Copper Gripped by China Fears as Prices Plunge Below $8,000

  • Bellwether metal falls to lowest level since November
  • Contango structure signals supply is well ahead of demand
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Copper fell below $8,000 a ton for the first time in six months as investors cool on the prospects for a robust economic recovery in China this year.

The metal has tumbled about 8% this month in the face of disappointing economic data from the world’s top consumer, wiping out gains seen following the end of China’s Covid-19 lockdowns. Poor domestic demand has forced smelters in the Asian nation to ramp up exports that have helped replenish inventories elsewhere.