ANALYSIS-Rising US aluminum imports signal restocking phase

* U.S. aluminum imports up over 27 pct in Jan-Nov. yr/yr * Auto, manufacturing growth to spur inventory rebuild By Chris Kelly NEW YORK, Jan 13 (Reuters) - U.S. aluminum imports climbed in November and probably stayed robust through the end of 2009 as signs of improvement in the manufacturing sector and a healthier auto industry prompted more inventory replenishment. Data from the United States International Trade Commission on Tuesday showed aluminum imports rose more than 11 percent to 135,367 tonnes from 121,573 tonnes in October. For the year, inbound shipments of the lightweight metal rose more than 27 percent from 2008. "The thing that is going to bring metal in is going to have to be manufacturing. The housing market is just not going to be robust enough to really be as big a factor," said Sterling Smith, an analyst for Country Hedging Inc. in St. Paul, Minnesota. "Better manufacturing figures will help pull material in." After the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression, The U.S. manufacturing sector has been recovering from its nadir in the fourth quarter of 2008. The Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index grew in December at its fastest pace in nearly four years, a fifth consecutive month of expansion. The manufacturing rebound was one indicator suggesting that some restocking of durable goods was possible in the United States in 2010, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch analysts said in a research note. The note cited "extreme weakness in metals demand" in countries other than China last year. "As stocks throughout the manufacturing supply chain are generally low, there has been particular concern" that countries outside of China "may suddenly rush to boost inventories" in the first half of 2010. AUTO INDUSTRY UPSWING U.S. auto sales ended 2009 on an upswing as holiday discounts and bargain hunting helped lure buyers to showrooms. Industry-wide auto sales peaked in December 2009 with a 15 percent gain over year-ago levels. The strong finish to a horrendous 2009 had set the industry up for a stronger year in 2010. Analysts project 2010 U.S. sales between 11 million and 12.5 million vehicles -- more than last year, but well below the 16 million sales rate that held from 2000 to 2007. Better sales in the industry will translate into greater import demand for aluminum, used primarily in auto production. "This all reflects an improved economic condition," said Frank Lesh, broker and futures analyst with Future Path Trading in Chicago. "The main beneficiary at this point would be the autos. The inventory rebuild is starting, and that should help imports for now," he said. (Reporting by Chris Kelly; Editing by David Gregorio)