Copper rallies as AI chips face new scrutiny - Dec 19, 2025

As of December 19, today’s news sees relevant developments in copper pricing and the artificial intelligence sector. Copper prices exhibited a notable increase today, buoyed by investor speculation surrounding potential U.S. interest rate cuts following slower consumer inflation reports. The most active copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange appreciated by 0.46%, although it concluded the week 1.07% lower overall. Meanwhile, the London Metal Exchange saw its benchmark three-month copper price rise by 0.29% to 11,812 dollars per ton, ending the week 2.53% higher. These fluctuations come amid a backdrop of ongoing supply constraints in the copper market, highlighted by bullish forecasts from Goldman Sachs. The firm reiterated its long-term outlook, predicting significant demand growth and targeting a price of 15,000 dollars per ton by 2035. In broader global scenarios, the U.S. administration has initiated a review of Nvidia's advanced AI chip sales to China, which could potentially mark a pivotal shift in technology trade relations. This development is being closely monitored amid concerns that such transactions might enhance China's military capabilities and affect U.S. advantages in AI technology. Elsewhere, as the Trump administration faces a deadline to release documents related to the investigations into Jeffrey Epstein, there is mounting anticipation regarding the implications of these disclosures on political narratives in the U.S.