LME Copper Inventories Surged, Came under Pressure, Pulled Back, and Broke Below the $13,900 Level

Published: Aug 19, 2026 16:36

On August 19, LME copper showed a straight-line decline after the close of SHFE copper. In early trading, copper prices consolidated around $13,960/mt. During the session, prices briefly climbed above $13,980/mt before quickly pulling back and falling below $13,900/mt, with the intraday low approaching $13,880/mt.

On the inventory front, on August 18, LME copper inventories rose to 235,975 mt, an increase of 12,425 mt from the previous trading day, including 17,000 mt of inflows and 4,575 mt of outflows. Meanwhile, cancelled copper warrants fell to 77,225 mt, a decrease of 18,650 mt from the previous day, and the ratio of cancelled warrants pulled back to 32.73%. The significant increase in LME copper inventories and the simultaneous decline in cancelled warrants indicated that deliverable supply on the exchange had increased somewhat, putting some pressure on high copper prices. Intraday, LME copper came under pressure near the $14,000/mt mark and pulled back quickly. In the near term, the market continues to focus on inventory changes and funding sentiment at elevated levels.

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
Data: SHFE, DCE market movement (Aug 19)
1 hour ago
Data: SHFE, DCE market movement (Aug 19)
Read More
Data: SHFE, DCE market movement (Aug 19)
Data: SHFE, DCE market movement (Aug 19)
The following table shows the ferrous and nonferrous metals movement on the SHFE and DCE on 19 Aug , 2026
1 hour ago
Lundin Hit by Another Winter Storm, Caserones Full-Year Copper Production Guidance Lowered by 10kt [SMM Analysis]
1 hour ago
Lundin Hit by Another Winter Storm, Caserones Full-Year Copper Production Guidance Lowered by 10kt [SMM Analysis]
Read More
Lundin Hit by Another Winter Storm, Caserones Full-Year Copper Production Guidance Lowered by 10kt [SMM Analysis]
Lundin Hit by Another Winter Storm, Caserones Full-Year Copper Production Guidance Lowered by 10kt [SMM Analysis]
[Lundin Hit by Winter Storm Again, Caserones Full-Year Copper Production Guidance Lowered by 10kt] Lundin Mining lowered its 2026 copper production guidance for the Caserones mine by 10kt to 120,000-130,000mt and raised its cash cost guidance, as a second winter storm in Chile's Atacama region again disrupted power supply and production resumption efforts at the mine. The company also cut its full-year consolidated copper production guidance to 300,000-325,000mt. This disruption, combined with weaker overall copper production in Chile, has intensified market attention on the pace of copper ore supply recovery in H2.
1 hour ago
Copper Price Pullback Drives Demand Improvement; Warrant Cargo Outflows Weigh on SHFE Copper Premiums [SMM Shanghai Spot Copper]
3 hours ago
Copper Price Pullback Drives Demand Improvement; Warrant Cargo Outflows Weigh on SHFE Copper Premiums [SMM Shanghai Spot Copper]
Read More
Copper Price Pullback Drives Demand Improvement; Warrant Cargo Outflows Weigh on SHFE Copper Premiums [SMM Shanghai Spot Copper]
Copper Price Pullback Drives Demand Improvement; Warrant Cargo Outflows Weigh on SHFE Copper Premiums [SMM Shanghai Spot Copper]
[SMM Shanghai Spot Copper] Tomorrow, the price center of the SHFE copper 2609 contract is expected to move notably lower during the day from the previous trading day, driving the release of downstream dip-buying demand, and purchase sentiment in Shanghai is expected to rebound markedly. SMM has learned that orders for some downstream enterprises have improved notably WoW, and their purchase willingness for copper cathode has strengthened accordingly, with market trading activity picking up somewhat. However, some warrant cargo has gradually flowed into the spot market, increasing the available supply. Suppliers have been continuously lowering their quotes to facilitate transactions, and the downstream's bargaining willingness has been evident, weighing on spot premiums. Meanwhile, the available supply of high-quality copper remains scarce, and the backwardation spread has widened, still providing some support for quotes of certain brands. Overall, under the combined effect of the copper price pullback boosting demand improvement but the outflow of warrant cargo replenishing spot supply, Shanghai spot copper prices against the 2609 contract are expected to maintain a premium tomorrow.
3 hours ago
On August 19, LME copper showed a straight-line decline after the clos - Shanghai Metals Market (SMM)