Aluminum demand in the construction sector remains a key driver. With global real estate markets in various states of flux, how are people seeing this unfold over the next 12-18 months? Any specific regions showing resilience or significant weakness?
Hard to say. While residential might slow, infrastructure projects often pick up the slack, and those are big aluminum users. Governments are still investing.
Good point about infrastructure. I'm keeping an eye on the Middle East; they've got some massive projects that could really drive demand regardless of other market conditions.
Honestly, I'm more concerned about supply chain disruptions affecting aluminum availability, which could distort demand signals. Has anyone seen good data on that recently?
Agreed on the varied states. North America seems mixed, with some areas still booming and others clearly slowing. It's not a uniform picture for aluminum demand here.
I think Europe is definitely showing some weakness, especially with higher interest rates impacting new construction. Asia, particularly Southeast Asia, might be more resilient for aluminum demand.