What Freeport CEO says about Copper, bout as good as can be, good for HGO

Oct 20 (Reuters) - Freeport-McMoRan Inc(FCX):
* CHIEF EXECUTIVE RICHARD ADKERSON SAYS PHYSICAL COPPER MARKET 'STRIKINGLY TIGHT GLOBALLY RIGHT NOW'
* CEO SAYS HE IS 'INCREASINGLY CONFIDENT ABOUT THE OUTLOOK AND POSITION OF THE COPPER MARKETS'
* CEO SAYS COMPANY IS PREPARED FOR ANY WEAKENING IN GLOBAL ECONOMY
* PRESIDENT KATHLEEN QUIRK SAYS 'COPPER DEMAND REMAINS HEALTHY' AND 'INVENTORIES REMAIN LOW BY HISTORICAL LEVELS'
* PRESIDENT SAYS COMPANY STUDYING POSSIBLE EXPANSION OF BAGDAD COPPER MINE IN ARIZONA
* PRESIDENT SAYS TARGETING COMPLETION OF NEW INDONESIAN SMELTER IN 2024
* SAYS WILL DEFER MAJOR INVESTMENT DECISIONS IN THE CURRENT MARKET ENVIRONMENT
* SAYS HAS NOT BOUGHT ITS OWN SHARES SINCE JULY 2022
* SAYS EXPECTS TO BE PRODUCING 200 MILLION POUNDS/YEAR OF COPPER BY END 2023 USING NEW LEACHING TECHNOLOGY
* CEO SAYS DOES NOT EXPECT ANY U.S. GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE COMPANY'S COPPER PROJECTS
* CEO SAYS HOPES U.S. PERMITTING PROCESS GETS 'MORE REASONABLE'
* CEO SAYS NONE OF COMPANY'S CUSTOMERS ARE SCALING BACK ORDERS
* CEO: 'WE CERTAINLY HAVE NO PROBLEM SELLING COPPER' Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Reporting By Ernest Scheyder)


Like oil I see the big crash in prices as being all fear of the non-existant drop in demand.