High Copper Prices Combined with Raw Material Shortages Put Brass Billet Operating Rates under Pressure

Published: Apr 17, 2026 10:37

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[SMM Brass Billet News Flash] This week (4.10-4.16), the operating rate of the brass billet industry was recorded at 53.68%, down 1.03 percentage points WoW. Copper prices fluctuated at highs, market trading was subdued, and new orders weakened; recycled brass raw materials remained tight, raw material inventories fell to 4.31 days, and finished product inventories rose to 5.42 days. The operating rate is expected to continue declining by 0.32 percentage points WoW to 53.36% next week (4.17-4.23).

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