Are you guys holding on to your copper?

[Diggin4copper]

Are you waiting for prices to rise? Or scrapping it now...

[maoguinn]

I am holding on to #1 copper and scrapping #2 and insulated.

[Hades12]

I hold for a large load anyway. almost 100 miles round trip so no point in going for less then a few hundred pounds. But I will take a load just before christmas, I have been keeping my brass just for christmas presents and will take the copper at the same time.

[Hawkeye]

I'm holding right now, but I'm not sure when I will take it in. You know, "holding" and "hoarding" are similar words. Hmmm.

[silversaddle1]

Hold it if you can, prices will rebound stronger than before. May take a while, but it will happen.

[frugi]

I have been saving all insulation free #1 copper I can find, no matter what form. I scrapped all the scrap copper I had about 2 years ago, it was about 1400 lbs. I started saving it again immediatelly afterwards of scrapping the other. I have only about 300 or so lbs of it now, and that is not including any insulated copper wire I have, I keep all I have found in the past 6 or so years, insulated wire is a pain in mys state, so I don't bother, but I don't throw it out, and I will always take it for free.

[saltydecks]

holding for now

[wayne1956]

Holding also, all bare and insulated.

[mj74]

Anyone know when it might rise? Currently this is what I am living on,and I am starting to get worried.

[MetalMan]

Of course nobody can say for sure, but the copper supplies are still tight I think and if the Fed starts QE3, which some think they will soon, then the price of copper, along with other base metals, precious metals and many other commodities will likely spike up one more time like they did during the other recent bouts of money printing (money which the banks use to speculate in these markets, driving everyone else in to join the band wagon).

[wayne1956]

I kind of have a different view. I don't think they will come back as strong until we start seeing some growth in the economy and the demand starts to increase. China has backed off on their building, so not as much demand there. Personally I hope I am wrong, but since copper is not a PM then it does not have the same storage of value.

[MetalMan]

From earlier this month:

"Two leading physical trading firms in China told us last week that it is very difficult to buy copper within Asian markets following the recent drop" because of tight supplies, analysts with Standard Chartered said in a note to clients." http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-201 ... 11587.html

But supply and demand are clearly not the only factor in commodity prices. If you want the most blatant example, look at when oil went to $150 a barrel when the inventories showed we had an ample surplus. And if hyperinflation hits the West soon, then watch out as everyone rushes to spend their dollars on all the metals and any other tangibles that can serve as a store of value. I know someone from Belarus that just went through hyperinflation. His business was selling refrigerators and it was booming as people rushed to buy things with their rapidly decaying money.