Copper Miners Deliver Strong Earnings Growth

【SMM Copper Cathode Rod Flash Update】Inventory side, affected by higher copper prices, enterprises became more cautious in raw material procurement, and raw material inventory pulled back; downstream pick-up pace was relatively slow, with enterprises basically balancing production and sales, and finished product inventories edging down slightly. Next week, the operating rate of copper cathode rod enterprises is expected to be stable with a slight decline, and SMM expects the operating rate to pull back MoM to 82.58%.

[SMM Shanghai Spot Copper] Looking ahead to next week, the Shanghai spot copper market is expected to remain under pressure. Supply side, smelters will maintain normal operations during the Qingming Festival holiday, and domestic spot copper output will continue, while imported copper will arrive successively, making spot cargo in circulation in the post-holiday market more ample. In addition, although some suppliers sold off cargo slightly during the day, with Honglu quoted at a discount of 80 yuan/mt, this did not drive overall spot discounts lower, reflecting that suppliers still have the willingness to hold prices firm at current price levels, with spot discounts receiving some support on the downside. Overall, amid the tug-of-war between expectations of ample supply and suppliers' willingness to hold prices firm, Shanghai spot copper prices against the 2604 contract are expected to remain at a discount after the holiday.