Global Commodities: Copper — From tariffs to tightness

Speaker: 

Greg Shearer, Head of Base and Precious Metals Research

 

Limited copper supply growth and resilient global demand sets up a tighter forecasted refined copper market in 2H25 and 2026 and keeps us medium-term bullish on prices. While current slack in China and the potential for greater tariff headline volatility over the next month risks a near-term pullback in copper, we ultimately believe global demand will begin to stress copper balances later this year. Moreover, likely excess inventory builds in the US in the coming months ahead of a tariff on copper sets up the potential to leave the rest of the world shorter of copper than expected, driving more significant tightening to copper balances in China and Asia into the summer, setting the stage for our forecasted bullish push higher over 2H25 towards $10,400/mt.

 

This podcast was recorded on 28 February 2025.

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