More Stories

Informist, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025

 

By Ashutosh Pati

 

MUMBAI – Futures contracts of copper rose on the Multi Commodity Exchange of India and the London Metal Exchange Monday on concerns about supply, which was reinforced after Chilean miner Antofagasta and a Chinese smelter agreed on a zero treatment and refining charge for 2026. Market sentiment was also lifted by strong demand for the metal from power grids, data centres, and artificial intelligence-related infrastructure, according to analysts.

 

"Base metals strengthened, as copper hovers near its highest level (on LME) in nearly five months, as tightening supply dynamics continued to dominate sentiment," Kotak Securities said in a report. The COPPER price is on track for its strongest annual performance since 2009, underpinned by persistent mine disruptions, limited new project development, and severe stress in the concentrate market.

 

"This was reinforced by the landmark agreement between Chilean miner Antofagasta and a Chinese smelter to set zero treatment and refining charges for 2026, the lowest on record, highlighting structurally tight ore availability," the brokerage said.

 

Meanwhile, the global refined LEAD market was in a surplus of 20,000 tonnes in the first 10 months of 2025 and the refined ZINC market was in a surplus of 76,000 tonnes, the International Lead and Zinc Study Group said in a report.

 

At 1729 IST, on the MCX, the December futures contract of:
-–ALUMINIUM was at INR 285.10 a kg, up 0.4%
--Copper was at INR 1,122.55 a kg, up 0.7%
–-Lead was at INR 181.55 a kg, down 0.1%
–-Zinc was at INR 303.25 a kg, up 0.6%

 

The January futures contract of NICKEL was at INR 1,377.70 a kg, up 3.8%.

 

Trading levels for the day on the MCX:
--Aluminium contract seen at INR 281.00-INR 288.80
--Copper contract seen at INR 1,100.10-INR 1,144.30
--Lead contract seen at INR 180.10-INR 182.90
--Zinc contract seen at INR 295.70-INR 310.00

--Nickel contract seen at INR 1,350.00-INR 1,390.00

End

 

IST, or Indian Standard Time, is five-and-a-half hours ahead of GMT

 

Edited by Saji George Titus

 

For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.

 

Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd. by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt. Ltd.

 

Informist Media Tel +91 (22) 6985-4000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

 

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2025. All rights reserved.