Rio Tinto Restores US Aluminum Shipments to 80% as 50% Trump Tariff Reshapes Trade
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · May 29
Rio Tinto Restores US Aluminum Shipments to 80% as 50% Trump Tariff Reshapes Trade
1 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · May 29
Rio Tinto said its North American aluminum shipments—mostly bound for the US—have recovered to about 80%, returning to levels seen before President Donald Trump's tariff push.
The rebound follows a period when the White House raised the aluminum levy to 50%, prompting Rio Tinto to divert more Canadian-produced metal to Europe.
That shift had cut North America's share of Rio Tinto aluminum flows to the mid-60% range before the recent recovery.
The move suggests US-bound trade has adjusted despite the higher tariff, after a year of disrupted routing across North America and Europe.
With high US aluminum tariffs still in place, what is driving the rebound of Canadian metal shipments?
Is a top producer's tariff workaround a win for global trade or a failure of protectionist policy?