Copper Prices Stop Falling and Rebound, Spot Premiums Weaken [SMM North China Spot Copper]

Published: May 21, 2026 11:38
Today, #1 copper cathode spot prices in North China against the front-month contract were reported at an average discount of 300 yuan/mt to a discount of 220 yuan/mt, with the average discount of 260 yuan/mt down 10 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. The average transaction price was 104,785 yuan/mt, up 1,690 yuan/mt from the previous trading day.

SMM May 21 News:

Today, #1 copper cathode spot prices against the front-month contract in North China were reported at a discount of 300 yuan/mt to a discount of 220 yuan/mt, with an average discount of 260 yuan/mt, down 10 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. The average transaction price was 104,785 yuan/mt, up 1,690 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Copper prices stopped falling and rebounded, but downstream demand had yet to show significant improvement. Suppliers faced unrelenting shipment pressure, and spot premiums were under pressure and weakened. Today, the procurement sentiment for copper cathode in North China was 1.77, down 0.24 from the previous trading day, while the shipment sentiment was 2.25, up 0.03 from the previous trading day ().

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 to learn 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
General Administration of Customs: China's April Copper Cathode Imports Up 5.20% YoY, Import and Export Breakdown
20 mins ago
General Administration of Customs: China's April Copper Cathode Imports Up 5.20% YoY, Import and Export Breakdown
Read More
General Administration of Customs: China's April Copper Cathode Imports Up 5.20% YoY, Import and Export Breakdown
General Administration of Customs: China's April Copper Cathode Imports Up 5.20% YoY, Import and Export Breakdown
20 mins ago
Slightly Widening Price Spread Between Futures Contracts Bolstered Efforts to Hold Prices Firm, Spot Copper Discounts on SHFE Copper Moved Sideways [SMM Shanghai Spot Copper]
2 hours ago
Slightly Widening Price Spread Between Futures Contracts Bolstered Efforts to Hold Prices Firm, Spot Copper Discounts on SHFE Copper Moved Sideways [SMM Shanghai Spot Copper]
Read More
Slightly Widening Price Spread Between Futures Contracts Bolstered Efforts to Hold Prices Firm, Spot Copper Discounts on SHFE Copper Moved Sideways [SMM Shanghai Spot Copper]
Slightly Widening Price Spread Between Futures Contracts Bolstered Efforts to Hold Prices Firm, Spot Copper Discounts on SHFE Copper Moved Sideways [SMM Shanghai Spot Copper]
[SMM Shanghai Spot Copper] Looking ahead to tomorrow, the Contango price spread between nearby contracts is expected to widen slightly, and suppliers' willingness to hold prices firm is expected to strengthen. During the day, downstream enterprises countered some standard-quality copper at a discount of 120 yuan/mt, but suppliers held prices firm and held back from selling, and the discount did not widen significantly. Demand side, affected by high copper prices, end-users' cargo pick-up pace slowed down, finished product inventories at some processing enterprises rose, and procurement volumes declined. Overall, given weak demand, Shanghai spot copper premiums against the 06 contract are expected to remain at a discount tomorrow.
2 hours ago
Copper Prices and Inventory Both Rise, End-User Restocking Desire Remains Sluggish [SMM South China Spot Copper]
2 hours ago
Copper Prices and Inventory Both Rise, End-User Restocking Desire Remains Sluggish [SMM South China Spot Copper]
Read More
Copper Prices and Inventory Both Rise, End-User Restocking Desire Remains Sluggish [SMM South China Spot Copper]
Copper Prices and Inventory Both Rise, End-User Restocking Desire Remains Sluggish [SMM South China Spot Copper]
2 hours ago
Register to Continue Reading
Gain access to the latest insights in metals and new energy
Already have an account?sign in here