Aluminum: Rusal plans to invest $5bn

In the past year, the focus of the global aluminium industry has shifted to Russia, and more specifically Siberia, following decades of dominance by companies based in North America and western Europe.

The shift was triggered by the takeover of Siberian-Urals Aluminium, or Sual, by its larger rival Russian Aluminium, or Rusal, announced last October. Rusal also bought the aluminium assets of Glencore, the Swiss commodities trader, and the combined company, United Company Rusal, is estimated to be worth about $30bn and is the world’s largest aluminium producer.