Comex Copper hits 10-year high, LME traders bet that prices will rise to $12,000

Copper is gaining altitude, with major exchanges reporting record low inventory levels and coronavirus vaccines expected to pave the way for a swift global economic recovery. 

Comex Copper traded at $4.2160 per pound on Monday – the highest level since August 2011. Prices have more than doubled since the March crash. 

Meanwhile, traders are taking bets [buying calls] on the London Metal Exchange (LME) that prices will hit $12,000 per tonne by December, according to Fastmarkets. 

A call option gives the holder the right but not obligation to buy the underlying asset at a predetermined price on or before a specific date. A put option gives the right to sell. 

The LME three-month copper rose past $9,000 per tonne on Monday to hit the highest level since September 2011. Other industrial metals such as iron ore have also charted a strong rally over the past few months. 

Analysts at JPMorgan recently said that commodities might be in the early stage of a multi-year bull cycle. 

Commodity dollars such as the AUD and NZD could benefit from a continued rally in copper, iron ore, and other metals, if any.