copper

Prices for the metal have surged to a record in January on a wave of speculative buying

The big jump in metal-making profits reflects a broader reflation underway across the Chinese economy

The probe has ensnared a broad group of traders dealing in copper, aluminium and silver in Shanghai, according to several affected parties

Analysts note that Asia is most vulnerable to volatility in base metals due to a lack of buffers

Most base metals have come under growing pressure in the past month

Weaker iron ore prices weigh on its core business, but copper prices having risen 8% in 2025 blunt the impact of iron ore prices on its earnings

With a nearly 90% gain since the start of 2025, MSCI’s Metals and Mining Index has beaten semiconductors, banks and the Magnificent Seven cohort by a wide margin

The company has already restarted two unaffected areas of the mine since the incident in September

The company’s CEO is also nearing the end of his tenure, potentially hindering the negotiation of a transformational deal