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Copper’s essential role in the energy transition is creating a volatile and dynamic market. A series of production problems has hit mine output around the world, leaving smelters scrambling for copper concentrates. The strong demand for copper concentrates has pushed the treatment charges and refining charges (TC/RCs) down to record lows. Meanwhile, the price for refined copper has hit all-time highs on the LME. Yet, as we switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy, copper demand is expected to soar.
To help you navigate this complex market, we aim to bring you reliable and timely intelligence and analysis on copper, including both copper concentrates TC/RCs plus the implied smelter and trading buying levels. As these copper prices have broken through record levels, they’ve come under scrutiny from the industry. The divergence between between the spot TC price and the traditional, negotiated benchmark is disrupting the industry.
If you’d like to talk to us about our copper price data, news and market analysis, get in touch today.
Fastmarkets focuses on understanding the market dynamics through a process known as price discovery. Fastmarkets price reporters determine the current market evaluation of individual prices within the copper market by talking to those who buy, sell and trade copper.
Our subscribers get price data based on weekly and monthly price assessments that reflect the tradeable value in the open and competitive market. Our price data helps subscribers tackle:
Fastmarkets price data is trusted globally by thousands of companies. With over 130 years of experience in benchmarking commodities, our team of more than 200 expert price reporters and analysts ensure the most market-reflective commodity prices that are auditable and adhere to IOSCO-compliant methodologies.
Beyond price reporting, our team of experts also provide you with analysis and actionable insights on trading strategies and market and regulatory structures so you can make confident judgements about the industry. Learn more about the global team below.
Fastmarkets invited feedback from the industry on the pricing methodology for its International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO)-audited non-ferrous metals, via an open consultation process between October 8 and November 7, 2024. This consultation was done as part of our published annual methodology review process.
Unprecedented supply tightness and record low treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) are likely to challenge copper smelters in 2025 – even more than in 2024, sources told Fastmarkets.
Copper concentrate treatment charges (TCs) are expected to remain low in 2025, with the market likely to remain tight, sources from across the industry told Fastmarkets.
Fastmarkets is inviting feedback from the industry on the methodology for its audited non-ferrous price assessments and indices, as part of its announced annual methodology review process.
Freeport-McMoRan is in the process of ramping up its new copper smelter in Gresik, Indonesia, in a move that has seen the company switch away from being a marketer of concentrates as it becomes a fully integrated producer in the country, the company’s chief executive officer Kathleen Quirk told Fastmarkets in an interview during the London Metal Exchange (LME) Week 2024.
The copper concentrates market was suffering from a dislocation that would probably lead to smelting cuts, the chairman of Chilean state-owned producer Codelco has said.
Our price data is market-reflective and backed by IOSCO-compliant methodologies.
We have a global team of experts working exclusively on copper.
We partner with major metals exchanges across the world, such as the LME, CME and SGX.
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