Chinese copper premiums surged to their highest level since November 2016 in the week ended Tuesday September 11, driven by a profitable import arbitrage and tightened availability of material. These gains inspired positivity in the Taiwanese market, where rates also ticked upward.
Elsewhere, European copper premiums were unchanged while the market contends with limited spot activity due to increased competition from scrap material. The US market was similarly unchanged amid quiet conditions in the run up to mating season, when annual contracts for the coming year will be worked out. Shanghai cif copper premiums boosted by wider arbitrage profitsEuropean copper premiums flat amid limited demandUS Midwest copper premium steady ahead of annual contract talks Wider arbitrage profits push Shanghai copper premiums to 22-month highIn China, copper premiums on a cif Shanghai basis ticked up to their highest level since November 2016 over the past week, with larger profits on importing the red metal into China and tightened availability of the material spurring activity in the market.Metal Bulletin assessed the copper premium on a cif Shanghai basis at $78-95 per tonne on Tuesday, up by $5-6 per tonne from...