LME basic Metals inventory, 29 October 2019

SMM Morning Meeting Minutes: Last Friday evening, LME copper opened at $14,088/mt, rose to an intraday high of $14,359/mt, then pulled back in consolidation, and finally closed at $14,226/mt, up 0.31%. Trading volume reached 27,000 lots, and open interest reached 275,000 lots, an increase of 2,022 lots from the previous trading day, driven by bullish positioning. Last Friday, the most-traded SHFE copper 2610 contract opened at 108,660 yuan/mt, rose to an intraday high of 108,830 yuan/mt in early trading, then drifted lower to an intraday low of 108,350 yuan/mt, and finally closed at 108,440 yuan/mt, down 0.50%. Trading volume reached 37,000 lots, and open interest reached 193,000 lots, a decrease of 5,979 lots from the previous trading day, driven by bullish liquidation.

Boliden Somincor has awarded Master Drilling a contract to construct two 630-metre-deep, 4.5-metre-diameter raisebored shafts at its Neves-Corvo copper-zinc operation in Portugal. The first 630-metre pilot hole has already been completed in just 24 days, setting a new Master Drilling record. While no incremental copper production guidance was disclosed, the project represents continued investment in deep underground infrastructure at one of Europe’s key operating copper mines.

The EU's scrap export policy has taken another important turn. India, Thailand and Malaysia failed to meet environmental requirements in the European Commission's draft assessment covering metal waste, potentially preventing them from directly importing affected EU scrap streams once the new Waste Shipment Regulation takes effect. Under the WSR, exports of non-hazardous waste to non-OECD countries will generally be prohibited from May 21, 2027, unless the destination and specific waste streams are approved. The Commission's first final list is due by November 21, 2026, so a copper scrap ban is not yet confirmed.