Copper Inventories in China Shift to Buildup After Holiday Destocking Trend Ends

Published: May 6, 2026 15:31

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【SMM Copper Inventory Update】After the holiday, copper cathode social inventory in China's major regions ended the previous seven consecutive weeks of destocking and shifted into an inventory buildup trend. Recently, warehouse inflows of both imported copper and domestically produced supplies increased. On the demand side, downstream players resumed operations and returned to the market after the holiday, but overall purchasing sentiment was mediocre, with restocking limited to rigid demand only. The shift in the supply-demand pattern drove copper inventories into a buildup.

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