When the US opted not to impose Section 232 tariffs on copper cathode imports last month, the market breathed a sigh of relief.

The publication of Fastmarkets’ price assessments of the base metals arbitrage for copper, aluminium, zinc and nickel for Friday August 1 were delayed due to reporter error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.

Key takeaways: US 50% tariffs on Brazil exclude pulp, other major exporting sectors US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order implementing an additional 40% tariff on Brazil, raising the total tariff to 50%, the White House said in a statement published on Wednesday July 30. The new tariffs will take effect in seven […]

Market reactions to the soon-to-be-implemented US copper tariff are driving short-term volatility and supply imbalances while fuelling long-term efforts to expand domestic production, recycling and infrastructure.

US export controls on recycled copper would have unintended consequences that could weaken the country’s domestic recycling and manufacturing ecosystems, the president of the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) said.

The United States' copper recycling industry is ramping up pressure on policymakers to impose some form of export controls on high-purity copper scrap, arguing that current trade dynamics – particularly with China – are distorting prices, weakening domestic capacity and undermining national security goals.

US copper scrap market participants are shifting from COMEX to LME pricing in response to extreme price volatility and a new 50% copper import tariff. The change is influencing discount formulas, export strategies and long-term trading dynamics across the sector.

The proposal follows preliminary discussions with the market and internal analysis of price usage, which suggests low market liquidity and a lack of demand. Specifically, Fastmarkets is proposing to discontinue: MB-CU-0410 Copper rod premium, ddp Midwest US, US cents/lbQuality: Purity of 99.95-99.99%. Thicknesses of 8 millimeters or 0.3125 inchesQuantity: Min 25,000 poundsLocation: Delivered US MidwestUnit: US […]

After a month-long consultation period, Fastmarkets is amending the below specifications, following no negative feedback from market participants and internal data analysis. The following changes will take place: The new specifications are as follows, with amendments in italics: MB-CU-0002 Copper grade 1 cathode premium, ddp Midwest US, US cents/lb Quality: Grade A 99.9935% min copper cathode conforming to LME […]

The global copper market has finally received the widely anticipated news that imports to the US will be tariffed from August 1. The finer details of the tariffs, including their scope, and whether key copper-exporting nations like Chile, Canada and Peru will be exempt, remain unclear.