High Copper Prices Deter Buyers, Wire and Cable Demand Rebounds Amid Stockpiling

Published: Sep 24, 2026 15:31 (GMT+8)

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[SMM Copper Cathode Rod Flash] High copper prices and high premiums kept downstream buyers on the sidelines, with new orders pulling back notably. Only end-users in wire and cable and enamelled wire saw operating rates rebound, driven by stockpiling. Inventories: Tight spot copper cathode supply combined with pre-holiday restocking pushed raw material inventories up MoM. Downstream cargo pick-up slowed, leading to a passive increase in finished product inventories MoM.

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