N. American aluminum shipments rise mo/mo in May

NEW YORK, July 21 (Reuters) - Demand for North American aluminum mill products edged up 5.8 percent in May from April, but slid 24.4 percent from May 2008, the latest aluminum industry data show. In its most recent Aluminum Situation report, the Aluminum Association said May shipments increased to an estimated 1,454.9 million lbs from 1,374.5 million lbs in April, but were down sharply from the 1,924.7 million lbs shipped in May 2008. Demand for North American aluminum is measured as shipments from U.S. and Canadian producers plus imports. Demand for semi-fabricated, or mill, products rose 6.8 percent in May to 1,059.3 million lbs from 991.9 million lbs in April, but fell 21.2 percent from May 2008, when 1,344.7 million lbs were shipped, the report said. In its breakdown of U.S. and Canadian mill products, the association said demand for aluminum sheet and plate was up 8.0 percent at 658.0 million lbs in May from 609.3 million lbs in April, but slipped 16.2 percent from 785.4 million lbs in May 2008. Shipments of extruded products jumped 10.1 percent to 221.7 million lbs in May from 201.5 million lbs in April, but plummeted 31.7 percent from 324.8 million lbs in May 2008. May shipments of aluminum ingot for castings and other uses edged up 3.4 percent to 395.6 million lbs in May from April's 382.6 million lbs shipped. Ingot shipments slid 31.8 percent from 579.9 million lbs in May 2008, the aluminum report said. The industry group also said U.S. and Canadian producer inventories were down 23.9 percent in May at 2,199.4 million lbs from 2,891.6 million lbs in May 2008, and were 1.8 percent lower than 2,239.6 million lbs in April. The association said aluminum exports from the United States and Canada, excluding cross-border trade, fell 27.8 percent to 523.5 million lbs in May from 725.4 million lbs in May 2008. May exports increased 10.7 percent from April's 472.8 million lbs. Total imports of aluminum ingot, scrap and mill products into the U.S. and Canada, minus cross-border trade, surged 28.1 percent in May to 445.5 million lbs from 347.9 million lbs in May 2008, and shot up 71.3 percent from 260.0 million lbs of aluminum imported in April. The Association's Index of Net New Orders of aluminum mill products rose 4.1 percent in June from May, but remained 20.1 percent lower than June last year. For the first half of 2009, the orders index was down 24.7 percent compared with the same period in 2008. The flat-rolled products segment of the index increased by 3.3 percent in June, but was off 17.8 percent from June 2008. The extruded shapes and tube component grew by 5.6 percent in June versus May, but was off 27.1 percent from June 2008, the association's report said. Orders for other mill products, including drawing stock, electrical conductor and forgings, went up in June by 8.8 percent from May, but tumbled 27.2 percent from June 2008. (Reporting by Carole Vaporean; Editing by Walter Bagley)