Copper prices hit a new record high on Tuesday amid signs of limited supply and growing demand linked to electrification and investment in data centers.
The price of copper futures for delivery in three months on the London Metal Exchange (LME) rose 3.1% during trading to $13,387.5 per ton. Since the beginning of 2026, the price of copper has risen 6.6%, exceeding $13,000 per tonne for the first time on Monday.
“The rise in copper prices above $13,000 per ton is due to the growing imbalance between structural supply constraints and accelerated demand growth amid electrification and investment in data centers,” notes ING analyst Eva Manti. “Years of underinvestment and prolonged problems at mines have left the market with virtually no room for maneuver.”
The strike at Capstone Copper’s Mantoverde gold-copper mine in northern Chile, which began last week, has heightened concerns about a shortage of copper supply in the global market this year.
Copper is widely used in electrical engineering, pipe manufacturing, alloy production, medicine, and other industries.
Earlier, the Experts Club information and analytical center released a video dedicated to global copper production and leading producing countries – https://youtube.com/shorts/_h8iU50z8C0?si=a-XkgGEfeUxseQNa
Copper prices on Tuesday for the first time exceeded the mark of $ 12 thousand per ton.
Quotes of three-month futures for copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) by 13:44 Q1 rose by 1% to $ 12,059 per ton.
Since the beginning of the year, the metal has risen in price by about 37%. If the same dynamics will be shown at the end of the year, it will be the strongest rise since 2009.
Quotes are supported by serious problems at some deposits and changes in trade flows due to the tariff policy of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The possibility of Trump’s introduction of duties on copper is one of the main factors in the growth of prices for this metal. The states have significantly increased its imports, forcing production companies from other countries into a highly competitive battle for the metal.
Outages at major mines in Chile and Peru and delays in Indonesia have reduced production by 8-12%, and the slow pace of new project development is limiting the global supply of concentrate.
In addition, Chinese smelters have agreed to the lowest-ever zero treatment and refining tariffs for 2026, which only emphasizes supply constraints and gives miners an additional bargaining advantage.
Meanwhile, demand in the electric vehicle, data center and power grid segments remains strong, with Goldman Sachs forecasting more than 60% growth in copper demand between now and 2030, Trading Economics wrote.
Earlier, the Experts Club information and analytical center released a video on global copper production and leading producing countries – https://youtube.com/shorts/_h8iU50z8C0?si=a-XkgGEfeUxseQNa.
In January-November of this year, Ukrainian enterprises increased imports of copper and copper products in value terms by 25.8% compared to the same period last year, to $160.184 million.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service of Ukraine on Friday, exports of copper and copper products during the specified period increased by 15.3% to $93.531 million.
In November, copper imports amounted to $12.131 million, while exports amounted to $9.511 million.
As reported, in 2024, Ukraine maintained imports of copper and copper products in value terms at the previous year’s level — up to $140.797 million, while exports grew by 22.4% — up to $88.237 million.
In 2023, Ukraine increased imports of copper and copper products by 2.2 times compared to 2022, to $140.795 million, while exports decreased by 20.1%, to $72.078 million.
Copper is widely used in electrical engineering, in the production of pipes, for creating alloys, in medicine, and in other industries.
Copper prices on Monday updated the historical maximum on fears of a supply shortage in the global market. Quotes of three-month futures for copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) by 13:25 Q1 rose by 0.3% to $11,653 per ton. At the same time during the session they rose to a record $11,771 per ton.
“Supply shortages continue to provoke panic buying,” The Wall Street Journal quoted analysts at ANZ Research as saying.
The market has been pressured this year by a series of problems at major oilfields. In addition, the build-up of stocks in the U.S. because of fears of the introduction of the authorities of the country in the next year of duties on imports of refined copper increases the risk of shortages in other regions.
Prices are also supported by the promise of the Chinese authorities to strengthen support for the economy to stimulate domestic consumption through a “more proactive” fiscal policy and the preservation of “moderately soft” monetary policy, analysts say ANZ Research.
Earlier, the information and analytical center Experts Club released a video dedicated to global copper production and the leading producing countries – https://youtube.com/shorts/_h8iU50z8C0?si=a-XkgGEfeUxseQNa.
Copper prices have again updated the historical maximum on the London Metal Exchange (LME) amid fears of shortages of the metal.
Quotes of futures for copper on the LME on Friday growing by 1.8% to $ 11.65 thousand per ton. Earlier during trading prices rose to $ 11.662 thousand per ton, which is a new record.
Stocks of metal in warehouses monitored by the LME fell to their lowest since July due to strong demand for copper in the U.S. on fears of imposition of duties on imports of non-ferrous metals in 2026. Rising U.S. demand could lead to copper averaging $13,000 a ton in the second quarter of next year, Citi analysts believe.
“We are confident in copper’s upside potential through 2026 due to a range of bullish factors, including increasingly positive fundamentals and macroeconomic indicators,” Citi said in a statement.
Since the beginning of the year, copper in London has risen by more than 30%.
Earlier, information and analytical center Experts Club released a video dedicated to global copper production and leading producing countries – https://youtube.com/shorts/_h8iU50z8C0?si=a-XkgGEfeUxseQNa.
UBS analysts expect copper prices to rise next year due to reduced supply amid ongoing mine disruptions.
In addition, the rise will be supported by high long-term demand associated with the transition to clean energy and increased investment in this area, the bank said in a statement.
UBS raised its copper price forecast for the end of the first quarter of 2026 by $750 to $11,500 per ton. Expectations for June and September were raised by $1,000 to $12,000 and $12,500 per ton, respectively. Experts also set a target level for December next year at $13,000 per ton.
Analysts now believe that the copper deficit in the global market this year will be about 230,000 tons, compared to the previously expected 53,000 tons, and in 2026 – 407,000 tons, compared to 87,000 tons. In their opinion, declining inventories and ongoing supply risks will keep the market tight.
Disruptions at mines this year, including production problems at Freeport-McMoRan’s Grasberg mine in Indonesia, slower recovery of production in Chile, and recurring protests in Peru, highlight structural supply constraints that are likely to persist until 2026, the bank said in a statement.
Freeport-McMoRan said it plans to resume production at the Grasberg copper and gold mine by July after operations were suspended two months ago due to a fatal accident.
UBS lowered its forecast for refined copper production growth to 1.2% in 2025 and 2.2% next year, citing deteriorating ore quality and operational problems. Analysts expect global demand for the metal to increase by 2.8% both this year and next due to the development of renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, investments in power grids, and data centers.
The bank’s experts believe that any price decline will be short-lived and recommend maintaining long positions in copper.
Earlier, the Experts Club information and analytical center released a video dedicated to global copper production and leading producing countries – https://youtube.com/shorts/_h8iU50z8C0?si=a-XkgGEfeUxseQNa
