What It Means for Metals and Recycling Wes Foster - wf@labrecy.com In a historic shift, the United States has officially minted its last penny. After more than 160 years in circulation, the iconic copper-colored coin is being retired—following years of debate, cost analysis, and mounting pressure from the metals and recycling industries. The U.S. now joins a growing list of countries, including Canada, that have already phased out their one-cent coin  for economic and logisti

On October 24, 2025 , President Trump said he was terminating U.S.–Canada trade negotiations  after Ontario aired a high-profile anti-tariff ad  that spliced Ronald Reagan audio to argue against tariffs. Ontario has since said it will pause the campaign so talks can resume, but for now, the diplomatic chill is real. TIME+2The Guardian+2 Why this matters for aluminum (and why the Midwest Premium “jump” narrative makes sense) Aluminum is uniquely exposed to trade policy because

The aluminum market just hit a historic milestone. The Midwest Transaction Price (MWTP)  — a key benchmark for domestic aluminum prices...

Labrador Aluminum Market Report 09/29/2025 Since last Monday, we have seen the LME Aluminum Market go into Backwardation multiple times....

(Stock Picture, not from the Novelis plant or fire) Last week, a fire shut down Novelis’ aluminum rolling mill in Oswego, NY — one of...

Gold, Mining, Inflation, and Potential Rate Cuts The aluminum market has been volatile. It seems the domestic market wants to stay where...

This week has been a whirlwind of global economic and political developments with direct implications for the aluminum market. Here’s...

LME Closed – Working Off Aftermarket and Mill Availability Domestic Aluminum market trend represented by the Midwest Transaction Price...

As we head into the Easter long weekend, it's important to note that the London Metal Exchange (LME) will be closed this Friday and next...

April 9th, 2025 The trade landscape shifted yet again this week, and the ripple effects are already being felt across the scrap...

The aluminum market trend of the last week, based on the morning official Lowest LME and the Midwest Premium, represented by the Midwest...

Recycled UBCs Shipping Across the Ocean In today’s unpredictable economic and geopolitical climate, success in international trade...