N. American aluminum shipments gain mo/mo in June

NEW YORK, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Demand for North American semi-fabricated aluminum mill products moved up 2.1 percent in June over May, but slid 23.1 percent from June 2008, the latest aluminum industry data show. In its most recent Aluminum Situation report, the Aluminum Association said shipments increased to an estimated 1,482.4 million lbs from 1,452.0 million lbs in May, but were down sharply from the 1,927.8 million lbs shipped in June 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 3.2 percent in June to 1,092.4 million lbs from 1,058.4 million lbs in May, but dropped 18.8 percent from June 2008, when 1,345.1 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 down 1.0 percent at 651.70 million lbs in June from 658.5 million lbs in May, and slipped 17.1 percent from 785.9 million lbs in June 2008. Shipments of extruded products jumped 15.3 percent to 255.0 million lbs in June from 221.2 million lbs in May, but plummeted 20.4 percent from 320.2 million lbs in June 2008. June shipments of aluminum ingot for castings and other uses fell 0.9 percent to 390.0 million lbs in June from May's 393.6 million lbs shipped. Ingot shipments slid 33.1 percent from 582.7 million lbs in June 2008, the aluminum report said. The industry group also said U.S. and Canadian producer inventories were down 5.1 percent in June at 2,088.3 million lbs from 2,200.0 million lbs in May, and were 26.3 percent lower than 2,832.3 million lbs in May. The association said aluminum exports from the United States and Canada, excluding cross-border trade, rose 0.2 percent to 524.5 million lbs in June from 523.5 million lbs in May, and tumbled 29.8 percent from June 2008's 747.2 million lbs. Total imports of aluminum ingot, scrap and mill products into the U.S. and Canada, minus cross-border trade, plunged 50.6 percent in June to 220.1 million lbs from 445.5 million lbs in May, and dove 45.2 percent from 401.7 million lbs of aluminum imported in June 2008. The Association's Index of Net New Orders of aluminum mill products rose 4.0 percent in July from June, but was down 14.9 percent from July last year. Through July 2009, the orders index fell 23.3 percent from the first seven months of 2008. The flat-rolled products segment of the index increased by 5.5 percent in July, but declinef to 10.8 percent from July 2008. The extruded shapes and tube component dropped 4.3 percent in July versus June, and was off 26.7 percent from July 2008, the association's report said. Orders for other mill products, including drawing stock, electrical conductor and forgings, went up in July by 4.5 percent from June, but tumbled 27.4 percent from July 2008. (Reporting by Carole Vaporean; Editing by David Gregorio)