Investing in copper stocks

A rare earth metal with a wide range of applications. Here's what you should consider before you invest in the copper industry.

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Copper can be found in low concentrations in the earth’s crust. It has an abundance of uses — from our homes to industrial machinery. But it’s difficult and expensive to mine. Here’s what you should know about copper stocks.

What is copper and how is it used?

Copper is a reddish-orange metal that is corrosion-resistant and an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. In its natural state, copper is soft, solid and can be molded into different shapes and thicknesses.

It is naturally found in ore deposits that are mined or leached. Mining crushes and grinds the ore into powder, where the unwanted materials and other impurities are removed. Leaching uses sulphuric acid to remove the copper from the other ore minerals.

Copper has a plethora of uses across five main markets:

  • Construction. Wiring, heating, refrigeration and plumbing all use copper materials.
  • Electrical and electronics. Utilities and electronics need copper wiring and parts.
  • Consumer products. Cookware and household appliances use their fair share of this raw material.
  • Transportation. Vehicles, including airplanes, cars and trucks, are manufactured with copper.
  • Industrial equipment. Machinery consumes millions of pounds of copper every year.

Copper stocks generally refer to companies that explore, develop, produce and sell copper all over the world.

How to invest in copper stocks

  1. Choose a platform. If you’re a beginner, our share-dealing table below can help you choose.
  2. Open your account. You’ll need your ID, bank details and national insurance number.
  3. Confirm your payment details. You’ll need to fund your account with a bank transfer, debit card or credit card.
  4. Search the platform for vape stock codes.
  5. Research the shares you want to buy. The platform should provide the latest information available.
  6. Buy your shares. It’s that simple.

Why invest in copper stocks?

Copper has an expansive range of industrial and consumer applications — from factories and transmission lines to homes and electronics. And the recent push for electric vehicles is likely to increase demand for this essential metal.

Electric vehicles have five times more copper than traditional cars. And this new driving technology will also require large amounts of copper to support its electric charging infrastructure. Copper’s strong ties to many sectors of the economy likely mean that the demand isn’t going anywhere.

Risks of investing in copper

While copper is one of the most abundant metals on earth, only a small portion is economically viable to extract at today’s prices using current technologies. So mining companies are vulnerable to copper price fluctuations, which are easily impacted by geopolitics.

For example, global copper prices fell to its two-year all-time low in 2019. It was collateral damage amid the escalating trade war between the United States and China — a country consumes over 50% of the world’s metal.

An additional risk is that there are other practical substitutes for copper. For example, manufacturers can use aluminum instead of copper in automobile radiators, optical fiber in telecommunications equipment and plastics for pipes and plumbing fixtures. These substitutions can lower demand and cause copper and its stock prices to fall.

Copper stocks

Interested in copper stocks? In addition to the New York Stock Exchange, many copper stocks trade on international exchanges, such as the London and Toronto stock exchanges.

Select a company to learn more about what it does and how its stock performs, including market capitalisation, the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio and dividend yield. While this list includes a selection of the most well-known and popular stocks, it doesn't include every stock available.

What ETFs track the copper category?

These exchange-traded funds (ETFs) track the price of copper:

  • Global X Copper Miners ETF (COPX)
  • United States Copper Index Fund (CPER)
  • iPath Series B Bloomberg Copper Subindex Total Return ETN (JJC)

Bottom line

Copper is involved in a lot of economic sectors. While its consumer and industrial applications keep copper in demand, you’ll need to keep a pulse on global trade wars.

Consider a few different trading platforms that offer international brokerage accounts to add copper to your investment portfolio.

Compare trading platforms

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Product Finder Score Min. initial deposit Price per trade Frequent trader rate Platform fees Offer
eToro
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eToro
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eToro
4.3
★★★★★
$100
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XTB
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XTB
XTB
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★★★★★
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Earn up to 4.5% interest on uninvested cash.
InvestEngine
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InvestEngine
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InvestEngine
4.4
★★★★★
£100
£0
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0% - 0.25%
Get a welcome bonus of up to £100 when you invest at least £100. Use code "FINDER". T&Cs apply.
Hargreaves Lansdown
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4.2
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£1
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£5.95
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Freetrade
Free TradesOffer
Freetrade
OFFER
Freetrade
4.4
★★★★★
£1
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Get a free share worth up to £100 when you sign up and deposit at least £50. T&Cs apply. Capital at risk.
IG
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IG
IG
4.1
★★★★★
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Earn 4.5% AER interest on uninvested cash. T&Cs apply. Capital at risk.
Wealthify
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4.2
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£1
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interactive investor
interactive investor
4.2
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Get £100 worth of free trades with an ii Trading Account by 5 April. Capital at risk. T&Cs apply. New customers only.
Moneyfarm
Moneyfarm
3.9
★★★★★
£1
£3.95
N/A
£0
Charles Stanley
Charles Stanley
3.6
★★★★★
£0
£11.50
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0.35%
Get up to £1,500 cashback when you transfer your cash and/or investments to Charles Stanley Direct. T&Cs apply. Capital at risk.
CMC Invest
Finder Award
CMC Invest
CMC Invest
4.4
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£0
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Get your first 3 months free when you upgrade to Plus plan. T&Cs apply. Capital at risk.
Trading212
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All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.


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