US copper scrap exports dropped by 5.6pc in January from a year earlier. Copper scrap imports also declined by 17.9pc during this period.
Scrap exports for January totaled 62,743.27mt, according to the latest trade data from the US Census Bureau.
Total bare bright copper scrap exports rose by 76.7pc to 6,136.16mt in January over the same month in 2019. Exports of #1 copper fell by 34.5pc to 4,877.6mt, while #2 copper exports increased by 8.7pc to 9,764.9mt during the same comparable periods. Refined copper exports also rose by 9.3pc to 14,544.8mt, and red brass exports increased by 21.8pc to 1,881.7mt in January from a year earlier. Other copper scrap exports fell by 15.8pc to 20,138mt in January from a year earlier.
China remained the top importer of US bare bright wires and #2 refined copper scrap, despite the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan sparking a business lockdown in January. The country neverthteless imported 910mt of bare bright wire and around 523mt of #2 refined copper during the month. South Korea was a top importer of US #1 refined copper (Nesoi) in January, taking in around 746mt.
US copper scrap imports in January were down by 17.9pc at 7,313mt from a year earlier.