In May 2026, China's copper cathode import and export market continued and deepened the pattern of "rising imports, falling exports". Driven by phased changes in domestic demand and the import arbitrage window, copper cathode imports kept climbing steadily, while exports contracted notably following the high base earlier.

In May, China's single-month exports of copper cathode were 19,900 mt, down 22.45% MoM and 41.14% YoY. Despite the sharp monthly export pullback, combined with earlier performance, cumulative exports from January to May reached 275,200 mt, with cumulative YoY growth still maintaining a positive 23.35%.

According to online query data from the General Administration of Customs, China's copper cathode imports in April totaled 315,798 mt, up 5.2% YoY and up 13.04% MoM, the highest since October last year. The main increase was contributed by the Congo, whose monthly shipments surged by nearly 50%, while Kazakhstan's supply also increased and Russia's supply pulled back. Previously, China's import window opened intermittently. Demand was already strong in the traditionally robust April, and with domestic copper prices hovering below the 100,000 mark, downstream procurement demand warmed overall. Among them, non-registered and non-standard brand cargoes from the Congo had price advantages and good liquidity, making them popular in the market, with increased inflows. In addition, Q2 is the peak maintenance season for domestic smelters, and the market had expectations of a decline in China's copper cathode production. NBS data showed that China's copper cathode production in April fell 4.6% MoM to 1.269 million mt, confirming the pullback in production, and China's import demand picked up. Recently, domestic demand has cooled somewhat, and the copper cathode import window has opened intermittently. However, affected by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, sulfur imports in African countries such as the Congo have been impacted. Attention should be paid to the subsequent effects on local SX-EW copper production and whether it will impact their copper cathode exports. Data source: General Administration of Customs Meanwhile, online query data from the General Administration of Customs showed that China's copper cathode exports in April totaled 25,605.82 mt, marking a fifth consecutive monthly decline since November 2025, down 56% MoM and down 67% YoY. In April, the domestic export window was largely closed, and domestic smelters began deploying maintenance plans, limiting export enthusiasm. Data source: General Administration of Customs (Wenhua Composite)

Data from the online customs statistics query platform showed that China's copper cathode imports in April 2026 totaled 315,798.48 mt, up 13.04% MoM and up 5.20% YoY. China imported 147,428.95 mt of copper cathode from the DRC in April, up 48.72% MoM and up 29.56% YoY. China imported 24,309.19 mt of copper cathode from Russia in April, down 51.38% MoM and down 4.86% YoY. Export side, China's copper cathode exports in April 2026 totaled 25,605.82 mt, down 56.01% MoM and down 67.05% YoY. China exported 8,545 mt of copper cathode to Thailand in April, down 10.06% MoM and down 33.74% YoY. Below is a breakdown of export data compiled from the General Administration of Customs website: Destination April 2026 (mt) MoM YoY Thailand 8545.00 -10.06% -33.74% Taiwan, China 6495.34 -68.73% 4.84% Vietnam 4066.94 -72.57% -60.37% Malaysia 3098.77 -29.13% 674.63% Indonesia 1998.63 42.45% 566.47% South Korea 551.42 -88.92% -93.31% Bangladesh 499.78 -1.00% - Pakistan 199.94 -63.55% -19.91% Singapore 149.97 - -92.11% UK 0.02 63.64% 260.00% Total 25605.82 -56.01% -67.05% Data source: General Administration of Customs (Wenhua Comprehensive)

In April 2026, China's copper cathode import and export market exhibited a clear pattern of "rising imports and falling exports.

[China's Copper Cath[China's Copper Cathode Imports and Exports in April 2026] According to customs data, China's copper cathode exports in April 2026 totaled 25,600 mt, down 56.01% MoM and 67.05% YoY, with cumulative exports up 30.84% YoY. China's copper cathode imports in April 2026 totaled 270,500 mt, up 15.27% MoM and 8.19% YoY, with cumulative imports down 21.10% YoY.