February aluminum mill product orders in North America declined 6.2% compared with January, though were up 5.8% from February 2017, Aluminum Association data showed Friday.
In the first two months of 2018, mill product orders rose 5.9% from 2017, the trade group said.
Plate orders dropped 11% from January but rose 14.3% from the same two-month period in 2017, it said.
Orders of domestic can stock fell 8% from the previous month and 2.1% from the same year-ago period. Export can stock orders dropped 13.6% from January and 3.9% from February 2017, the group said.
Extruded product orders dropped 11.1% month on month but rose 4.3% from the same period last year.
Foil orders were down 14.3% from January and 4% from the same year ago period.
Orders of non-heat treatable sheet were 4.4% higher in February than January 2018, and 18.5% higher than February 2017 levels, the group said.
Drawing stock orders were down 3.6% month on month but February 2018 orders were 5.2% higher than those in February 2017.
The index is based on reports of new orders, minus cancellations, received by 23 participants for the period, representing about 80%-85% of total industry shipments in the US and Canada.
Data in the report are neither adjusted for seasons nor to account for work days.
