MELBOURNE, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Russian aluminium giant Rusal 0486.HK reported an 11 percent fall in third-quarter core earnings from a year earlier, in line with analysts' forecasts, as aluminium prices dropped on weaker demand and supply increased.
The world's top aluminium producer "confirmed the potential closure of up to 200,000 tonnes of production this year," but did not specify when or where the closure would take place.
Rusal trimmed its forecast for global aluminium demand growth in 2015 to 5.6 percent from 6 percent and raised its forecast for a global aluminium surplus this year to 373,000 tonnes from an earlier estimate of 277,000 tonnes.
Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell to $420 million in the September quarter from $470 million in the same period last year, slightly better than seven analysts' forecasts around $418 million.
However recurring net profit, which is adjusted net profit plus Rusal's share of Norilsk Nickel's GMKN.MM earnings, rose 15 percent to $287 million.
Rusal last month declared its first dividend since going public in 2010, paying out a total of $250 million, or $0.016 a share, for the first half of this year.