The average operating rate of key copper rod producers using copper cathode was around 79.99% last week, a surge of 4.33 percentage points from a week earlier. Due to the relatively sufficient orders in hand of copper cathode rod enterprises, the delivery and production did not change much.
The consumption of copper rods in south China is significantly better than that in east China. Last week, many copper rod companies in south China were actively scheduling production, and the operating rate was at a high level.
As the price difference between copper cathode and copper scrap continued to favour the consumption of copper cathode rods, the pace of downstream delivery taking accelerated, and the inventory decline of finished products was also more rapid. However, it is worth noting that as the premiums of copper in east China rose rapidly last week, some copper rod enterprises suffered losses due to higher raw material cost and cut output.
More popular news:
'Bond King' Jeffrey Gundlach Says Sharp Fed Rate Cuts By Year-End Will Push Up Gold Prices
Copper Shortage Is Irreparable Even after Biggest Mergers and Acquisitions, Here’s Why
G7 to Expand Sanctions Covering Metals on Russia, Promises Further Support for Ukraine
Zinc Prices to Plunge by 2025, Here's Why
IMF: US Debt Defaults Will Take a Heavy Toll on Global Economy, Global GDP Growth Can Plunge
BofA Sharply Lowers Forecast for Oil Price, Global Oil Consumption in 2023
Takeaways of Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway’s 2023 Annual Meeting
US Treasury Bill Rates Soar to Record High on Debt Ceiling Jitters
No Other Country can Replace China's Manufacturing Industry Including India
SMM Daily Comments (May 5): LME Base Metals Rose across the Board, SHFE Nickel Plunged

![[ Análisis de SMM ] Una guía visual de los informes semestrales de 2026 de 19 fundiciones de cobre](https://imgqn.smm.cn/usercenter/gCNEi20251217171715.jpeg)

