Today’s Copper & Aluminum Spot Prices
Data source: Yangtze Metal Network, Guangdong spot market, LME and SHFE.
| Item | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|
| LME 3M Copper | USD 14440/t | -33 USD/t |
| 1# Electrolytic Copper (Yangtze Spot) | RMB 111010/t | +470/t |
| Oxygen-free Copper Wire (Hard) | RMB 112170/t | +470/t |
| Enameled Wire | RMB 116280/t | +470/t |
| A00 Aluminum Ingot (Yangtze) | RMB 23930/t | +40/t |
| 1# Electrolytic Copper (Guangdong Spot) | RMB 111050/t | +690/t |
| A00 Aluminum Ingot (Guangdong) | RMB 23920/t | +40/t |
| SHFE Copper 2611 | RMB 109850/t | +510/t |
| SHFE Copper 2612 | RMB 109170/t | +530/t |
Market Overview
Domestic spot copper prices rose sharply across Yangtze and Guangdong markets, while LME copper edged lower, showing divergence between overseas futures and the China physical spot market.
The domestic physical market has strong spot demand support from cable, enameled wire and conductor factories. Oxygen-free copper wire and enameled wire prices increased synchronously with electrolytic copper, which directly pushes up raw material cost for magnet wire and cable production.
A00 aluminum ingot gained RMB 40 per tonne in both Yangtze and Guangdong. Aluminum price movement is mild compared with copper. For overhead AAAC conductors and aluminum alloy power cables, the cost pressure is much lighter than copper cables at this stage.
The copper-aluminum price ratio is about 4.64, calculated from Yangtze spot copper and aluminum. At this ratio, many project purchasers will compare copper conductor and aluminum conductor solutions to control total project budget.
What This Means for Cable Quotation
Copper conductor is the main cost driver of power cables. For example, a 4×95 mm² copper cable contains about 3,378 kg of copper per km. Taking the Yangtze 1# copper price of RMB 111,010/t, the copper raw material cost alone is around RMB 374,991 per kilometre. Every RMB 100/t change in copper brings about RMB 337.8 of cost fluctuation for this cable specification.
Oxygen-free copper wire and enameled wire are widely used in high-frequency cable, winding wire and control cable. The synchronized price rise also affects low-voltage electrical wiring and magnet wire orders.
When you compare quotations from different cable suppliers, confirm which benchmark price they use: Yangtze spot, Guangdong spot or LME copper. Different price sources will create obvious gaps on the same cable specification.
Key Points Before Copper-Aluminum Conductor Substitution
- Aluminum conductivity is lower, so a larger cross-section is required to keep the same ampacity
- A larger cable outer diameter affects tray space, conduit filling rate and bending radius
- Bimetallic lugs are mandatory for copper-aluminum joints to avoid galvanic corrosion
- Local electrical codes may restrict aluminum conductors for fire emergency circuits and indoor wiring
- Aluminum conductor has different creep and oxidation characteristics, requiring a specific termination construction standard
Factors to Watch Next
- Physical spot buying sentiment from cable factories and enameled wire manufacturers
- LME copper inventory and US dollar trend
- SHFE copper contract spread and spot premium change
- Alumina and power cost, which decide the aluminum ingot price trend
- Grid and new energy project order release rhythm
FAQ
1.Why does domestic spot copper go up while LME copper falls today?
It is a typical onshore-offshore divergence. China physical spot has tight available cargo and active buying from downstream cable factories, pushing the spot premium higher, even though overseas futures cooled slightly.
2.What is the difference between Yangtze spot and Guangdong spot copper?
Yangtze spot is widely used by cable manufacturers in East China. Guangdong spot is the main benchmark for South China wire and cable factories. The difference is a normal regional premium.
3.Should I switch to aluminum cable for cost reduction?
Only compare under equal ampacity. You need to check installation space, local code and termination plan before switching. We can offer both copper and aluminum cable quotations at the same current rating.
4.Request Your Cable Quotation
We can quote against the Yangtze copper, Guangdong copper or LME copper benchmark as you require. All offers mark the metal price date and validity period. Send the cable specification, voltage class, core size and delivery port, and we will prepare the quotation for you.