Flash | 17 Aug 2026 08:10:53 ET │ 9 pages North America Diversified Metals & Mining Record. "Copper advanced toward a record, with a key spread in London widening to extreme levels in a sign of competition for prompt supply. The metal's spot price traded as much as $543.50 a ton above contracts for delivery in three months on the London Metal Exchange, the biggest gap since a major squeeze in 2021 that rocked the market. The backwardation structure is a hallmark of near-term demand outstripping availability ...