Copper might not be the most exciting or cutting-edge medtech material, but this metal is used in a wide range of medical devices.

Copper futures are trading near $5.50 per pound on Friday, slipping from Tuesday’s high of $5.70 on the daily timeframe. Despite the modest decline, prices remain 10% higher than Monday’s close, underscoring persistent concerns over supply disruptions tied to incoming United States (US) trade tariffs.

As U.S. prices remain elevated despite larger-than-usual inventories, the gap in U.S. Comex futures over those on the LME has fluctuated between $500 and $1,500 since Trump announced a probe into copper in February. Historically, that rate has been near-zero, and was around the $150 level in 2024.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) writes that the global semiconductor industry is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2030. However, it adds that one-third (32%) of worldwide production will

The Stanford team has found that niobium phosphide can outperform copper in ultra-thin films of less than 5 nanometers. Unlike copper, which loses efficiency as it shrinks, this material maintains ...