Aluminium supply fears ease as copper rebounds on Iran peace hopes - 12 Jun 2026
As of today, June 12, key themes in the news include significant developments impacting the aluminium market, fluctuations in copper prices driven by geopolitical factors, and a major legal action involving Google concerning cybersecurity. Norsk Hydro has issued a second force majeure declaration regarding aluminium sales from its Qatalum joint venture in Qatar. This new force majeure follows the unexpected termination of a marketing agreement with Qatalum, in which Hydro holds a 50% ownership stake. Hydro's first force majeure was declared in March due to interrupted gas supplies amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, leading to a temporary plant shutdown. Although Qatalum secured adequate gas to operate at reduced capacity afterward, the current declaration affects Hydro's commercial agreements with its customers, indicating ongoing supply challenges. Turning to market updates, Chinese copper smelters have started to acquire feedstock with high sulphur content to capitalize on profitable sulphuric acid sales. This trend arises as the price of sulphuric acid has surged over 500% in three years, attributed to tighter supplies linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and rising demand from the electric vehicle sector. Six smelters, including Jinchuan Group, have notably increased their purchases of pyrite, a sulphur-rich mineral. Moreover, copper prices made a rebound as expectations grew around a potential peace deal between the U.S. and Iran, contributing to optimism in the market. The benchmark three-month copper price on the London Metal Exchange rose by 1.5% to 13,679 dollars per metric ton, recovering from previous declines linked to heightened tensions between the two nations. In a significant legal action, Google has filed a lawsuit against the developers of a phishing toolkit named "Outsider," which allegedly uses AI to facilitate cybercrimes. The lawsuit accuses these anonymous cybercriminals of abusing Google's services to create phishing sites that imitate trusted brands, aiming to steal sensitive information from victims. Google's complaint highlights the increasing concerns over AI's role in cybersecurity breaches, with the company seeking a legal injunction against the software and financial damages. From the international front, a memorandum between the United States and Iran to halt the war in the Gulf could be signed as soon as Sunday, a Western source told Reuters today, with Geneva emerging as the likeliest venue. The source said language in the memorandum was still being finalised and Iran was sticking to its position that the deal must also end fighting in Lebanon, where Israel has been battling against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia.