%{{tag.tag}} {{articledata.title}} {{moment(articledata.cdate)}} @{{articledata.company.replace(" ","")}} comment Aluminum prices are soaring after two Middle Eastern producers sustained heavy damage to their production facilities as the war with Iran intensifies. The price of aluminum in New York was up 4.8% to $3,342 U.S. a metric tonne on March 30. Prices have risen 10% since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28. The Middle East accounts for 9% of global aluminum production and demand for the industrial metal has been soaring due to the artificial intelligence (A.I.) data centre buildout. Analysts are now warning that supply constraints due to the Iran war could drive prices for aluminum even higher in coming weeks and months. The current situation is leading to a spike in the stocks of aluminum producers. Shares of Alcoa (NYSE: $AA ) and Century Aluminum (NASDAQ: $CENX ) are each up 12% in early trading on March 30 as the metal's price surges. Over the weekend, state-backed aluminum giants Emirates Global Aluminium and Aluminium Bahrain were attacked and operations halted as a result. Analysts say stocks of producers such as Alcoa could benefit from stronger margins and renewed investor interest as supply chokeholds take place globally.