Best of 2017: A Busy Year for Dr. Copper

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Not to be outdone by steel and aluminum, we also decided to take a look back at the year that was for copper, the metal often referred to as “Dr. Copper” for its ability to serve as an indicator of economic health.

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So, before we turn over to 2018, let’s take a look back at some of the biggest, most interesting copper stories here on MetalMiner this year:

“Copper Price Forecast, July 2017: Strikes to Increase Global Deficit.” The global copper deficit was of much discussion this year — and with quite a few copper union contracts up for negotiation in Chile and Peru, the deficit could widen if agreements can’t be reached in the coming months.
“Copper MMI Holds Steady, But Long-Term Forecast Shows Supply Deficit.” Speaking of deficits, Irene Martinez Canorea’s June MMI report touched on the supply deficit of the metal.
“Copper Prices Had a Strong 2016, Where Will They Go From There?” Our Stuart Burns speculated in January about the direction of the metal.
“Another Copper Strike Sets the Case For a Price Rally.” As always, labor disputes can have a significant impact on prices.
“Are Copper Bull Market Days Gone?” Like all metals, copper has its ups and downs.
“Copper MMI: Dr. Copper Heats Up Again.” Copper had a strong month in October.
“Copper MMI: LME Copper Price Soars as U.S. Dollar Drops.” The metal has an inverse relationship with the U.S. dollar.
“Freeport-McMoran, Indonesia Fight Closer To Imperiling Copper Supply.” Labor issues between Freeport and the Indonesian government put the threat of a squeeze on copper supply.
“Copper Remains in Vogue.” Copper was still going strong well into the year, as Martinez Canorea wrote in late October.
“A Strike Threat at Escondida Shows How Fragile Copper’s Supply Is.” Burns wrote about a labor dispute at the Escondida mine in Chile.