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:
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“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.
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“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.
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“Copper Prices Had a Strong 2016, Where Will They Go From There?” Our Stuart Burns speculated in January about the direction of the metal.
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“Another Copper Strike Sets the Case For a Price Rally.” As always, labor disputes can have a significant impact on prices.
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“Are Copper Bull Market Days Gone?” Like all metals, copper has its ups and downs.
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“Copper MMI: Dr. Copper Heats Up Again.” Copper had a strong month in October.
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“Copper MMI: LME Copper Price Soars as U.S. Dollar Drops.” The metal has an inverse relationship with the U.S. dollar.
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“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.
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“Copper Remains in Vogue.” Copper was still going strong well into the year, as Martinez Canorea wrote in late October.
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“A Strike Threat at Escondida Shows How Fragile Copper’s Supply Is.” Burns wrote about a labor dispute at the Escondida mine in Chile.
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