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.
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.
Top Copper Stocks
Finder’s investments experts analyze all S&P 500-listed stocks to curate a list of the best performing stocks. The companies are ranked in average order of both their year-to-date and month-over-month performance.
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)
Compare trading platforms
One of the simplest ways to invest in copper is with a domestic brokerage account, which allows you to buy stocks on the NYSE and NASDAQ. But if you want to invest in international copper stocks, you’ll need an international brokerage account. Use the table below to compare domestic brokerage accounts.
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What is the Finder Score?
The Finder Score crunches 147 key metrics we collected directly from 18+ brokers and assessed each provider’s performance based on eight different categories, weighing each metric based on the expertise and insights of Finder’s investment experts. We then scored and ranked each provider to determine the best brokerage accounts.
We update our best picks as products change, disappear or emerge in the market. We also regularly review and revise our selections to ensure our best provider lists reflect the most competitive available.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Chile, China and Peru are the top three copper suppliers in the world.
You can find about 400 pounds of copper in the average single-family home.
In the last five years, copper ranged from approximately $2 to $3 per pound.
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Finder is not an advisor or brokerage service. Information on this page is for educational purposes only and not a recommendation to invest with any one company, trade specific stocks or fund specific investments. All editorial opinions are our own.
Kimberly Ellis is a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in banking and financial literacy. After teaching in public and private schools, Kimberly zeroed in on personal financial education to help families and kids develop lifelong money skills. She hails from New York City, graduating summa cum laude from Queens College with a BA in elementary education and mathematics, as well as a New York State teaching certificate. She’s also an aspiring polyglot, always in a book and forever on the hunt for the perfect classic red lipstick.
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