The Platts Australian alumina daily assessment at $215/mt FOB Wednesday was stable compared with a day ago, but has firmed $7/mt in the last week.
The Australian market has been supported by dip buying, consumer restocking, refining cuts and growing supply concerns.
Rising Chinese domestic alumina prices and a depressed freight market have also helped to prop up the FOB price of alumina.
In CIF China terms, $220/mt has become the mainstream buyers' rate. Sellers' guidance generally started from $225/mt CIF. Consumers have voiced interest in March and April shipments, but sellers appear to be biding their time.
Platts assessed the Handysize freight rate at $8.25/mt on Wednesday for a 30,000 mt shipment in March from Western Australia to China's Lianyungang port.
The Platts China alumina daily assessment for Shanxi province rose Yuan 20/mt ($3.07/mt) from a day ago to Yuan 1,670/mt ex-works in cash, lifted by output cuts and recent consumer restocking.
March offers in Shanxi have climbed to Yuan 1,700/mt while buyers were at Yuan 1,660-1,670/mt, sources said. Refiners were also targeting steep price increases in Henan and Shandong provinces.
