Copper ticks up after slump but still heads for weekly drop on AI jitters
Copper edged up on Friday after hitting a four-month low, but AI worries and a stronger dollar keep it on course for a weekly loss, Reuters reports.
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what happened
Copper prices rose slightly on Friday, recovering a little from the previous session's sharp drop, Reuters reported. Even so, the metal looks set to finish the week lower. Three-month LME copper, the benchmark contract, climbed 0.68% to $13,680 per tonne by 0145 GMT, after sliding to a four-month low of $13,515 on Thursday.
Sentiment has been hurt by doubts about AI-linked equities. Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang stepped down on Thursday, leaving open the question of whether strong demand for AI infrastructure, including the data centres expected to lift metal consumption, will hold up. A firmer US dollar, uncertainty over American policy after the midterm elections and opposition to some new data-centre projects have added to the caution.
Chinese supply has offered some support. The Yangshan copper premium, an indicator of how eager Chinese buyers are for imported metal, hit a record $240 a ton on Thursday. The domestic premium over the SHFE contract fell to 775 yuan a ton from a record 2,615 yuan set on November 6. On the LME, aluminium lost 0.18%, zinc gained 0.70%, lead rose 0.21%, nickel slipped 0.10% and tin climbed 0.96%.
why it matters
Copper is widely seen as a gauge of industrial demand, so the market is being pulled in two directions: caution over AI spending against physically tight supply in China. Chinese premiums and the behaviour of technology stocks will shape the next phase.
market impact
Copper: doubts about AI-driven demand weigh on prices, while tight supply in China offers support
- Copper (LME) mixed — concerns about AI-driven demand are partly offset by tight supply in China
tags
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on polymarket
sources
- Copper rises after selloff, but heads for weekly loss amid AI rout — Reuters, 13 November 2026 at 02:29 UTC
prepared by the newsmetry newsroom with ai assistance from the sources listed below. not investment advice.
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