Copper prices to remain high in 2012

Despite some price retracing in 2011, the copper physical market fundamentals remain strong; with liquid stocks near an all-time low. China’s growth will continue to underpin copper’s performance although it may not be the “market saviour” that it was in 2009. In the longer term, according to Intierra Resource Intelligence, increased mine supply will temporarily overwhelm the market. This will create a dip in the price of copper from 2014 to 2017 followed by a recovery in the last part of the decade. Production costs will become more of a factor in determining the price of copper and these costs are higher than in the past. (more…)