Copper Price in 1996

In 1996, the price of copper averaged $1.04 per pound, down 21.8% from the year before. This page covers the 1996 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that copper would be worth in today's dollars.

1996 Average

$1.04

LME/COMEX annual average, USD/lb

Change vs 1995

-21.8%

from $1.33 in 1995

1996 High

$1.26

from daily trading data

1996 Low

$0.85

from daily trading data

Year-End Close

$1.00

last trading day of 1996

What happened to the copper price in 1996

Copper averaged $1.04 per pound in 1996, sliding 21.8% from the $1.33 average of 1995. Daily trading data shows copper moved between a low of $0.85 and a high of $1.26 during the year, ending 1996 at $1.00.

The 1990s were choppy and ultimately weak. Copper rallied mid-decade before the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, the Russian default, and the LTCM collapse hammered industrial demand, leaving copper near a twelve-year low around $0.71 by 1999.

Adjusted for inflation, copper's 1996 average of $1.04 equals about $2.14 in today's dollars. The conversion uses US Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U annual averages, so treat it as a close approximation rather than an exact figure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the price of copper in 1996?

Copper averaged $1.04 per pound in 1996, based on LME and COMEX annual average data. Daily prices ranged from a low of $0.85 to a high of $1.26, and the year closed at $1.00. That average was down 21.8% from $1.33 in 1995.

What is a 1996 copper price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, copper's 1996 average of $1.04 works out to roughly $2.14 in today's dollars, using 2025 as the CPI base year. The conversion uses BLS CPI-U annual averages, so treat it as a close approximation rather than an exact figure.

Annual averages are LME and COMEX copper prices per pound in US dollars. Where shown, the yearly high, low, and close come from MetalCharts daily historical data and may differ slightly from figures published elsewhere. Inflation adjustments use BLS CPI-U annual averages.