Increase awareness and activity relating to greenhouse gas emissions has seen companies start to burnish their green/environmental responsibility credentials. Sometimes referred to as ‘solidified energy’, primary aluminium is one of the most energy intensive industrial-scale metals to produce. Australia’s CSIRO has estimated the total embodied energy of aluminium is 211 GJ/t (58.6MWh/t)—in comparison steel was estimated at 22.7GJ/t (6.31MWh/t).

Central Bank accumulation of bullion has emerged as an increasingly important trend in the global market, offering additional support for prices that have rallied to the highest level since 2013 on rising demand. Authorities have been adding to reserves as growth slows, trade and geopolitical tensions rise, and some nations seek to diversify away from the dollar.

The ongoing supply push into Europe comes just as gas demand is collapsing, resulting in European natural gas storage inventories reaching record highs as shoulder season approaches. This situation could eventually limit the continent’s ability to absorb liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports as it faces more immediate demand threats from the coronavirus pandemic.

The Victorian Government has lifted the ban on onshore conventional gas exploration and development from July 2021, although the timing of any new supply and the quantities of gas that may become available are still very unclear.

Since just prior to the GFC, crude steel production from Europe has decreased at a CAGR of -1.6%, declining from 241Mt to 198Mt in 2019. While yet to reach the low of 169Mt seen during the GFC, the trend for European steel production is undeniably heading downward. Demand for steel has shown growth out of the GFC lows but appears to be slowing and looks unlikely to reach pre-GFC demand levels.