SHANGHAI, Apr 13 (SMM) - The number of days of copper inventory carried by Chinese copper smelters dropped from 1.95 days in February to 1 day in March. Copper cathode output gained 4.8% month-on-month. The average premium of SMM #1 copper cathode was 55.4 yuan/mt, which rebounded sharply from -44.5 yuan/mt in February, the SMM data showed. In addition, the SHFE front-month contract switched to the backwardation structure in mid-March, encouraging the smelters’ shipments.
![Inventory falls for 13 consecutive weeks to a new low this year; spot premiums keep rising [SMM South China copper cathode spot weekly review]](https://imgqn.smm.cn/usercenter/vdbfy20251217171709.jpg)
![Импортное пополнение предложения в сочетании с расширяющимся бэквордацией, спотовые премии на медь в Шанхае отступают после быстрого роста [SMM Shanghai Spot Copper Weekly Review]](https://imgqn.smm.cn/usercenter/KTLHT20251217171714.jpeg)

