The Wall Street Journal: Aluminum prices reach decade high after Guinea coup

United States

Aluminum prices rose to their highest level in 10 years Monday after a military coup in mineral-rich Guinea threatened to snarl the lightweight metal’s supply chain.

Three-month aluminum forward contracts on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.9% to $ 2,757 a metric ton, their highest level since early 2011.

Shares of mining companies and aluminum producers also jumped. Hong Kong-listed shares of Russia’s United Co. Rusal 486, +14.45% rose over 14% by the close of trading Monday, while Aluminum Corporation of China Ltd. rose over 5%. Australian bauxite miner South32 Ltd. rose 2.1% in Sydney.

A faction of Guinea’s military on Sunday said they had suspended the country’s constitution and detained President Alpha Condé. The West African nation is a major global supplier of bauxite—crucial for the manufacturing of aluminum—and iron ore.

An expanded version of this story is available at WSJ.com