TOKYO: The premiums for aluminium shipments to Japanese buyers for April to June were set at $148-$149 a tonne, up 14-15% from this quarter, on a tight container market and recovery in demand from a pandemic-induced slump, four sources directly involved in pricing talks said.

The April-June premiums are the highest since the same quarter in 2015. In January to March, the premium was $130 per tonne. This is a third consecutive quarterly rise in premiums.

Japan is Asia's biggest importer of the light 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.