Data: SHFE, DCE market movement (Mar 18)

During the day, the SHFE 2604 copper contract extended its downward trend, with the trading range falling further to 95,500-96,000 yuan/mt. The center of copper prices continued to move lower, stimulating restocking demand from downstream enterprises. Suppliers accordingly held prices firm, with standard-quality copper such as JCC and Lufang quoted at parity, while other brands such as Tiefeng, OLYDA, and Zijin were successively traded at discounts of 40 yuan/mt to 20 yuan/mt. Overall transaction pace was smooth. According to SMM, order volumes at most downstream enterprises surged significantly from the previous period, and end-user cargo pick-up also improved. The pullback in copper prices increased their attractiveness to enterprises, and purchase willingness to buy the dip was strong.

Eriez reported that its Shred1 system can increase copper recovery rates to about 94% in scrap processing. The technology uses magnetic forces and ballistic separation to improve sorting efficiency. Such innovations are enhancing both recovery rates and material quality in recycling operations.

Metallum is expanding its global recycling and trading network in partnership with Switzerland’s Thommen Group. The company handles recyclable metals including copper and integrates closely with processing operations. Traders are increasingly combining recycling and trading into unified business models.