‘Dr. Copper?' Not So Fast, Says Signal

Group 1 - The unexpected announcement of a 50% tariff on copper imports has led to a significant surge in copper prices, marking the sharpest single-session gain since 1989 [2][3] - U.S. consumers could face copper prices around $15,000 per metric ton, while global prices may remain around $10,000, indicating a potential paradigm shift in the copper market [2][3] - Despite the tariff-induced price spike, the mining sector's response has been muted, with Freeport-McMoRan Inc and Southern Copper Corp showing limited gains [3][4] Group 2 - Historical data indicates that large price movements in copper often correlate with negative performance in the S&P 500 Index, with an average six-month loss of 0.4% following significant copper price spikes [4][15] - The average returns for copper prices after large daily moves have underperformed compared to typical price movements since 1980, suggesting potential challenges for copper mining stocks [16][17] - The copper mining sector's importance in various industries, including AI and electric vehicles, underscores its economic significance, yet the stock market's reaction remains inconsistent [4][16]