Hindalco Q4 net up 15 pc

New Delhi, May 4 (UNI) Country's leading private aluminium and copper producer Hindalco industries today posted 15 per cent increase in its net profit at Rs 721.3 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2007 as compared to Rs 626.3 crore for the same period a year ago.

Its total income also rose 30.5 per cent to Rs 4,872.2 crore in the said quarter as against Rs 3,731.7 crore during the corresponding period last year.

''Going forward, the biggest challenge would be to maintain high levels of performance once the aluminium price at the LME (London Metal Exchange) starts moving down,'' the company said in a statement.

Global aluminium consumption is estimated to have grown by 7.2 per cent during the last calender year. The key contributor to this growth has been the Asian region powered mainly by China which is estimated to have grown by 20.6 per cent. The demand is expected to be strong especially from China and India,'' it added.

''Rapidly increasing semi-fabrication capacity in China is adding to the primary metal demand. The semi-fabrication production in China has grown by 25.5 per cent in CY06,'' it added.

The Chinese aluminium consumption is anticipated to grow by a phenomenal 20.8 per cent during CY07. The rest of Asia is also expected to witness good demand this year.

UNI