Freeport-McMoRan profit drops 22% on lower copper prices

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Demand for copper, often seen as an economic bellwether, took a hit during the reported quarter over recession fears as well as COVID-19 lockdowns in top metals consumer China.

Benchmark copper prices fell around 20.4% over the April-June quarter, their biggest quarterly slump since 2011.

(GRAPHIC: Copper loses luster on inflation woes, lockdowns in China – https://graphics.reuters.com/GLOBAL-METALS/FREEPORTMCMORAN/klvykybrqvg/chart.png)

Freeport reported average realized copper prices of $4.03 per pound, from last year’s $4.34 per pound.

Copper production rose 17.7% to 1.08 billion pounds.

The world’s largest publicly traded copper miner reported net income of $840 million, or 57 cents a share, compared to $1.08 billion, or 73 cents per share, a year ago.

Excluding items, the company earned 58 cents per share.