METALS-Aluminium hits 6-week highs as supply fears revive

Aluminium prices hit six-week highs on Thursday after a strike at Alcoa's alumina refineries in Australia and warnings of shutdowns by Rusal revived concern about supply shortages. Benchmark aluminium on the London Metal Exchange (LME) ended down 1.3 percent at $2,078 a tonne on profit-taking after the New York open. Earlier it touched $2,147.50, its highest since June 29. It hit a 15-week low of $2,