The North American net new aluminum mill order index in February was down 7.1% from January, the Aluminum Association said Monday.
New mill orders also slipped 2.9% from February 2013, and the year-to-date index is down 2%, the group said in a report.
February plate orders tumbled 22% from January, but were up 15.6% from February 2013. February sheet orders were down 7.9% from January and down 1.8% from the year-ago period.
February orders of extruded products dropped 14.2% from January and were down 1.2% from February 2012.
But the group said foil orders last month rose 5.9% from January and were up 2% from February 2013.
Orders of domestic can stock decreased 2.9% from January and were down 5.4% from February 2013. February orders of export can stock rose 12% from January, but were down 6.6% from a year earlier.
The index is based on reports of new orders, minus cancellations, received by 23 participants for the previous month. Figures in the report are neither seasonally adjusted nor adjusted to account for work days.
