EUROPEAN MORNING BRIEF 13/12: SHFE tin prices subdued; global ali premiums generally steady; Glencore to double copper output at Katanga

Good morning from Metal Bulletin’s office in Shanghai as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Wednesday December 13.

Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were broadly higher during Asian morning trading on Wednesday, with only tin prices bucking the uptrend. However, gains across the rest of complex were limited with investors taking a cautious stance ahead of the conclusion of the US Federal Open Market Committee’s two-day meeting later today.

Check Metal Bulletin’s live futures report here.

LME snapshot at 02.22am London time
Latest three-month LME Prices
  Price
($ per tonne)
 Change since yesterday’s close ($)
Copper 6,667 4
Aluminium 2,018.5 2.5
Lead 2,507.5 -9.5
Zinc 3,145 -12
Tin 19,065 -100
Nickel 11,150 -20

SHFE snapshot at 10.23am Shanghai time
Most-traded SHFE contracts
  Price
(yuan per tonne)
 Change since yesterday’s close (yuan)
Copper  52,180 110
Aluminium 14,255 5
Zinc 25,110 145
Lead 19,200 45
Tin  134,880 -2,460
Nickel  89,870 260

Global aluminium premiums generally stayed firm in the week to Tuesday December 12, with only the South Korean premiums showing any kind of movement thanks to main Japanese ports (MJP) deals for the first quarter being made at higher levels than the previous quarter. Click here to view our latest weekly global aluminium wrap.

Glencore plans to double copper production from its Katanga mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo over the course of the next two years, with expectation of 150,000 tonnes of copper produced in 2018, and 300,000 tonnes produced in 2019.

MJP primary aluminium stocks fell by 2% month on month in November to 234,900 tonnes.

The US Midwest aluminium spot premium has stayed unchanged at 9.25-9.5 cents per lb for the fifth week in a row, with the spot market seeming to fall into a lull ahead of the Christmas holiday.

A three-week strike at Southern Peru Copper Corp has ended as union workers returned to their duties on Tuesday December 12.

What to read next
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.
The amendment follows the decision made on May 14, after a consultation period for the proposed changes which took place between April 3 and May 11. The changes were first proposed in a pricing note published on April 3.  The purpose of the changes is to align the publication times to the activity in the […]
The proposal follows Fastmarkets’ observations that the commodity sees inactive spot liquidity and low volatility in prices. The proposed new specifications for the prices are as follows, with the amendments in italics: MB-NI-0246 Nickel sulfate, cif Japan and Korea, $/tonneQuality: Accepted by buyer for use in battery applications with chemical composition: Ni content, base 22.3% […]
Based on preliminary market feedback, market participants noted that smaller-sized spot market transactions may be skewed and not reflective of the wider market. The aluminium P1020A(MJP), cif Japan, assessment specification which has a minimum tonnage of 100 tonnes will be amended to 500 tonnes after the proposed change. The proposed new specifications are as follows, […]
Fastmarkets consulted the market on the proposed change between April 3 and May 11, 2026. Some feedback was received regarding the publication times of nickel pig iron and laterite ore prices. Fastmarkets will adjust the initially proposed publication times accordingly and proceed with the changes. This decision was first proposed in a methodology note published […]