The operating rate of major copper cathode rod enterprises in China stood at 81.51% last week (March 13–March 19), marking the fourth consecutive week of MoM improvement since the Chinese New Year, with industry sentiment continuing to recover. The strong rebound in the operating rate in this round was mainly driven by two factors: first, the relatively weak operating rates of secondary copper rod enterprises, coupled with the price difference between copper cathode and copper scrap remaining at a relatively low level, significantly weakened the substitution effect between copper cathode and copper scrap, leaving more market room for copper cathode rod; second, improving orders for downstream wire and cable and enamelled wire boosted a faster drawdown in enterprises' finished product inventories. As copper prices broke above low-level support, downstream procurement sentiment continued to heat up, and new orders for copper cathode rod enterprises showed a pattern of concentrated volume release. Most enterprises reported that their production pace could no longer keep up with shipment progress, and some had already begun to proactively control the pace of taking orders to ensure contract fulfillment. From the downstream industry perspective, wire and cable as well as enamelled wire enterprises also benefited from the pullback in copper prices, with operating rates steadily rebounding, further boosting demand for copper rod. Inventory side, although the pullback in copper prices boosted enterprises' willingness to restock, constrained by limited room for capacity release, enterprises did not excessively stockpile on dips and mostly maintained normal production raw material reserves. Meanwhile, due to continued downstream pick-up of goods, enterprises' capacity was unable to fully match order demand, accelerating the drawdown of finished product inventories. Enterprises Raise Processing Fees and Increase Margin Requirements to Control Risks After copper prices pulled back sharply, downstream purchase willingness increased significantly, and order concentration rose markedly. To reasonably control the pace of taking orders, some enterprises urgently raised processing fees. At the same time, affected by the increased uncertainty in the pace of cargo pick-up caused by concentrated downstream order placement, as well as the continued decline in copper prices, enterprises became more concerned about the default risk of earlier high-priced orders, and some enterprises simultaneously increased margin ratios to strengthen risk control. Looking ahead, with copper prices rising at present, downstream procurement sentiment has clearly weakened. To ensure stable deliveries, copper cathode rod enterprises are expected to maintain relatively high operating loads. Although rigid demand is gradually being fully released, against the backdrop of low finished product inventories, enterprises will still maintain high operating rates to replenish inventory. Accordingly, SMM expects the operating rate of China's copper cathode rod enterprises to fluctuate at highs in March.
Mar 25, 2026 15:22[SMM Shanghai Spot Copper] Looking ahead to tomorrow, the Shanghai spot copper market is expected to remain under pressure. After copper prices jumped, downstream procurement sentiment pulled back, indicating limited acceptance of current price levels. From the market structure perspective, suppliers showed strong willingness to sell, with some brands continuing to offload cargo, putting pressure on discounts. Downstream buyers mostly maintained a wait-and-see stance, with procurement mainly driven by rigid demand and buying on dips. It is worth noting that the price spread between high-quality copper and standard-quality copper narrowed somewhat from the previous period, indicating that the market trading structure has become more rational, with actual consumption demand becoming the dominant force at the current stage. Overall, amid the tug-of-war between suppliers actively selling and downstream buyers purchasing cautiously, spot prices against the 2604 contract are expected to maintain the current discount level tomorrow.
Mar 25, 2026 11:49The latest customs data showed that in February 2026, China’s imports of unwrought silver ingots with a purity of no less than 99.99% reached 206.76 mt, up 499% MoM and surging 5,910% YoY to a multi-year high. The rare opening of the import window drove significant changes in the supply-demand pattern of the domestic silver ingot market.
Mar 25, 2026 17:51In light of the recent sharp decline in copper prices, SMM reports a noticeable deceleration in the global copper scrap trading trend. The rapid price correction has widened the bid-ask spread significantly, creating a sharp divergence in pricing expectations between market participants. Taking Bare Bright Copper as an example, overseas holders, seeking to hedge against the drop in absolute prices, have hiked their pricing coefficients to 99-99.5% of LME, a 1-percentage-point jump from 98-98.5% last week. Conversely, Chinese importers, constrained by domestic margin pressures, remain firm at the previous 98.5% coefficient. This "pricing mismatch" has hindered any consensus on coefficients, resulting in stagnant transaction activity across the board.
