United States Copper Index Fund

CPER

Market cap $734M

Copper prices have climbed 12.5% since the start of the year, with Nvidia and Broadcom up around the same amount in that time.

Most junior miners follow a familiar script. Find a deposit, drill it for years, publish a study with a headline-grabbing net present value, then discover nobody will fund the £300 million construction bill.

Investors betting on the electrification squeeze face a choice with real consequences for returns.

The industrial metals trade has quietly become the most interesting corner of the commodity market, and the choice between iShares Silver Trust (NYSEARCA:SLV), United States Copper Index Fund (NYSEARCA:CPER), and SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF (NYSEARCA:XME) carries real performance consequences.

Mining stocks dominated the FTSE 350 risers on Thursday as stronger metals prices boosted sentiment across the sector. Precious metals miners led the way, with Pan African Resources PLC (LSE:PAF, OTCQX:PAFRY) rising 4.7%,followed by Hochschild Mining PLC (LSE:HOC, OTCQX:HCHDF), which gained 3.9%, while Atalaya Mining Copper (LSE:ATYM, TSX:AYM), Endeavour Mining PLC (LSE:EDV, OTCQX:EDVMF) and Fresnillo PLC (LSE:FRES) all up over 2%.

Chinese copper foil maker Londian Wason Energy Tech filed for an initial ​public offering in the United States on Thursday, seeking to ‌capitalize on growing demand from electric vehicle makers.

The spike in copper prices to a record high earlier this year has added weight to arguments for switching from copper to cheaper and lighter aluminium in a range of sectors.

The CSE 25 Index added three new companies in AI, cannabis and mining as part of its quarterly rebalancing on June 19. The index – the 25 largest companies by market capitalization on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) – now includes AI-driven R&D accelerator Redwood AI Corp. (CSE:AIRX), cannabis producer Grown Rogue International Inc. (CSE:GRIN, OTC:GRUSF) and copper project developer Lion Copper and Gold Corp (TSX-V:LEO, OTCQB:LCGMF, FRA:QR20, CSE:LEO).

Investors who want to ride a copper bull market face a deceptively simple choice: buy the miners through Global X Copper Miners ETF (NYSEARCA:COPX) or buy the metal itself through the United States Copper Index Fund (NYSEARCA:CPER).

Forgent PLC (AIM:FORG) told investors it has mobilised a drill rig to its Peak Hills gold-copper project in Western Australia, putting the company on course for initial drilling results in early August. The AIM-listed company said its Phase 1 programme will test multiple high-priority targets across the Karalundi, Junction and Curleys prospects using low-cost aircore drilling.