Aurubis, the Germany-based copper smelter and semis producer, announced increased operating earnings before tax of €140M (US$188M) in the final quarter of 2012*, compared to €86M in the previous year (US$116M). Despite an improved group level performance, Aurubis noted weaknesses in its copper semis business, saying "sales volumes were down on the previous year due to weak markets." The company attributed the weak sales to poor demand from Southern Europe and a typical seasonal slowdown in Q4, however, the company noted a slightly better environment in North America. In their outlook for the coming year, Aurubis said they expect weak conditions to remain in Europe in the coming months, but expect stronger demand from North America and the Far East. The company said that they are experiencing slower demand for wire used in automotive harnesses but hope that wirerod will replace some of the current weakness. In other semis sectors, Aurubis expects better global demand for flat-rolled products and stronger appetite for copper shapes outside of Europe.

The EU is being urged by industry body Eurometrec to agree End-of-Waste criteria for copper scrap, despite some contention over the maximum level of foreign materials. The EU is proposing a 2% maximum foreign material content in order to allow copper scrap to cease being classified as waste, while recyclers have argued for a 5% maximum. Achieving End-of-Waste status will allow material to be classified as a product and exempt from waste permitting regulations.

China's government recently announced its 12th five-year plan for its energy industry, and it said it will build a 200,000km extra high voltage (EHV) power grid with capacity higher than 330 KV by 2015. Also announced, the government has set its compound annual growth rate for power installed capacity at 9.0% from 2011-2015, lower than the 13.3% from 2005-2010, demonstrating its intention to slow down investment in the power industry. It expects its installed capacity will be expanded to 1.49 billion KW, up 9.0% from 970 million KW at the end of 2010.

Nexans announced on 28th September that after having received expressions of interest in its Berk-Tek copper and fibre cable subsidiary, it is "exploring the possibility" of selling it. Berk-Tek manufactures high-performance copper cable from its plants in New Holland, Pennsylvania, and Elm City, North Carolina, and also produces fibre optic cable in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. Nexan's statement follows its acquisition of Shandong Yanggu Cables Group of China for around RMB930M in early September.

Japan Copper and Brass Association has reported that August output of rolled copper was down by 6.5% compared to a year earlier, at around 66,050 tonnes. It was the 14th monthly y-o-y decline in a row.

Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company (UMMC) has announced that production levels in 2012 are to maintain similar levels to those seen in 2011, including estimated output of around 386 tons of copper wirerod. The company also announced that investment in its production facilities for 2013 will remain at around 2012's level of 60 million roubles.