Mar 23, 2026 15:08SMM Morning Meeting Summary: Overnight, LME copper opened at $12,016.5/mt. After dipping to $11,955.5/mt in early trading, its center rose sharply to a high of $12,160/mt, and then continued to hover at highs, finally closing at $12,092.5/mt, down 1.05%. Trading volume reached 23,000 lots, open interest stood at 293,000 lots, up 406 lots from the previous trading day, mainly reflecting increased short positions overall. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE copper 2605 contract opened at 93,600 yuan/mt and touched a low of 93,480 yuan/mt at the open. Its center then moved higher to a high of 94,990 yuan/mt, after which copper prices maintained a fluctuating trend at highs, finally closing at 94,670 yuan/mt, up 0.17%. Trading volume reached 51,000 lots, open interest stood at 198,000 lots, down 533 lots from the previous trading day, mainly reflecting reduced short positions throughout the day.
Mar 25, 2026 09:13Strait of Hormuz disruptions and Iran tensions are driving up aluminum prices and premiums. Aluminium Bahrain and Qatalum have cut output, while feedstock is tight. Rerouting via Port of Sohar or Saudi ports raises costs and delays. Buyers are turning to China, India, Russia, Canada, and scrap to offset risk. Prolonged disruption could reduce Middle East market share and reprice it as higher-risk supply.
Mar 24, 2026 17:22SMM will launch two new price points for Indonesia 316L stainless steel, "Indonesia 316L/NO.1 Coil Mill Edge" and "Indonesia 316L/2B Coil Mill Edge," effective March 13, 2026.
PriceMar 11, 2026 18:14Dear User, Greetings! In recent years, the rare earth-NdFeB magnetic material industry chain has been continuously developing. During the process of refining its industry chain, SMM identified that the existing NdFeB-related data in the original terminal could no longer meet market demands. Therefore, after multiple rounds of surveys and verification, SMM has revised and expanded its original NdFeB data. The specific adjustments are as follows: NdFeB Production: 1. Discontinued 1 data point, namely the Monthly NdFeB Magnet Output by Manufacturer. The discontinued data location: Rare Earth - Rare Earth Production – NdFeB Magnet. 2. Added 5 data points, respectively [National Monthly Total Production], [Monthly Total Production of Sample Enterprises], [Monthly Production of Top-Tier Enterprises], [Monthly Production of Mid-Tier Enterprises], [Production Volume of Marginal Enterprises per Month]. The above data locations are all under Rare Earth - Rare Earth Production – NdFeB Magnet. 3. The above data are all updated monthly, with the update date being the last working day of each month, and the data dimension being the current month's data. 4. The data start date is January 2025. NdFeB Operating Rate: 1. Added five data points: [National Average Operating Rate], [Average Operating Rate of Sampled Enterprises in the Current Month], [Operating Rate of Top-Tier Enterprises in the Current Month], [Operating Rate of Mid-Tier Enterprises in the Current Month], [Operating Rate of Marginal Enterprises in the Current Month]. 2. The above data are located under Rare Earths - Rare Earth Operating Rate – NdFeB Magnet. 3. These data are updated monthly, with the update date being the last working day of each month, reflecting the current month's data. 4. The data series begins in January 2025. NdFeB Capacity 1. Added new category: Rare Earth - Rare Earth Capacity 2. Added four data points: [Quarterly Total NdFeB Capacity in China], [Quarterly NdFeB Capacity of National Top-Tier Enterprises], [Quarterly NdFeB Capacity of Mid-Tier Enterprises Nationwide], [Quarterly NdFeB Capacity of Small-Scale Enterprises Nationwide] 3. Location of the above data: Added new category: Rare Earth - Rare Earth Capacity 4. The above data is updated quarterly, with the update date being the last working day of the final month of each quarter. The data dimension reflects the current quarter. 5. The data start date is March 2025. NdFeB Supply-Demand Balance 1. Discontinued 3 data series: [SMM NdFeB Supply-Demand Balance: Supply], [SMM NdFeB Supply-Demand Balance: Consumption], [SMM NdFeB Supply-Demand Balance: Supply-Demand Balance] 2. Added 3 data series: [SMM NdFeB Supply-Demand Balance: National Total Supply], [SMM NdFeB Supply-Demand Balance: National Total Consumption], [SMM NdFeB Supply-Demand Balance: National Total Supply-Demand Balance] 3. Data location: Rare Earth - Supply-Demand Balance - NdFeB 4. These data series are updated monthly on the last business day of each month, reflecting the previous month's data (e.g., July data updated on August 29). 