Russia's aluminium exports lag year-earlier levels

Russian exports of aluminium totalled 2,588,700t in the first eight months of this year, according to the latest figures from the country's customs department. That represented a 4.9% year-on-year drop from exports of 2,720,600t in the same period of 2006. Monthly export flows can be quite volatile and it remains to be seen whether this trend will hold through the end of 2007. Russian exports have risen strongly in the last four years and we'd be surprised if this year was any different, particularly given rising production from the start-up of the new 300,000tpy Khakaz smelter.