Copper Price Today — Copper Rate per Kg, Pound & Ounce in USD
Live copper price today coverage on this page includes XCU spot references per kilogram, gram, pound, and ounce for industrial and retail users.
Use the chart, conversion table, value calculator, and budget estimator to track copper demand cycles and model live cost instantly.
Live price
$12.358
Today move
-$0.063 (-0.51%)
Refresh status
Source updated:
Page refreshed: May 17, 2026, 1:02 PM
Live Price
Daily Change
Weekly Performance
Monthly Performance
Historical Price Chart
Auto-updates every 60 seconds from live metal feed.
30D range: $13.3865 to $13.7822 (+2.96%) · Apr 15, 2026 to May 15, 2026
Latest
$13.7822
Range High
$14.6288
Range Low
$12.7758
Range Move
+2.96%
Copper benchmarks for industrial and procurement users
Copper users usually care less about a single headline quote and more about how the live benchmark converts into kilogram, pound, gram, and ounce for wire, fabrication, and procurement checks.
This section turns the live XCU rate into those working units so you can compare industrial usage, logistics pricing, and contract-style reference levels more easily.
Price per kilogram, gram, pound, and ounce
Copper is commonly discussed in kilograms for industrial use, pounds for logistics and trade habits, and grams or ounces when users want smaller-unit comparisons.
The conversion table below helps you switch between those views quickly while keeping the live benchmark consistent across buying and budgeting decisions.
Unit Conversion Table
Use this converter to move from the live copper benchmark into kilogram, pound, gram, or ounce pricing before checking fabrication or supply quotes.
| Unit | Price |
|---|---|
| Gram | $0.0124 |
| Kilogram | $12.358 |
| Ounce | $0.3503 |
| Troy Ounce | $0.3844 |
| Tola | $0.1441 |
| Pound | $5.6055 |
Copper market character today
Copper remains range-bound as markets assess fresh macro signals.
Copper moves with manufacturing activity, construction demand, power-grid spending, and supply conditions across major producers.
Copper is widely considered the most economically sensitive industrial metal - earning it the informal title "Dr. Copper" as a leading indicator of global economic health. Strong copper prices typically signal expanding manufacturing and construction activity; sustained weakness suggests slowdown.
The energy transition is a structural long-term demand driver - solar panels, wind turbines, EV charging infrastructure, and electricity grid upgrades all require significant copper. Chile's Codelco and BHP's Escondida mine are the world's largest producers and their output data is closely watched.
Compare with other metalsCopper Global Demand Context
Copper is one of the most important industrial metals globally, with demand led by power grids, electronics, construction, and electric-vehicle manufacturing.
When manufacturing activity or energy-transition projects accelerate, copper demand typically rises and price momentum can strengthen.
Live tool
Copper Value Calculator
Convert copper quantity into live USD value using real-time benchmark pricing.
Estimated value
$12.358
$12.358 per kilogram (XCU)
Planning
Copper Budget Estimator
Enter your USD budget to estimate how much copper you can buy at the current live rate.
Estimated quantity
80.9192
Kilogram of Copper at current USD benchmark.
How Copper Price Works
Why Copper Is Called Dr. Copper
Copper is widely known as Dr. Copper because it often reflects the health of the global economy. When factories, construction, and power projects expand, copper demand rises. When growth expectations weaken, copper usually feels pressure first.
This strong macro link makes copper one of the most watched industrial benchmarks for both traders and business buyers. That is why many users track copper before broader commodity positioning.
Unlike purely monetary metals, copper demand is directly tied to real-world activity such as wiring, infrastructure, transport, and manufacturing capacity.
How Copper Price Is Set (LME + Global Benchmarks)
Copper is actively priced in global futures and spot markets, with major benchmark influence from the London Metal Exchange (LME) and related global exchanges.
Buyers often reference LME-linked levels, then adjust with local currency conversion, freight, taxation, and dealer margin. This is why local copper wire and scrap rates can differ from headline international benchmark numbers.
On this page, you get live benchmark-style updates every 60 seconds plus conversion tools for kg, gram, pound, and ounce.
What Moves Copper Prices?
China Demand (Largest Consumer)
China accounts for the largest global copper demand share. Property activity, manufacturing output, and grid spending in China strongly influence global copper prices.
EV Demand Acceleration
Electric vehicles typically use far more copper than petrol cars. Faster EV adoption can add structural demand pressure across wiring, batteries, and charging systems.
Renewable Energy Buildout
Solar and wind installations require heavy copper intensity in cables, transformers, and transmission systems, making green-energy cycles a key long-term driver.
Chile and Peru Supply
Chile and Peru contribute a major part of mined copper supply. Strikes, weather disruptions, and policy shifts in these regions can tighten global availability.
"Dr. Copper" Economic Signal
Copper is often called Dr. Copper because it tends to reflect industrial growth expectations. Rising copper can align with expansionary sentiment, while weakness may signal slowdown.
LME Inventories and USD
London Metal Exchange inventory trends and US dollar strength both influence copper pricing behavior in global futures and spot benchmarks.
Global Industrial Copper Use
| Use | Copper Share |
|---|---|
| Electrical wiring and grids | 65% |
| Construction and infrastructure | 25% |
| Industrial machinery | 7% |
| Transport (EVs and mobility) | 3% |
Electrical systems and construction remain the dominant demand base, which keeps copper closely tied to real economic activity.
Copper Grades and Buyer Relevance
| Grade | Purity | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Cathode (Grade A) | 99.99% | Electrical wiring and power systems |
| Electrolytic Copper | 99.9% | Electronics and precision industrial use |
| Scrap Copper | Varies | Construction reuse and recycled feedstock |
EV and Green Energy Demand Outlook
A common 2026 theme is that EVs can use significantly more copper than petrol cars across motors, inverters, battery systems, and charging hardware.
As renewable energy grids expand, copper intensity in transmission and storage infrastructure rises further. This creates a strong long-term structural demand argument.
Many analysts project substantial copper demand growth into 2030 if EV and clean-energy adoption continues at current pace.
Live Copper Snapshot (USD)
Per kilogram: $12.358
Per pound: $5.6055
Per ounce: $0.3503
FAQ
These FAQs are built for copper users who need practical answers around industrial pricing, benchmark units, LME-linked behavior, and how to interpret live cost movement.
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