Key transactions & industry news Weekly Update 10/10/2025

Metals & Mining

U.S. tariffs hit China’s container trade, including aluminum, electric machinery and other items. U.S. imports of containerized goods fell 8.4% in September compared with a year earlier, reflecting the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. Shipments from China dropped sharply by 22.9%.

Massive aluminum plant fire sparks potential disruption for Ford’s F-150 output. Doomsday for both the aluminum and the automotive sectors, especially Ford. A recent fire at an aluminum plant in New York is expected to throw a wrench in the production of Ford Motor’s F-150 pickup for several months. This disruption could hit the automaker’s earnings by as much as $1B.

Anglo committed to investing ~$35M in junior exploration fund, Joburg Indaba hears. India may impose a $125/tonne anti-dumping duty on metallurgical coke imports in a move that targets cheap imports which domestic producers say are undercutting local prices.

LDEQ flags red mud management at Atalco alumina refinery. Atlantic Alumina, also known as Atalco, has come under regulatory scrutiny following reports of red mud discharges from its Gramercy refinery in Louisiana. The refinery is the only alumina refinery left in the United States, producing aluminum oxide from bauxite.

EGA considers strategic takeover of Brazilian aluminum producer CBA. Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), a leader in global aluminum production, is reportedly looking into the possibility of acquiring Companhia Brasileira de Aluminio (CBA), a supplier of low-carbon aluminum.

Century Aluminum’s Mt. Holly smelter set to return to full capacity by 2026. Century Aluminum Company has extended its power agreement with South Carolina Public Service Authority, securing reliable electricity for the Mt. Holly smelter through 2031, an essential step toward restarting idle capacity at the Charleston-area facility.

Transportation & Logistics

China retaliates with new fees on U.S. shipping. China is firing back in the U.S. trade war with retaliatory fees on U.S. ships calling its ports.

The tonnage fees announced by China’s Ministry of Transportation go into effect Oct. 14 and mirror the levies set by the U.S. Trade Representative and also scheduled to go into effect on that same date.

1000 employees out of work as flatbed operator files for bankruptcy. Montgomery Transport LLC, a Birmingham, Alabama-based trucking company, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and ceased operations effective immediately. 1000 employees out of work as trucker files for bankruptcy.

Tariffs cause some China imports to crash 44% in September. Container imports through U.S. maritime gateways in September declined 8.4% from August to more than 2.3M, the third-highest September on record and 1.9% ahead of the same period in 2024 as resilient demand shook off trade uncertainty.

Barrs confirmed as new FMCSA administrator. Former law enforcement official Derek Barrs was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the eighth administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Port of Mobile: First vessel departs new deep channel. The Alabama Port Authority (APA) opened its 50-feet Port of Mobile ship channel for large ocean vessels to dock.

Trump to impose 25% tariff on trucks starting Nov. 1. President Donald Trump said that he will impose a 25% tariff on medium- and heavy-duty trucks next month.

Energy

Oil prices fall as risk premium fades after Gaza deal. Oil prices declined to multi-month lows as the market’s risk premium faded after Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a plan to end the war in Gaza.

Orsted to cut 2,000 jobs as Trump’s offshore wind battle continues. Beleaguered wind farm operator Orsted announced that it intends to reduce its workforce by a quarter toward the end of 2027, in a bid to become more competitive and refocus its efforts on Europe.

Nvidia CEO says AI needs way more energy. Cramer says this is the power stock to own. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang believes that America refocusing on energy growth will not only help the U.S. win on artificial intelligence but also fuel continued economic growth.

Trilogy Metals shares soar over 200% after U.S. takes stake in minerals explorer. Shares of U.S.-listed minerals explorer Trilogy Metals surged more than 200%, shortly after the White House said it would take a 10% stake in the Canadian company.

Denmark’s Orsted raises $9.35B in share issue. Danish offshore wind developer Orsted, said it raised $9.35B in a heavily discounted share issue, shoring up finances as Trump administration opposition has caused uncertainty for its U.S. projects.

Algeria plans $60B energy investment over five years, Energy minister says. Algeria will invest $60B in energy projects between 2025 and 2029 as part of a large-scale strategy to boost oil, gas and hydrogen development, Energy and Mines Minister Mohamed Arkab said.

Others

PepsiCo taps walmart executive as new CFO. PepsiCo is shaking up its finance chief ranks as the company looks to turn around slowing snack and soda sales and contends with an activist investor pushing for changes.

SoftBank expands AI footprint with multibillion-dollar robotics deal. Tech conglomerate SoftBank has agreed to a $5.4B deal for the industrial-robotics-focused business of ABB, a bid to combine the potential of artificial intelligence with robots.

Cemex divests its operations in Panama and expands its U.S. aggregates business. Cemex has successfully closed the sale of its operations in Panama to Grupo Estrella for an enterprise value of approximately $200M, representing a multiple of approximately 12x adjusted EBITDA for the 12 months ended August 31, 2025.