Copper Trims Surge, US Premiums Hold Record High
Copper futures in the US were at $5.5 per pound, easing from the record high of $5.7 touched earlier in the session but still hovering 10% higher than Monday's close after President Trump signaled that the metal would be tariffed at 50%. The US President said that copper would be tariffed shortly after they conclude tariffs on pharmaceuticals, but refrained from giving details on the timing, potential grace periods, and grades of metal. This drove the premium between US copper and comparable futures at the LME to 25%, a record high, as foreign benchmarks declined, signaling the end of increasing domestic stockpiles as traders moved copper into the US since tariff threats on base metals started in February. If implemented, the tariff would threaten the domestic supply as ore output is relatively low. Refining capacity would be stressed, as the country only has two smelters.