Copper’s second secular “bull market this century” is off to a red-hot start in 2024 with prices rocketing above $10,000 a ton for the first time in two years. Citigroup is projecting copper could reach $15,000 per tonne by 2025 One of the major bullish tailwinds behind Copper’s rally is a historic global squeeze on supply, combined with booming demand for the red metal to power Energy Transition and Artificial Intelligence technologies and Electric Vehicles. Analysts at Citigroup say global demand for copper will exceed global production in 2025. Goldman Sachs, via Oilprice.com, has said it predicts a deficit of over half a million tonnes in 2024 due to mining disruptions. Some of the world’s largest mining companies, market analysis firms and banks are warning that by mid-decade, a massive shortfall will emerge for copper, which is now the world’s most critical metal due to its essential role in the green economy.

To achieve net-zero emissions targets, annual copper demand is likely to double to 50 million tonnes (Mt) by 2035, according to a study by S&P Global. In 2023, mines only produced 22Mt globally. Commodity trader Trafigura recently told Reuters that Flourishing activity in the electric vehicle, power infrastructure, AI and automation sectors will lead to at least 10 million metric tons of additional copper consumption over the next decade… one third of the 10 million tons of new demand would come from the electric vehicle sector.