EUROPEAN MORNING BRIEF 02/02: SHFE nickel prices strengthen; Goldman raises copper price projection; copper concs TC/RCs dive

Good morning from Metal Bulletin’s offices in Shanghai as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Friday February 2.

Nickel prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were the standout performers during Asian morning trading on Friday, benefiting from follow-through strength after a strong performance by the metal on the London Metal Exchange in the previous session as well as supply concerns in the market.

Check Metal Bulletin’s live futures report here.

LME snapshot at 02.00 am London time
Latest three-month LME Prices
Price ($ per tonne)  Change since yesterday’s close ($)
Copper 7,119 0
Aluminium 2,225 0
Lead 2,671 6
Zinc 3,542 -15
Tin 21,500 100
Nickel 13,920 -80

SHFE snapshot at 10.00 am Shanghai time
Most-traded SHFE contracts
Price (yuan per tonne)  Change since yesterday’s close (yuan)
Copper (March) 53,040 60
Aluminium(March) 14,365 30
Zinc(March) 26,750 80
Lead(March) 19,685 115
Tin (May) 148,920 -350
Nickel (May) 105,060 2,970

Investment bank Goldman Sachs raised projections for the price of copper in 2018 from $7,050 per tonne to $8,000 per tonne, with a growing gap expected between supply and demand.

Treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) for spot market copper concentrates dropped significantly during the second half of January, with smelters coming to the market for tonnages below benchmark rates and mine sales going at aggressive numbers.

Novelis has touted the earnings results for its fiscal third quarter 2018 as a solid baseline for considering future growth options, top executives said during a conference call on Thursday.

The aluminium market in the United States is in the crosshairs of outside political pressure and a natural deficit in primary supply, and is seeking a source of clarity and transparency with its premium assessments, American Metal Market has learned.

Aggressive overseas demand is putting the heat on brass ingot makers in the US and has propelled some brass scrap prices to a nearly three-and-a-half-year high.

Slowing spot demand caught up with the molybdic oxide and ferro-molybdenum markets this week, with prices dropping after suppliers cut their offer prices to book profits following a strong rally in recent weeks.

What to read next
Half a million tonnes of copper is sitting in US warehouses, and the traders who put it there are starting to wonder whether they’ve built a hedge, or a trap.
European automotive procurement faces growing complexity due to regional cost volatility and policy-driven supply chains reshaping material pricing and sourcing strategies. This demands granular, region-specific market intelligence for precise cost modeling and strategic decision-making.
The assessment, which currently follows the UK holiday calendar, will follow the Singapore holiday calendar after the proposed change. There will be no change to the publication timing, and the assessment will continue to be published weekly on Wednesdays, at 7pm Singapore time. The purpose of the adjustment is to align the timing to the […]
JX Advanced Metals, Mitsui Kinzoku, Marubeni and Mitsubishi Materials(MMC) inked a deal to integrate MMC's copper concentrate procurement and related products sales business into Pan Pacific Copper (PPC), marking a significant consolidation of Japan's copper concentrate purchasing sector amid persistent pressure from weak treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs).
The publication of Fastmarkets’ assessments of the nickel min 99.8% full plate premium, in-whs Shanghai, and the nickel min 99.8% full plate premium, cif Shanghai for Tuesday May 26 were delayed because of a reporter error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated. The following prices were affected:MB-NI-0143 Nickel min 99.8% full plate premium, in-whs Shanghai, […]
Copper producers, including Atlas Mining, reported higher earnings in the first quarter of 2026 on the back of elevated copper prices, while concentrate output declined at several operations in Chile, Brazil, Colombia and the Philippines due to lower ore grades and disruptions, according to company results reviewed by Fastmarkets.