Platts Australian alumina daily assessment at $260/mt FOB fell $2.50/mt from Monday, with bids and offers pressured anew by uncommitted tons and poor smelting margins.
On Tuesday bid-ask levels were a few dollars on either side of $260/mt. Buying interest has slipped to $255-260/mt FOB Australia, with sellers' guidance a shade above $260/mt.
At least two Chinese importers said they were open to reselling Australian term contract units for shipment in November and December.
A consumer has been collecting bids for a December shipment from Australia.
Nalco, Itochu and Sojitz have put two 30,000 mt parcels on the market for shipment in November and December, from India and Australia.
There were also tons to be had in the western hemisphere.
Chinese market participants were generally expecting domestic alumina prices to lose more ground in coming weeks, due to stock build among refiners, and anticipation of smelting curtailments in response to poor margins.
Platts China alumina daily assessment for Henan province at Yuan 2,220/mt ($350/mt) ex-works for 70:30 cash and credit payment terms was unchanged from a day ago.
Prices in Shanxi province centered Yuan 2,150/mt with partial credit. Chinese participants have said they wouldn't rule out the Shanxi domestic market possibly falling below Yuan 2,000/mt before the end of the year.
