of both metals, expressed in terms of months of supply on hand rose for both metals in both countries.

Shipments of aluminum products from US metals service centers in July totaled 118,000 tonnes or 31.6% more than in July 2009. June shipments were 37.7% above those of a year earlier.

For the first 7 months of the year, US aluminum shipments totaled 733,800 tonnes rise of 19.5% above the year ago period. Inventories at the end of July of 317,900 tonnes were 19.3% higher than a year ago and equal to 2.7 month supply at current shipping rates. This compares with 2.5 month supply at the end of June.

Canadian service center aluminum shipments of 9,900 tonnes in July were 1.3% above those of a year ago monthly shipments were up 12.2% in June and 11.6% in May over the same month in 2009. For the year to date, shipments of 78,500 tonnes were 4.8% above those of the same 2009 period.

Canadian aluminum inventories at the end of July totaled 32,000 tonnes or 4.7% more than in the same month last year. At current shipping rates, that equals 3.2 month supply compared with 2.4 month supply at the end of June.

The Metals Activity Report, based on data from metals service centers in the United States and Canada is produced by the Metals Service Center Institute and third party econometrics and strategy firm, McCoy, Scott & Company.