For years, copper bulls have talked up its key role in the transition to green energy, needed for wind turbines, electric cars and grid infrastructure. Now, the metal is at the nexus of two new megatrends: artificial intelligence and rising military spending. A proposed $53 billion merger between Anglo American and Teck Resources, the mining sector’s biggest deal for a decade, amounts to a giant play on future demand for the base metal. Copper consumption has been climbing for years but new supplies aren’t expected to keep pace with demand. The rise of AI is powering a wave of extra demand for copper, with huge ... (full story)