So the 'Buying spree' graph is apparently showing a surge of import. But it really doesn't show anything like that. Or am I just misunderstanding something?
The chart legend says it represents the total value of exports to Vietnam from its trading partners, equivalent to Vietnam's imports.
In 2015 and 2016 Vietnam's imports of aluminum were much larger than previous years and later years. The excess value over $4B (the level of subsequent years' imports) totals over $6B. I took 2015-16 to represent the surge of imports.
In 2015 and 2016 Vietnam's imports of aluminum were much larger than previous years and later years. The excess value over $4B (the level of subsequent years' imports) totals over $6B. I took 2015-16 to represent the surge of imports.
The price of Al seems to have been around 80 cents a pound at the end of 2016, http://m.kitco.com/getChartPage?symbol=al&width=438&height=2... (then select 5 years). At $1,600 a ton, that's nearly 4 million tons.
This more than covers the 1.8 million tons in the GVA stockpile.