5. Data coverage starts from January 2025. Pr-Nd Alloy Supply-Demand Balance 1. Added a new classification for Pr-Nd alloy supply-demand balance 2. Added three datasets: [SMM Pr-Nd Alloy Supply-Demand Balance: Supply], [SMM Pr-Nd Alloy Supply-Demand Balance: Consumption], [SMM Pr-Nd Alloy Supply-Demand Balance: Supply-Demand Balance] 3. Data location: Rare Earth - Supply & Demand Analysis - Pr-Nd Alloy 4. The above data is updated monthly, with the update date set as the last working day of each month, reflecting the current month's data 5. The data series starts from January 2025 NdFeB Production and Operating Rate Forecast 1. Discontinued two data series: [Production - Forecast] and [Operating rate - Forecast]. 2. These will be replaced by two alternative data series: [NdFeB - Monthly production schedule expectation] and [NdFeB - Monthly operating rate expectation]. The above data adjustments will officially take effect on September 10, 2025. Users can then query the aforementioned data in the SMM data terminal. For any inquiries, please contact the SMM Rare Earth Research Team. SMM Rare Earth Research Team Shi Xin Contact: shixin@smm.cn
DataSep 8, 2025 18:51To better serve industrial clients and more closely align with the market, SMM has added a weekly price for 1.8mm Tin-Plated Copper Rod Premium (Electroplating), Ex-works China, VAT included, yuan/tonne, which will be officially launched on the SMM website (smm.cn) on December 19, 2025. 1. SMM 1.8mm Tin-Plated Copper Rod Premium (Electroplating), Ex-works China, VAT included, yuan/tonne Methodology 1.1 SMM Price Assessment Methodology General Provisions Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) is a fully independent third-party service organization that does not participate in any actual transactions. Instead, it maintains close communication with buyers or sellers in the market as an observer or organizer and provides relevant services to the market. SMM continuously develops, reviews, and revises its methodology through communication with industry professionals, adopting the most common product specifications, trade terms, and trade conditions in the industry. Equal importance is given to normal transactions that meet the standard specifications. SMM reserves the right to exclude any price information deemed less reliable or unrepresentative from its price assessments. SMM publishes daily spot metal prices (or price indices, including those for the Chinese market, markets outside China, and global markets), commonly referred to as SMM prices. For each published SMM price, a corresponding methodology is established (all of which are available for reference on SMM’s official website, www.smm.cn). The methodology specifies the methods and procedures for generating and publishing SMM prices, and SMM strictly adheres to these guidelines when producing and releasing SMM prices. To align with the actual conditions of the spot market, SMM will make necessary revisions to the SMM price assessment methodology and announce these revisions on the official website www.smm.cn 28 days before their formal implementation. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding SMM prices or the methodology, please contact SMM customer service (contact information can be found on the official website www.smm.cn ). This document specifies the standards for formulating the weekly RC for 1.8mm Tin-Plated Copper Rod Premium (Electroplating), Ex-works China, VAT included, yuan/tonne. The purpose of establishing this standard by SMM is to create a transparent and verifiable mechanism for SMM price formation. The SMM Benchmark Management Committee also regularly reviews the methodology and its assessment and publication processes. This committee oversees SMM’s methodology and compilation procedures, ensuring that the prices or indices accurately reflect the objective conditions of the physical spot market for the relevant commodities. If the committee identifies any issues, it will promptly highlight them and propose external consultation and revisions to the ongoing methodology or processes, thereby improving the quality of SMM’s published prices or indices. The committee may only propose modifications to the methodology and procedures used for future price or index assessments it cannot alter already published prices or indices. 2. Formation of 8mm Tin-Plated Copper Rod Premium (Electroplating), Ex-works China, VAT included, yuan/tonne. 2.1 Significance of the Price Assessment Current copper rod industry faces increasingly prominent overcapacity issues, with low capacity utilization rates. The market for ordinary power-grade rods suffers from homogenized competition, processing fees are caught in internal competition, and profit margins for most enterprises are severely compressed. Against this backdrop, the copper rod industry is gradually transitioning toward high-quality development, enhancing product added value, expanding profit margins, and progressively addressing the structural imbalance of "excess low-end supply and insufficient high-end supply." Tin-plated copper rods, leveraging characteristics such as oxidation resistance, ease of welding, and strong stability due to the tin coating, meet the demands of high-end sectors like new energy vehicles and electronic devices. With the continuous expansion of emerging industries such as new energy and 5G communication, the tin-plated copper rod market holds broad prospects and will become a key direction for the transformation and upgrading of the copper processing industry. 