Slowdown signs - US April primary aluminum output down by 36% YoY

Reuters reported that the annual rate of primary US aluminum production in April 2009 slid 36.5% YoY to 1,764,641 tonnes from 2,779,160 tonnes in April 2008 and was down by 2.5% MoM from March's annual rate of 1,809,788 tonnes. Aluminum Association said that, for the year through April, the annual production rate tumbled 29.5% to 1,948,969 tonnes from a 2,765,372 tonne rate in the comparable 2008 period. Actual aluminum production for April came to 145,039 tonnes, less than 153,708 tonnes in March and 227,800 tonnes in April 2008. Actual production for the year to date through April came to 640,757 tonnes, well below the 914,235 tonnes produced in the same period of 2008. Aluminum Association said that April's average daily production at 4,835 tonnes was well below 7,593 tonnes in April 2008 and was down from the 4,958 average daily tonnes produced in March. It also said that average daily production was down in the first four months at 5,340 tonnes from 7,556 tonnes in the comparable 2008 period. The association said that companies participating in the survey account for 100% of US primary aluminum production.