Copper Extends Plunge
Copper futures sank to $4.55 per pound on Wednesday from four-week highs of $4.9 earlier in the week as low demand and ample supply were magnified by the unwinding of arbitrage traders in China. The NBS manufacturing PMI in China unexpectedly sank to a 16-month low as export orders plunged the most since 2022. This reflected US consumers' reluctance to maintain supply chains after President Trump escalated tariffs on China to 145% on top of previous levies. Exports of goods had been a relief for Chinese manufacturers and copper smelters, as poor domestic demand drove firms to offload their goods on foreign markets. Ample ore output from South America amplified the backdrop of oversupply, with the International Copper Study Group doubling its forecast on this year's surplus to nearly 300,000 tonnes. Consequently, increasing risks of a glut drove Chinese traders to close long positions on US copper futures, which were mostly open after Trump announced a probe to tariff copper imports.