2.2 SMM 1.8mm Tin-Plated Copper Rod Premium (Electroplating), Ex-works China, VAT included, yuan/tonne Price Assessment Methodology 2.2.1 Product Specifications and Standards Given the wide variety of tin-plated copper rod specifications, SMM adopts the 1.8mm diameter, which holds a relatively high market share, as the basis for quoting tin-plated copper rod processing fees, with reference to the standard GB/T3952-2016 Copper Rod for Electrical Purposes. 2.2.2 Price Terms Ex-works, China, 1.8mm Tin-Plated Copper Rod premium top on SMM 1# Copper Cathode 2.2.3 Payment Terms cash, other terms normalized. 2.2.4 Delivery Time Within 3 days. 2.2.5 Reference Transaction Volume Min 1 tones. 2.2.6 Delivery Location China 2.2.7 Price Release Time Weekly, by 11:30 am Beijing time, last working day of every week. 2.2.8 Processing Fee Format The reported processing fees are presented as a range, indicating the lowest and highest prices. For example: 1.8mm Tin-Plated Copper Rod Premium (Electroplating), Ex-works China, VAT included, yuan/tonne range 3,000–4,000 yuan/tonne, average: 3,500 yuan/tonne. 2.2.9 Price Collection Methodology SMM will, in accordance with the price collection confirmation agreement, have price analysts regularly collect price information from copper foil industry price contacts via phone, QQ, WeChat, fax, and email. This price information includes concluded transaction prices, the enterprise's expected most likely pending transaction prices, etc. All instant messaging content, email communications, and any records of face-to-face communications will be archived details of phone communications will be recorded and entered into the database. SMM analysts must comply with the Compliance System when reporting any forced or threatened communications from market participants, or any induced offers attempting to influence the assessment. Once published, SMM will not revise or adjust the price on the same day. 2.2.10 Standardization of Data Although SMM has standardized definitions for our prices, diversity exists in market transactions. The price of each transaction is influenced by numerous factors, including order size, brand of goods, delivery time, payment terms, etc. SMM will comprehensively consider market offers, bids, and transaction information, aligning them with our standards. Each price datum will be electronically recorded or accompanied by written records. All electronic and paper records must be archived by price collection personnel and retained long-term (at least 5 years) in secure network and physical environments. For details, please refer to the SMM Data Retention Policy. 2.2.11 Price Assessment Process The specific process is as follows: 2.3 Methodology Changes All markets change, and SMM has a responsibility to ensure that the methodology for market reports evolves with the market. Therefore, SMM will regularly conduct internal reviews of the methodology's appropriateness based on industry feedback. For all substantive but non-urgent potential modifications, SMM will follow a formal external consultation process. Major changes will then be announced with a notice period of at least 28 days, inviting industry comments, unless special circumstances, particularly force majeure (natural disasters, war, exchange bankruptcy, etc.), necessitate a shorter notice period. SMM is committed to carefully considering all comments on proposed methodology changes, but in some cases, it may be necessary to proceed with changes contrary to the wishes of some market participants. Additionally, SMM has a formal methodology consultation process. SMM commits to holding a formal consultation on the methodology every three years. The date of the last consultation and the deadline for the next consultation committed by SMM are located at the top of the methodology document. 2.4 Compliance with SMM Policies All relevant SMM employees must not only comply with the methodology published by SMM but also adhere to SMM's internal standards and policies. These include: SMM Conflict of Interest Policy, SMM Whistleblower Policy, SMM Error Correction Policy, SMM Methodology Review Consultation and Change Policy, SMM Complaints Policy, etc. Welcome more relevant enterprises in the industry chain to participate and support SMM in better serving related enterprises in the Copper Cathode Rod industry chain. For inquiries, please contact: Shanghai Metals Market Copper Research Team, Xinyang Wang Contact: 021-20707846, +86 15762822325
PriceDec 11, 2025 19:27