Amendment to frequency of two copper concentrates index coefficients

After a consultation period, Fastmarkets is increasing the publication frequency of two copper concentrates index coefficients — MB-CU-0422 copper concentrates counterparty spread and MB-CU-0423 copper concentrates Co-VIU — from monthly to fortnightly.

The change in frequency will take place from January 24, 2025, following the initial consultation, which started on December 20, 2024.

The change comes amid extreme copper concentrates market conditions, with more frequent and volatile changes in the two copper coefficients.

Fastmarkets has been publishing the coefficients since April 2019 and both derive from Fastmarkets’ copper concentrates TC/RC index, cif Asia Pacific, which reflects the midpoint between smelter and trader buying levels.

The proposed index coefficient specifications are as follows (changes in italics):

MB-CU-0422 – Copper concentrates counterparty spread, $/tonne
Quality:
 Cu (%) base 26, max 37, min 18; Au (g/dmt) base 1.1, max30; Ag (g/dmt) base 75, max 350; S (%) Base 32, max 38, min 20; Fe (%) base 28, max 35, min 15; Pb (%) base 0.07, max 4; Zn (%) base 1, max 4; As (%) base 0.17 max 2; Sb (%) base 0.018, max 0.2; Hg (ppm) base 2.5, max 10; Bi (ppm) base 145, max 2,000
Quantity: Minimum 5,000 dry metric tonnes
Location: CIF Asia Pacific
Unit: USD/tonne
Publication:Fortnightly, Friday before 4pm UK time.
Notes: The counterparty spread price will measure, in $/tonne, the net gap between the average smelters purchases price and the traders purchase price for copper concentrate TCs.

MB-CU-0423 – Copper concentrates copper VIU, $/tonne
Quality: 
Cu (%) base 26, max 37, min 18; Au (g/dmt) base 1.1, max30; Ag (g/dmt) base 75, max 350; S (%) Base 32, max 38, min 20; Fe (%) base 28, max 35, min 15; Pb (%) base 0.07, max 4; Zn (%) base 1, max 4; As (%) base 0.17 max 2; Sb (%) base 0.018, max 0.2; Hg (ppm) base 2.5, max 10; Bi (ppm) base 145, max 2,000
Quantity: Minimum 5,000 dry metric tonnes
Location: CIF Asia Pacific
Unit: USD/tonne
Publication:Fortnightly, Friday before 4pm UK time.
Notes: The copper VIU price measures the value-in-use in $/tonne of one extra percentage point of copper in a parcel of concentrates.

These prices are part of the Fastmarkets base metals package.

To provide feedback on these prices or if you would like to provide price information by becoming a data submitter to these prices, please contact Sally Zhang and/or Albert MacKenzie by email at: pricing@fastmarkets.com. Please add the subject heading “FAO: Sally Zhang/Albert MacKenzie, re: the frequency of two copper concentrates index coefficients.”

Please indicate if comments are confidential. Fastmarkets will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available upon request.

To see all Fastmarkets pricing methodology and specification documents, go to https://www.fastmarkets.com/methodology.

What to read next
The top end of the price was incorrectly published due to a typographical error. The price was initially published as 16,000-168,000 yuan per tonne. This has been corrected to 16,000-16,800 yuan per tonne. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated to reflect this change.  The affected price is as follows:MB-GER-0004 Germanium 99.999% Ge min, in-whs China, […]
The rationale has been updated to include the following information: Owing to UK public holidays on April 18 & April 21, the cobalt hydroxide cif China price will next be published on April 22. This is in accordance with Fastmarkets’ pricing schedule. The affected price is as follows: MB-CO-0020 Cobalt hydroxide min 30% Co, cif China, […]
This is because of the Good Friday holiday in the US and the consequent closure for the day of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Normal service will resume on Monday April 21. The affected prices are in the Fastmarkets Ags; Ags Grains; Industrial Ags; Oils, Fats, and Biofuels; and Animal Proteins pricing packages. For more information, […]
Fastmarkets is inviting feedback from the industry on the pricing methodologies for Asia recovered paper and Asia packaging paper and board, as part of its announced annual methodology review process. This consultation, which is open until May 18, 2025, seeks to ensure that our methodologies continue to reflect the physical market under indexation, in compliance […]
Fastmarkets has corrected its November-loading (M7) price assessments for AG-SYB-0013 Soybean FOB Brazil Paranagua Paper Premium c$/bu and AG-SYB-0012 Soybean FOB Brazil Paranagua Paper $/mt, which were published incorrectly on April 3.
Full details of the prices covered by this consultation can be found here. No feedback was received during the consultation period and therefore no changes will be made to the methodologies at this stage. This consultation sought to ensure that our methodologies continue to reflect the physical market under indexation, in compliance with the International Organization […]