Copper falls as rising inventories cool supply worries

Copper prices dropped on Thursday as rising inventories at London Metal Exchange warehouses eased some supply concerns, despite persistent bottlenecks in other regions. The benchmark three-month copper on the LME fell 0.44% to $14,293.5 per metric ton. The most-traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange dipped 0.67% to 109,000 yuan ($16,331.79) per ton.

LME-registered warehouse stocks have risen for three straight days, with 13,525 tons delivered on Wednesday. Unlike previous days, the inflows were distributed among South Korea, the US, the Netherlands, and other locations. Stocks have been flowing into the US as traders prepare for potential import tariffs on copper. Premiums paid over LME prices in other regions indicate expectations of regional shortages.

Chile's Codelco is charging a record $350 per ton premium to European customers, while Germany's Aurubis has set a record high for next year. China's Yangshan copper premium rose to $148 a ton on Wednesday, its highest since October 2022. The LME cash-to-three-month spread was at a backwardation of $116.34 a ton, indicating tight near-term availability.

Among other LME metals, aluminium fell 0.59%, zinc declined 0.68%, lead dropped 0.65%, nickel slipped 1.01%, and tin lost 1.28%. On the SHFE, nickel gained 1.46% due to potential production cuts by Chinese producers in Indonesia, while zinc saw a slight increase of 0.02%, lead dipped 0.15%, and tin fell 1.29%.