Analysis of Copper Scrap Market Operations in May 2026: Supply-Demand Deadlock and Structural Contradictions amid High Volatility

SMM Morning Meeting Summary: Overnight, LME copper opened at $13,576.5/mt, dipping to $13,554.5/mt early in the session. The price center then fluctuated upward throughout the session, reaching a high of $13,747/mt near the close, and ultimately settled at $13,746.5/mt, up 1.71%. Trading volume reached 21,000 lots, and open interest reached 276,000 lots, an increase of 5,289 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bulls adding positions. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE copper 2607 contract opened at 104,450 yuan/mt, fluctuating downward early in the session to a low of 104,100 yuan/mt. The price center then surged upward, reaching 105,290 yuan/mt near the close, and ultimately settled at 105,270 yuan/mt, up 1.17%. Trading volume reached 41,000 lots, and open interest reached 177,000 lots, a decrease of 310 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bears reducing positions.

SMM Morning Meeting Summary: Overnight, LME copper opened at $13,653/mt, swung wildly in early trading to probe a high of $13,666/mt. The copper price center then fluctuated downward to touch a low of $13,512.5/mt, before swinging wildly again near the end of the session to finally close at $13,516/mt, down 0.69%, with trading volume at 23,700 lots and open interest at 270,300 lots, an increase of 1,898 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bears adding positions. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE copper 2607 contract opened at 104,470 yuan/mt, swung wildly in early trading to touch a high of 104,670 yuan/mt. The copper price center then dropped sharply to probe a low of 103,800 yuan/mt, before fluctuating upward to finally close at 104,010 yuan/mt, down 0.9%, with trading volume at 43,400 lots and open interest at 180,500 lots, a decrease of 942 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bulls reducing positions.

SMM Morning Meeting Minutes: Overnight, LME copper opened at $13,625/mt, fluctuated downward in early trading to touch a low of $13,601/mt, then the price center moved sharply upward to probe $13,671/mt, before fluctuating downward again to finally close at $13,610.5/mt, down 0.18%, with trading volume at 17,000 lots and open interest at 268,000 lots, a decrease of 1,387 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bulls reducing positions. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE copper 2607 contract opened at 104,690 yuan/mt, dipped to 104,560 yuan/mt in early trading, then the price center fluctuated upward to touch a high of 105,050 yuan/mt, before experiencing wild swings to finally close at 104,760 yuan/mt, down 0.39%, with trading volume at 24,000 lots and open interest at 182,000 lots, a decrease of 17 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bulls reducing positions.

SMM Morning Meeting Summary: LME copper was closed overnight. The most-traded SHFE copper 2607 contract opened higher with a gap at 106,300 yuan/mt overnight. Copper prices then quickly shifted their center downward, followed by wild swings during which prices dipped to 105,420 yuan/mt. Near the end of the session, prices fluctuated upward and ultimately closed at 105,780 yuan/mt, up 0.39%. The trading volume reached 26,500 lots, and open interest stood at 181,000 lots, down 1,026 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bears reducing their positions.

SMM Morning Meeting Minutes: Last Friday evening, LME copper opened at $13,624.5/mt. In the early session, it experienced wild swings and dipped to $13,575.5/mt. Subsequently, the center of copper prices shifted upward, reaching a high of $13,678/mt, before fluctuating downward to finally close at $13,635/mt, up 0.18%. Trading volume reached 16,200 lots, and open interest stood at 269,000 lots, a decrease of 3,435 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bears reducing positions. Last Friday evening, the most-traded SHFE copper 2607 contract opened at 104,870 yuan/mt. In the early session, the center of copper prices fluctuated downward, touching a low of 104,420 yuan/mt. Subsequently, it fluctuated upward, reaching 105,280 yuan/mt, before moving sideways to finally close at 105,090 yuan/mt, up 0.58%. Trading volume reached 33,600 lots, and open interest stood at 172,000 lots, an increase of 627 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bulls adding positions.

SMM Morning Meeting Summary: Overnight, LME copper opened at $13,508/mt, dipped to $13,454.5/mt early in the session, then the price center gradually shifted upward, reaching $13,620/mt near the end of the session, and finally closed at $13,610/mt, down 0.33%, with trading volume at 17,000 lots and open interest at 273,000 lots, an increase of 143 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bears adding positions. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE copper 2607 contract opened at 104,000 yuan/mt, touched a low of 103,620 yuan/mt right after the opening, then the price center edged up with small fluctuations and reached a high of 104,250 yuan/mt, finally moving sideways to close at 104,100 yuan/mt, up 0.06%, with trading volume at 34,000 lots and open interest at 162,000 lots, an increase of 1,224 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bulls adding positions.

In mid-May, LME copper rallied strongly, exceeding the historical $14,000/mt mark for the first time. The boom on the metal exchange drove European copper scrap prices to unprecedented levels. According to German market data, wholesale purchasing prices for copper scrap increased by €30 to €55 per 100 kilograms within a single week, depending on the grade, with brass scrap following the uptrend. This price surge has further strengthened the reluctance to sell among holders of already scarce high-quality local scrap in Europe.

SMM Morning Meeting Summary: Overnight, LME copper opened at $13,477.5/mt, dipped to $13,461/mt in early trading, then gradually shifted its center upward to reach $13,676/mt, and finally closed at $13,654.5/mt, up 1.69%, with a trading volume of 17,000 lots and open interest of 273,000 lots, down 3,375 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bears reducing positions. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE copper 2606 contract opened at 103,950 yuan/mt, touching a low of 103,950 yuan/mt right at the open, then shifted its center upward to reach a high of 105,190 yuan/mt, and finally closed at 105,030 yuan/mt, up 1.04%, with a trading volume of 37,000 lots and open interest of 133,000 lots, down 3,198 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bears reducing positions.

SMM Morning Meeting Summary: Overnight, LME copper opened at $13,489/mt, initially rising to $13,533.5/mt before the price center gradually shifted lower to $13,386/mt, ultimately closing at $13,427/mt, down 1.2%. Trading volume reached 20,000 lots, and open interest stood at 277,000 lots, a decrease of 6,463 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bulls reducing positions. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE copper 2606 contract opened at 104,130 yuan/mt, initially touching a high of 104,170 yuan/mt before the price center shifted lower to a low of 103,390 yuan/mt, ultimately moving sideways to close at 103,670 yuan/mt, down 0.82%. Trading volume reached 31,000 lots, and open interest stood at 143,000 lots, a decrease of 4,124 lots from the previous trading day, indicating bulls reducing positions.