Copper

Copper is the world's third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminium, and is primarily used in highly cyclical industries such as construction and industrial machinery manufacturing. Profitable extraction of the metal depends on cost-efficient high-volume mining techniques, and supply is sensitive to the political situation particularly in those countries where copper mining is a government-controlled enterprise. Copper market participants across the board use COMEX Division high-grade Copper Futures to mitigate price risk, and the copper contracts are used as investment vehicles, as well.

Copper is a ductile metal, with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable. It is used as a thermal conductor, an electrical conductor, a building material, and a constituent of various metal alloys. Copper metal and alloys have been used for thousands of years. In the Roman era, copper was principally mined on Cyprus, hence the origin of the name of the metal as Cyprium, "metal of Cyprus", later shortened to Cuprum.

There may be insufficient reserves to sustain current high rates of copper consumption. Some countries, such as Chile and the United States, still have sizeable reserves of the metal which are extracted through large open pit mines. Profitable extraction of the metal depends on cost-efficient high-volume mining techniques, and supply is sensitive to the political situation particularly in those countries where copper mining is a government-controlled enterprise. Copper market participants across the board use COMEX Division high-grade Copper Futures to mitigate price risk, and the copper contracts are used as investment vehicles, as well.

Copper Market Influences

What influences the price of copper? Several factors, including the time of year, investor and trader confidence, inflation, fluctuations in the U.S. dollar and U.S. stocks, international political and military tensions, and increases or decreases in the prices of other commodities

When trading industrial and agricultural commodities we have to be very aware that we have many other factors that can cause price fluctuations. Wars, weather and workers disputes can cause transportation delays and effect pricing on a daily basis.