The copper market experienced one of the largest squeezes on August 17 2026, before the August 19 delivery window at the London Metal Exchange (LME), as tight deliverable inventory pushed LME prices close to record highs and sent the backwardation between LME cash and three-month (3M) to levels unse

MMG Limited announced on August 19 that operations at its Las Bambas mine in Peru have been suspended, following an incident on August 18 that resulted in the deaths of two workers. Against a backdrop of already tight concentrate supply, this has added another disruption to copper supply in South

Copper prices rebounded in futures and spot markets on August 20, fluctuating this week amid macro uncertainties. The Middle East conflicts remained volatile, with geopolitical uncertainty continuing to suppress market sentiment. Meanwhile, the minutes from the Federal Reserve's July meeting release

Copper prices continued falling in futures and spot markets on August 19, with expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike in September rising and market risk appetite weak. However, the market fundamentals stayed strong with global available inventory low and demand expectations firm, supporting a

China's production of semi-finished copper products retreated in July from a month earlier as the seasonal weakness weighed on end-user activity, while output of refined copper (electrolytic copper) also edged lower amid raw material constraints, Mysteel Global noted.