Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the President of the Board of Trade, what increase or decrease has taken place in the price of copper over the past six months; and what change has taken place in the general availability of supplies of this metal.
§ Mr. DarlingThe price charged by the principal primary producers for their contract sales was £288 a ton c.i.f. European port for copper wirebars at the beginning of June 1965, and the price was increased to £304 a ton at the end of October, 1965 which is the present 129W price. The daily cash price of copper wirebars sold on the London Metal Exchange has ranged between £393 a ton and £562 a ton over the past six months. On 6th December it was £546 a ton. During 1965 the principal primary copper producers have been unable to meet the full requirements of their contract customers. Miners' strikes in Australia and in Chile have reduced supplies. There has consequently been constant pressure on marginal supplies.