Aluminum Prices Slide as Trump Administration Weighs Tariff Rollbacks to Curb Inflation

Aluminum futures on the London Metal Exchange (LME) dropped 1.3% to $3,059 per ton following reports that the Trump administration is considering a partial rollback of import tariffs. The administration is reportedly reviewing steel and aluminum duties that currently reach as high as 50% in an effort to ease inflationary pressures. This potential policy shift aims to combat the affordability crisis affecting consumer goods, ranging from food packaging to household appliances. Market analysts suggest that reducing trade barriers will likely increase the supply of cheaper imports, putting immediate downward pressure on domestic and international metal prices. The bearish sentiment has also spread to other industrial metals like zinc and copper as traders await further clarity from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the USTR.