Gold is not the only shiny yellowish metal that investors sometimes find attractive. Copper, though not a precious metal, is widely used in industry and has a value that fluctuates with global demand. Growing economies in China, India and elsewhere act to increase world demand, while an international recession can reduce demand. You can invest in copper by buying stocks that reflect the value of this everyday metal.
Purchase shares of stocks in companies that are heavily involved in copper and that trade on U.S. stock exchanges. Contact your broker to buy shares or use an online trading account. Freeport-McMoran Copper and Gold trades under the symbol FCX and mines copper in Indonesia as well as North and South America. Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO) operates mines in Mexico and Peru. Tech Resources (TCK) and BHP Billiton (BHP) are other mining and exploration firms with assets in copper that trade in the U.S.
Purchase shares in mutual funds, exchange-traded funds or exchange-traded notes with a focus on minerals and metals that include copper. For examples, the Sentry Mining Opportunities Class Fund invests in copper mining and other metals mining operations around the world. The Dow Jones UBS Copper Subindex is an investment fund tightly focused on copper futures.
Contact a broker that specializes in trading shares on foreign exchanges to help you invest in non-US shares of companies involved in copper. Examples include Xstrata on the London Exchange, Jiangxi Copper Company in Hong Kong and Ivanhoe Mines on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
References
- Google Finance: Freeport McMoran Copper and Gold
- Google Finance: Southern Copper Corporation
- Google Finance: BHP Billiton Limited
- IPath: Dow Jones-UBS Copper Subindex Total Return
- Copper Development Association. "Copper: Properties and Applications." Accessed Jan. 26, 2020.
- Fidelity Investments. "ETFs vs. Mutual Funds: Tax Efficiency." Accessed Jan. 26, 2020.
- United States Commodity Funds. "CPER: United States Copper Index Fund." Accessed Jan. 26, 2020.
- Global X ETFs. "Copper Miners ETF." Accessed Jan. 26, 2020.
- Freeport-McMoRan. "About Us." Accessed Jan. 26, 2020.
- Zijin Mining. "Mines." Accessed Jan. 26, 2020.
- iPath ETNs. "iPath Bloomberg Copper Subindex Total Return ETN." Accessed Jan. 26, 2020.
- S&P Global. "Copper Fundamentals Fly Out the Window Over Trade Jitters." Accessed Jan. 26, 2020.
Writer Bio
David Sarokin is a well-known specialist on Internet research. He has been profiled in the "New York Times," the "Washington Post" and in numerous online publications. Based in Washington D.C., he splits his time between several research services, writing content and his work as an environmental specialist with the federal government. David is the author of Missed Information (MIT Press, 2016), a book exploring how better information can lead to a more sustainable future.