LME Aluminum ·as of August 21, 2026
LME Aluminum warehouse stock is 246.9K mt as of August 21, 2026, down 9.5% in the past 30 days.
Measured in metric tons (mt). At the 1st percentile of LME Aluminum's 19-year recorded history, today's warehouse stock is lower than most of what's on record, a relatively thin warehouse. Over the past ~50 weeks it has moved in line with its usual pace.
Total stock: 246.9K mt · The Desk's LME Feed
24h Change
0%
7d Change
-0.55%
30d Change
-9.5%
Cash Price
$3,227
USD per tonne, official LME settlement
3-Month Price
$3,244
USD per tonne, delivery in three months
Cash vs 3-Month
Contango
3-month $17 over cash
Meanwhile, around this number
Rate of build · past 12 months
481.2K → 246.9K mt
Pace in line with its usual ~50-week range since 2008.
Eased off the recent peak of 558.1K mt.
What a build means
Warehouse metal is metal that was produced or imported but not used. Over the past year LME Aluminum was drawn down by -234,225 mt, which tends to point to tightening supply, not a price call.
All-Time High
5.49M mt
January 16, 2014 · current 95.5% below
All-Time Low
246.9K mt
August 17, 2026 · current 0.0% above
Where Today Sits
0th percentile
of the 19-year daily record
All six LME warehouses
Total Stock History
LME Aluminum total stock
May 26, 2026 to August 21, 2026
Source: London Metal Exchange official daily warehouse reports via Westmetall. Units: metric tonnes of total stock. Daily history back to 2008; long windows are downsampled to 500 plotted points.
We watch LME Aluminum stocks daily.
One free email at the next notable move in LME Aluminum: a record crossing or a sharp drain or build. Nothing otherwise.
Weekly receipts letter · optional daily briefing · record-break alerts · unsubscribe anytime
How to Read This Data
Metal in LME-listed warehouses is the market's visible, exchange-tracked supply; a drain or build here changes how tight physical metal reads.
- On-Warrant Stock
- Metal directly claimable against active futures contracts. This is the most liquid form of LME inventory and the focus of most squeeze analysis.
- Cash vs 3-Month
- The gap between metal for delivery now (cash) and in three months. Cash above 3-month (backwardation) signals near-term tightness. 3-month above cash (contango) is the normal carry state.
- Depletion Signals
- Rapidly falling inventory alongside rising prices signals physical scarcity — a potential squeeze. Watch on-warrant levels closely near delivery dates.
Common questions
- When did LME Aluminum total stock last fall below 250K mt?
- LME Aluminum total warehouse stock fell below 250K mt on August 14, 2026 and stands at 246.9K mt as of August 21, 2026.
- When did LME Aluminum total stock last fall below 300K mt?
- LME Aluminum total warehouse stock fell below 300K mt on July 3, 2026 and stands at 246.9K mt as of August 21, 2026.
More questions
- What is the current LME Aluminum on-warrant inventory?
- LME Aluminum warehouse stock stood at 246.9K mt as of August 21, 2026, per the daily LME warehouse report. The daily series we publish is total stock in LME-approved warehouses; the on-warrant/cancelled split is not reported in that feed, so we do not state an on-warrant figure.
- What is on-warrant stock on the LME?
- On-warrant stock is metal in LME-approved warehouses that is backed by a live warrant and available to settle contracts. It is the most liquid, immediately deliverable form of LME inventory and the figure most watched for squeeze risk.
- What is a cancelled warrant?
- A cancelled warrant is metal that an owner has earmarked for physical withdrawal from the warehouse. It is still on site but on its way out, so a rising share of cancelled warrants points to metal leaving the deliverable pool.
- What does falling LME inventory signal?
- Steadily falling on-warrant stock, especially alongside rising cancelled warrants and firmer prices, points to tightening physical availability. It tends to coincide with delivery pressure rather than predicting a price move on its own.
- What do contango and backwardation mean on the LME?
- Contango means metal for delivery in three months costs more than metal for delivery today, the normal state, because storing and financing metal has a cost. Backwardation is the reverse: cash metal costs more than the 3-month contract, which usually signals near-term tightness in physical supply.