Market trading remained sluggish, while North China spot premiums held steady [SMM North China Spot Copper]

Published: Jul 17, 2026 11:39

Save

Today in North China, spot #1 copper cathode premiums against the front-month contract were quoted at 100-140 yuan/mt, with an average premium of 120 yuan/mt, unchanged from the previous trading day. The average transaction price was 103,805 yuan/mt, down 545 yuan/mt from the previous trading day.

SMM July 17 news:

Today in North China, spot #1 copper cathode prices against the front-month contract were reported at premiums of 100 yuan/mt to 140 yuan/mt, averaging 120 yuan/mt, unchanged from the previous trading day. The average transaction price was 103,805 yuan/mt, down 545 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Although futures saw a slight correction, market conditions were largely similar to yesterday. Downstream purchase willingness was mediocre, and market transactions were dismal; suppliers' willingness to sell further weakened, and circulating spot resources were limited, but end-use demand remained persistently weak. Bullish and bearish factors balanced each other, driving North China spot premiums to stabilize. Today, the purchase sentiment for copper cathode in North China was 1.73, down 0.01 from the previous trading day, and the selling sentiment was 2.54, also down 0.01 ().

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn

For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn

Related News

1 hour ago

Arrivals increased, suppliers proactively lowered prices to sell, and spot trades were active [SMM South China Spot Copper].

1 hour ago

2 hours ago

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

[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.

2 hours ago

Weak Demand and Off-Season Effect Pressure Copper Cathode Rod Market, Producers Cut Output

[SMM Copper Cathode Rod Flash] Currently, the purchase willingness in the downstream market for copper cathode rod remains weak, with the off-season effect becoming prominent. Against the backdrop of insufficient order growth, producers are proactively curbing production, and overall operating pressure across the industry is emerging. The operating rate is expected to drop 1.89 percentage points WoW next week.

2 hours ago