China's Copper Imports Rebound in May, Easing Spot Supply Tightness

Published: Jun 22, 2026 14:16

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In May, China's copper cathode imports rebounded to 282,300 mt, up 4.38% MoM and up 10.20% YoY. The continuous rebound in imports in May effectively alleviated the tight supply of some spot copper in China. However, from a longer-term perspective, cumulative imports from January to May stood at 1.1443 million mt, still down 15.69% YoY, reflecting a structural adjustment in the overall import flows of long-term contracts and spot cargo this year compared to previous years.

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