Aluminum Price in 1996
In 1996, the price of aluminum averaged $1,506 per tonne, down 16.6% from the year before. This page covers the 1996 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that aluminum would be worth in today's dollars.
1996 Average
$1,506
LME annual average, USD/tonne
Change vs 1995
-16.6%
from $1,806 in 1995
What happened to the aluminum price in 1996
Aluminum averaged $1,506 per tonne in 1996, sliding 16.6% from the $1,806 average of 1995.
The 1990s were mostly weak, with post-Soviet metal flooding the market and the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis capping demand; aluminum spent the decade largely between $1,250 and $1,800.
Adjusted for inflation, aluminum's 1996 average of $1,506 equals about $3,094 in today's dollars. The conversion uses US Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U annual averages, so treat it as a close approximation rather than an exact figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the price of aluminum in 1996?
What is a 1996 aluminum price worth in today's dollars?
Annual averages are World Bank and LME aluminum prices per tonne in US dollars (LME cash and settlement basis). Values before the LME aluminium contract launched in October 1978 are producer and list-price proxies, and the 2025 figure is preliminary. Where daily data exists, the per-year high, low, and close come from MetalCharts historical data. Inflation adjustments use BLS CPI-U annual averages.