Low Inventory Leads to Tight Supply of Spot Copper Cathode and High Premium in East China

Published: Jul 17, 2026 10:51

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[SMM Shanghai spot copper] Under pressure from low inventory, available spot copper cathode in east China remained persistently tight, and low-priced supplies were hard to find. High-quality copper was offered in the morning session at premiums of 400-430 yuan/mt, but after some transactions, supply became scarce. Standard-quality copper was basically offered at premiums of 380-400 yuan/mt. Registered SX-EW copper was not available, and non-registered offers were at premiums of 240-260 yuan/mt.

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