CME Group Brings Zinc Futures Trading to COMEX

The CME Group has launched trading in its U.S. Zinc Futures contract on COMEX. The first transactions were executed by Glencore and Trafigura for September delivery, marking an expansion of the exchange's regional metals risk management offering.

The new contract is designed to address rising demand for domestic zinc pricing and hedging amid supply chain geopolitics. It was updated to U.S. duty-paid in March 2026 in response to client demand for a tool to manage U.S. pricing dynamics.

Jin Hennig, Managing Director and Global Head of Metals at CME Group, notes that regional price signals are becoming more important as geopolitical fragmentation reshapes supply chains. The U.S. zinc market is increasingly driven by its own domestic policy and supply security factors, creating a need for a more precise hedging instrument.

The exchange points to broader momentum in its regional and metals franchise, with U.S. and European hot-rolled coil steel futures trading at record year-to-date levels. Copper futures are up 12% year-over-year in the first half of 2026, averaging 107,000 contracts per day.