Decline in arrivals and restocking increase amid lower copper prices drive spot premiums sharply higher [SMM South China Copper Cathode Spot Weekly Review]

Published: Jun 18, 2026 12:36

Jun 2026
Guangdong Region: Premiums in the region trended persistently lower this week, with increased arrivals and demand weakened by production cuts downstream during the Dragon Boat Festival. As of Thursday, high-quality copper was quoted at 200 yuan/mt, down 40 yuan/mt WoW; standard-quality copper was quoted at a premium of 140 yuan/mt, down 40 yuan/mt WoW; and SX-EW copper was quoted at a premium of 80 yuan/mt, down 40 yuan/mt WoW. The price spread for standard-quality copper premiums between Shanghai and Guangdong stood at Guangdong being higher by 160 yuan/mt on Thursday, a relatively small spread that triggered no interregional cargo transfers. SMM data indicated that as of Thursday, total inventory in Guangdong warehouses was 15,400 mt, up 3,000 mt WoW, with warrants totaling 3,100 mt, down 1,400 mt WoW. In detail: weekly warehouse arrivals were 17,700 mt, up 10,000 mt WoW, surpassing the annual average of 14,000 mt/week; smelter shipments increased early in the week ahead of contract expiry. Warehouse withdrawals were 14,300 mt, down 4,000 mt WoW, in line with the annual average of 14,200 mt/week, as production cuts downstream during the Dragon Boat Festival curtailed demand.

Looking ahead to next week, post-holiday downstream demand is expected to gradually recover while the supply side remains tight; inventories are likely to decline again, with premiums expected to trend higher once more.

         

(The above information is derived from market data collected and assessed comprehensively by the SMM research team. The information provided is for reference only. This article does not constitute direct investment, research, or decision-making advice. Clients should exercise prudent judgment and not rely on this as a substitute for independent decision-making. Any decisions made by clients are unrelated to Shanghai Metals Market.)

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.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn
For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn
Related News
Total Retail Sales of Social Consumer Goods Amounted to 20,603.1 Billion Yuan, January-May
15 mins ago
Total Retail Sales of Social Consumer Goods Amounted to 20,603.1 Billion Yuan, January-May
Read More
Total Retail Sales of Social Consumer Goods Amounted to 20,603.1 Billion Yuan, January-May
Total Retail Sales of Social Consumer Goods Amounted to 20,603.1 Billion Yuan, January-May
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recently released data showing that from January to May, total retail sales of social consumer goods reached 20,603.1 billion yuan, up 1.4% YoY. Of this, retail sales of consumer goods excluding automobiles were 19,002.2 billion yuan, up 2.7%. In May, total retail sales of social consumer goods were 4,109 billion yuan, down 0.6% YoY. Of this, retail sales of consumer goods excluding automobiles reached 3,778.1 billion yuan, up 1.1%.
15 mins ago
Brass billet operating rate expected to remain under pressure.
17 mins ago
Brass billet operating rate expected to remain under pressure.
Read More
Brass billet operating rate expected to remain under pressure.
Brass billet operating rate expected to remain under pressure.
[SMM Brass Billet Flash] Looking ahead to next week (6.19-6.25), orders are expected to continue weakening. With high costs, weak demand, and raw material price inversion, fundamentals are unlikely to improve. SMM expects the brass billet operating rate to drop by another 1.18 percentage points WoW to 50.99% next week, keeping production in the sector under pressure.
17 mins ago
Brass Billet End-User Transactions Mediocre, Inventory Under Pressure
18 mins ago
Brass Billet End-User Transactions Mediocre, Inventory Under Pressure
Read More
Brass Billet End-User Transactions Mediocre, Inventory Under Pressure
Brass Billet End-User Transactions Mediocre, Inventory Under Pressure
[SMM Brass Billet Flash] According to SMM, as the Dragon Boat Festival holiday approached, some producers stockpiled modestly, and days of raw material inventories slightly rose to 3.67 days. However, supplies of secondary brass were tight, and enterprises had no strong motivation for large-scale restocking. End-user transactions remained mediocre, downstream cargo pick-up was slow, and days of finished product inventories increased to 5.41 days, intensifying the pressure to destock high inventories.
18 mins ago
Register to Continue Reading
Gain access to the latest insights in metals and new energy
Already have an account?Sign in here
Decline in arrivals and restocking increase amid lower copper prices drive spot premiums sharply higher [SMM South China Copper Cathode Spot Weekly Review] - Shanghai Metals Market (SMM)