The financial week in five charts: Bank boom, aluminium squeeze and smart freight

Inventory drain

ANDY HOME, ROI Metals Columnist: Aluminium inventories at the London Metal Exchange have slumped to their lowest level since 1990. A market that has historically been characterised by oversupply is being drained by the supply-chain shocks rippling out from the Iran war.

Automation shift

GAVIN MAGUIRE, ROI Global Energy Transition Columnist: Automation in transport could have far-reaching repercussions for the U.S. energy market, as the sector is the country's largest fuel consumer. From driverless trucks and smart tugs on the Mississippi River to real-time rail optimization, automation could reduce energy inefficiencies and reshape fuel demand across U.S. and global logistics chains.