TOKYO: A global aluminium producer has offered Japanese buyers a premium of $95 per metric ton for January-March primary metal shipments, down 2% from the current quarter, three sources directly involved in quarterly pricing talks 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.

For the October-December quarter, Japanese buyers agreed to pay a premium of $97 per ton, down 24% from the prior quarter.