冶炼产能强劲释放 需求转入淡季 未来铜价走势难言明朗

Group 1: Tariff Impact and Market Reaction - The U.S. President Trump announced a 50% tariff on imported copper semi-finished products and high-copper derivatives starting August 1, leading to a significant drop in COMEX copper prices and closing the arbitrage space between U.S. and London copper prices [1] - The sentiment around domestic "anti-involution" policies has cooled, resulting in a general decline in commodity prices, with the characteristics of the off-season in the non-ferrous metal sector becoming more pronounced [1] Group 2: Supply and Production Dynamics - Global copper supply remains tight, with several major copper mining companies lowering their annual production guidance due to underperformance [2] - The International Copper Study Group (ICSG) reported a year-on-year increase of approximately 300,000 tons in global concentrate production for the first five months, but refined copper production is expected to increase by only 450,000 tons due to profit pressures in the smelting segment [2] - The market anticipates a tight balance or slight shortage in the global copper market from 2025 to 2028, with expected growth in global copper mine production potentially below 1% by 2025 [2] Group 3: Processing Fees and Smelting Profitability - Antofagasta reached a copper concentrate processing fee (TC/RC) of $0.0 per thousand tons and $0.0 per pound with Chinese smelting companies for mid-2025, indicating a continued tight supply of copper concentrates [3] - Despite some smelting plants operating at a loss, the overall smelting profit has improved when accounting for by-product sulfuric acid revenue [3] Group 4: Demand Trends and Seasonal Effects - The recent U.S. tariff policy does not restrict copper raw material imports, leading to a rapid disappearance of the COMEX copper premium, with U.S. copper imports exceeding last year's levels [4] - Downstream processing enterprises are cautious about high copper prices, primarily purchasing to meet immediate needs, resulting in weak market demand [5] - The operating rate of wire and cable enterprises has dropped to around 70%, with signs of slowing progress in major power grid projects [5] Group 5: Overall Market Outlook - The supply side is becoming marginally looser due to high domestic refined copper production and steady import levels, while traditional copper-consuming industries show clear signs of off-season characteristics [6] - The pricing logic for copper is shifting from macro-driven sentiment to fundamentals, with expectations of weak copper prices in the short term due to seasonal demand fatigue and pressure from the spot market [6]