US copper scrap boosts China's edge amid surging prices and shortages

China’s manufacturing growth continues. Among other things, China is the largest producer and consumer of refined copper products in the world. Strangely enough, among all the efforts to reduce China’s competitiveness globally (and thereby to enhance U.S. manufacturing competitiveness), the U.S. sends a huge amount of copper scrap to China, where it is transformed into refined copper products for domestic consumption and exports.

Copper is in demand now. That has caused an acute shortage of copper and its inputs. And prices are surging.