Concerns Over Tight Demand Drove the Most-Traded BC Copper Contract Up 1.54% [SMM BC Copper Commentary]

Published: Apr 14, 2026 15:19

Today, the most-traded BC copper contract 2605 opened at 88,680 yuan/mt, dipping to a low of 88,380 yuan/mt at the start of the session before the center shifted upward to a high of 90,100 yuan/mt. Copper prices then stayed high and moved sideways, ultimately closing at 89,870 yuan/mt, up 1.54%. Open interest stood at 6,466 lots, a decrease of 49 lots from the previous trading day, while trading volume reached 5,015 lots, an increase of 1,136 lots from the previous trading day. On the macro front, Trump stated that Iran had initiated contact, hoping to push for a relevant agreement, while the U.S. maintained its stance against Iran possessing nuclear weapons. Both sides are still in communication, and the next round of negotiations may be held in Islamabad in the near term, with the possibility of a ceasefire extension. Israel's Prime Minister suggested that the ceasefire may be difficult to sustain and expressed support for the U.S. naval blockade measures. U.S. officials said that significant progress had been made in negotiations, and the advancement of subsequent talks would depend on Iran's attitude. The market held optimistic expectations for the negotiation process, which, combined with tight supply and resilient demand, provided some bullish support for copper prices. Fundamentals side, supply side, imported sources arrived steadily while domestic sources saw fewer arrivals; demand side, the support for consumption weakened somewhat due to rising copper prices.

The SHFE copper 2605 contract closed at 101,190 yuan/mt. Based on the BC copper 2605 contract price of 89,870 yuan/mt, the after-tax price was 101,553 yuan/mt. The price spread between the SHFE copper 2605 contract and BC copper was -363 yuan/mt, showing an inverted spread that narrowed compared to the previous 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 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
Visit to Ningbo Zhenhai Copper Scrap Yard — High-Grade Copper Scrap Scarce, #2 Copper Semis Predominate
6 hours ago
Visit to Ningbo Zhenhai Copper Scrap Yard — High-Grade Copper Scrap Scarce, #2 Copper Semis Predominate
Read More
Visit to Ningbo Zhenhai Copper Scrap Yard — High-Grade Copper Scrap Scarce, #2 Copper Semis Predominate
Visit to Ningbo Zhenhai Copper Scrap Yard — High-Grade Copper Scrap Scarce, #2 Copper Semis Predominate
This week, SMM headed to various copper scrap yards in Zhenhai, Ningbo for field visits. Since the implementation of reverse invoicing this year, many scrap utilization enterprises have been unable to carry out reverse invoicing on a large scale, forcing them to increase their procurement volume of imported copper scrap
6 hours ago
Ningbo Zhenhai Copper Scrap Yard Visit -- High-Grade Copper Scrap in Short Supply, #2 Copper Semis Dominant [SMM Analysis]
14 hours ago
Ningbo Zhenhai Copper Scrap Yard Visit -- High-Grade Copper Scrap in Short Supply, #2 Copper Semis Dominant [SMM Analysis]
Read More
Ningbo Zhenhai Copper Scrap Yard Visit -- High-Grade Copper Scrap in Short Supply, #2 Copper Semis Dominant [SMM Analysis]
Ningbo Zhenhai Copper Scrap Yard Visit -- High-Grade Copper Scrap in Short Supply, #2 Copper Semis Dominant [SMM Analysis]
[SMM Analysis: Visit to Ningbo Zhenhai Copper Scrap Yard — High-Grade Copper Scrap in Short Supply, #2 Copper Semis Dominate] This week, SMM headed to major copper scrap yards in Ningbo's Zhenhai district for a visit. Since the beginning of this year, due to the implementation of "reverse invoicing" in the copper scrap industry, many scrap utilization enterprises were unable to carry out large-scale "reverse invoicing" and had to increase their procurement volume of imported copper scrap. Based on the visit, inventory of copper scrap at major yards was not ample. As demand for copper scrap outside China continued to grow, yard managers also indicated that imports of copper scrap were expected to decline in the future...
14 hours ago
The price difference between primary metal and scrap has widened, but it is not solely due to rising copper prices!
15 hours ago
The price difference between primary metal and scrap has widened, but it is not solely due to rising copper prices!
Read More
The price difference between primary metal and scrap has widened, but it is not solely due to rising copper prices!
The price difference between primary metal and scrap has widened, but it is not solely due to rising copper prices!
According to SMM's observations, since July, copper cathode prices have risen from 103,000 yuan/mt to 108,600 yuan/mt, an increase of over 6,400 yuan/mt, but the price of domestic bare bright copper wire (excluding tax) only rose from 90,000 yuan/mt to 91,700 yuan/mt, an increase of less than 1,800 yuan/mt
15 hours ago
Register to Continue Reading
Gain access to the latest insights in metals and new energy
Already have an account?Sign in here