BlackRock has extended its thematics range with the launch of a copper miners ETF, ETF Stream can reveal.
The iShares Copper Miners UCITS ETF (COPM) listed on the Euronext Amsterdam on 21 June with a total expense ratio (TER) of 0.55%.
It tracks the Stoxx Global Copper Miners index, providing exposure to companies globally with significant exposure to the copper mining industry via revenue percentage or market share.
Companies in the top 50% of market share of the copper ore mining industry will be selected.
BlackRock said the industry typically offers an attractive dividend yield and high sensitivity to the copper price, making a “liquid and tradable proxy candidate” for direct copper commodity exposure.
It added the industry is set to benefit from the net-zero transition, given the commodity’s role in electronification across renewable energy, electric vehicles and broader infrastructure.
Copper’s role in the transition has fuelled huge demand over the past few years, while limited supply and mining challenges have opened up investment opportunities, the asset manager said.
According to JP Morgan, the world will need a 54% larger supply of copper by 2030 on the current net-zero path, with demand set to outstrip supply by six million tons per year by the end of the decade.
Omar Moufti, thematic and sector product specialist at BlackRock, said: “Clients are becoming more intentional in their climate transition investment ambitions and exposure to copper miners allows them to tap into themes in electrification, such as electric vehicles, renewable power and infrastructure expansion.
“Clean technology costs continue to decline with increased deployment. And our analysis of the pathways for a transition to a low-carbon economy shows a need for increased investment in new copper mine capacity to accommodate continued growth.”
Despite this, the copper price has remained volatile this year reflecting concerns that China’s rebound was not materialising. Copper exchange-traded products recorded a stellar start to the year on the China re-opening story.
COPM is the second copper miners ETF in Europe, following the launch of the Global X Copper Miners UCITS ETF (COPX) in November 2021. The ETF has since amassed $58m assets under management (AUM).
