SHFE/LME Price Ratio Recovery Fails to Mask Cooling Demand as Spot Copper Shifts to Buyer's Market [SMM Yangshan Spot Copper]

Published: Apr 16, 2026 12:09

April 16, 2026: The average warrant price fell by $4/mt from the previous trading day, closing at $69/mt (price range $64-74/mt); the average B/L price fell by $4/mt from the previous trading day, closing at $67/mt (price range $62-72/mt); the average EQ copper (CIF B/L) price fell by $3/mt from the previous trading day, closing at $37/mt (price range $32-42/mt), with quotes referencing cargoes arriving from late April to early-to-mid May.

  Although the intraday SHFE/LME price ratio saw some recovery, downstream orders continued to weaken. The market shifted to a buyer's market, with abundant offers but very limited transactions, and buyers' counter-offer prices remained low. It was heard that a small volume of ER copper B/L arriving in mid-to-late April was offered at $75/mt, QP May; mid-April EQ B/L was offered at $45/mt, EQ B/L arriving in mid-to-late April was offered at $45/mt, B/L arriving in mid-May was offered at $50/mt, with a small volume concluded at $40-45/mt, QP May. ER copper warrants for delivery within this week were offered at $80/mt, QP May.

 

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.

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