Citi(US:C) Wen Hua Cai Jing·2025-12-07 00:38Core Viewpoint - LME copper prices surged to record highs, driven by Citigroup's upward price forecast and a weakening dollar ahead of anticipated Federal Reserve rate cuts [1] Group 1: Copper Market Insights - On December 5, LME three-month copper closed at $11,620.50 per ton, up $170.50 or 1.49%, with an intraday peak of $11,705 [1][2] - Copper prices have increased approximately 3.9% this week and have risen over 30% year-to-date [3] - Citigroup forecasts copper prices to continue rising, with an average price of $13,000 in Q2 2025, up from a previous estimate of $12,000, and a bullish scenario predicting $15,000 [3] Group 2: Market Dynamics and Supply Factors - Analysts suggest that the rise in copper prices is a gradual process, with funds beginning to favor copper due to anticipated shortages from supply constraints at major mines [3] - The arbitrage between Comex and LME is expected to lead to increased copper flows to the U.S., exacerbating supply tightness in the LME market [3] - Despite the upward trend, LME spot copper's premium over three-month contracts has decreased from approximately $88 per ton to $33, indicating a lack of urgent demand for the metal [3] Group 3: Other Base Metals Performance - Other base metals showed mixed performance, with three-month zinc rising 0.24% to $3,098 per ton, previously reaching a near one-year high of $3,125 [2][3] - LME spot zinc's premium over three-month contracts has narrowed but remains around $145 per ton [3]