Bid-ask levels for Australian alumina were rangebound at $248-$250/mt FOB, leaving Platts' daily assessment unchanged on the day at $249/mt FOB Thursday.
However, the market has dropped $5/mt in the last week, pressured by uncommitted cargoes, low aluminum prices and poor smelting margins.
On Thursday CIF China bid-ask discussions were a few dollars on either side of $260/mt.
Platts assessed the Handysize freight rate at $11.40/mt on Thursday for a 30,000 mt shipment in December from Western Australia to Lianyungang in China.
India's Hindalco has been in talks to place a 25,000 mt lot for shipment from Gangavaram during the third week of November.
The Platts China alumina assessment for Henan province at Yuan 2,150/mt ($339) ex-works for 70:30 cash and credit payment terms has decreased Yuan 50 in the last week, and Yuan 100/mt on the month due to high refiner stocks.
