Copper prices surge past $14,000 per ton, hitting record highs as AI infrastructure demand and Chinese economic recovery create a perfect storm for commodities.

Copper prices surge past $14,000 per ton, hitting record highs as AI infrastructure demand and Chinese economic recovery create a perfect storm for commodities. The Pentagon estimates the ongoing Iran War will cost roughly $29 billion, disrupting global shipping lanes and forcing energy markets to seek alternative transport routes through Pakistan and Iraq. Gold holds steady near $4,718 per ounce despite hotter-than-expected U.S. inflation data that continues to support Treasury yields and the dollar. Meanwhile, Samsung faces intensifying labor disputes with unions demanding 15 percent of operating profits, threatening the company's competitive position against SK Hynix and Micron in the booming AI memory chip market. Japan's trade surplus exceeded expectations at 803.5 billion yen, signaling unexpected economic resilience.