TOKYO: Some Japanese aluminium buyers have agreed with a global producer to pay a premium of $148 and $149 a tonne for April-June shipments, up 14-15% from this quarter, four sources directly involved in the pricing talks said on Thursday.

The figures are higher than the $130 a tonne premiums paid this quarter and mark a third consecutive quarterly increase.

The talks with other producers are still continuing, the sources said.

Japan is Asia's biggest importer of the metal and the premiums for primary metal shipments it agrees to pay each quarter over the London Metal Exchange (LME) cash price set the benchmark for the region.