Copper electric wire prices up nearly 16% year over year as Q4 2026 index is published

Gordian, the construction cost data firm, published its Q4 2026 Copper Electric Wire Cost Index this week, placing the benchmark at $454.31 per thousand linear feet — up 2.06% from Q3 and up 15.85% from the same period a year ago. The figure marks the third straight quarter of at least 13% year-over-year growth.

For organizations planning structured cabling, power distribution, or any low-voltage wiring work, the sustained rise has a direct effect on project budgets. Copper can represent the majority of material cost in a cable run, and the year-over-year swing of nearly 16% is meaningful on any mid-size or large installation. Tariff uncertainty is a contributing factor: a 50% Section 232 tariff on semi-finished copper products such as wire and rod has been in place since August 2025, and a separate decision on whether to apply duties to refined copper cathode remains pending, which analysts say keeps price risk in both directions.

Facilities managers and IT directors with cabling projects planned for Q1 2027 may want to review current quotes against this index before finalizing budgets or contracts. Projects that can lock in material pricing now have more certainty than those waiting on a supplier decision that could move in either direction once the tariff question is resolved.