Market Updates

COPPER

This chart indicates futures only. Click here for a daily COMEX chart.

We saw a record high over of $6.00 per pound caused by:

  • A strike at a major copper mine.
  • Data Center and renewable energy outlook at an all-time high.
  • Fears of a future copper shortage.

We have two main thought processes on Copper's outlook:

  1. Short-term volatility could create an increase that won’t hold.
  2. Long-term issue of demand vs supply could keep copper in the $6.00 range through 2026, with sights on $7.00 copper towards the end of the year.

What we know is that the copper level is not holding up when it comes to day-to-day pricing due to the large surplus of refined copper in the US, as well as large inventories at major manufacturers.

What should you do?

  • Get your large projects in front of Van Meter so that we can help navigate these ongoing, volatile markets and ensure you have material when you need it.
ALUMINUM

Aluminum followed its friend Copper up as we kicked off the new year. The increase in aluminum has not stuck yet when it comes to the price of aluminum wire, but increases are expected in the coming months.

STEEL

Steel coil prices have finally settled down after weeks of increases towards the end of 2025. While things have steadied to start 2026, we do expect steel to climb towards the end of Q1.

Steel & Market Update - 11/17/25

January 15, 2026

Key Takeaways

Copper continued to climb in the new year, hitting a record high of over $6.00 per pound. The U.S. forecast demand remains very high due to continued growth on large mission-critical projects. Lead times on commodity items are expected to continue to increase due to demand and the inability to increase production fast enough. Plan, plan, plan! Continue to get projects in front of your Van Meter Sales Team so we can work together to ensure you are covered. 

Maggie McGurk, Van Meter Inc.
Maggie McGurk
Commodities Manager
Van Meter Inc.
LEAD TIMES
Medium Voltage Cable - 35kv  40-44 weeks
Medium Voltage Cable - 15kv  22-26 weeks
Armored Cables 22-26 weeks
Tray Cable 6-8 weeks
PVC In stock or up to 6 weeks

Featured Products

Explore our top picks of the month and discover how Southwire is powering progress, one connection at a time.

3M Cold Shrink QT-III Terminations

These indoor and outdoor cold shrink terminations provide reliable sealing for medium- and high-voltage applications and install easily even in tight spaces, helping reduce time and cost.

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3M Cold Shrink Silicone Rubber Splices QS-III

This silicone rubber splice is designed to meet customer demands for easy, consistent installations by virtually eliminating the pushing, pulling or heating required by traditional splices. 

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3M Fire Protection Solutions

3M offers fire barrier products that include through-penetrations, construction joints, mats, and wraps. Check out the new and enhanced products perfect for your next project.

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Wire and Cable Solutions

Learn about our latest projects, best practices, newest products, latest news and more.

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If you need a thousand feet of wire pulling rope for your pull, you’ll need a thousand-foot pulling rope, right? Well, not when you use Southwire’s QWIKrope soft shackles to connect two wire pull ropes together. The ability to combine (or separate) wire pulling ropes into a longer rope with the soft shackles gives you more flexibility in the field and reduces the variety of ropes you need on hand. Watch Adam show you how to combine two wire pulling ropes with soft shackles, or check out the guide below.

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