Aluminium Hits a 13-Year High, and Inflation Fears Grow.

Aluminum prices hit $3,000 a tonne for the first time in 13 years on Monday, escalating inflation fears and bolstering the dollar as traders seek higher interest rates to rein in spiraling prices. Asian stocks were mixed as investors evaluated the prospect of improved US-China trade relations against Beijing's continued regulatory clampdown on the Chinese tech sector. The biggest stock markets in Europe advanced, and Wall Street began the day higher. The news that US President Joe Biden met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday to try to improve relations between the two countries has buoyed spirits. At the…