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The majority of base metals fall on firm dollar

A lot of base metals fell on Monday after a short surge in early deals, as a more powerful U.S. dollar made the greenbackpriced metals more costly for other currency holders.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME). was up 0.1% at $8,879 a metric lot, since 0852 GMT,. after rising as much as 0.8% earlier in the session.

The most-traded May copper contract on the Shanghai Futures. Exchange (SHFE) closed down 0.3% at 72,300 yuan. ($ 10,026.35) a lot.

A trader stated the gains in early trade were set off by. short-covering as the dollar was weaker versus the yuan.

Nevertheless, as the dollar recouped losses later on in Asian trade,. metals fell back, the trader included.

The yuan was propped up by the believed dollar selling by. state-owned banks and a strong main guidance set by China's. reserve bank.

Copper costs, however, were cushioned by a slowdown in. stock build-up in warehouses tracked by the SHFE, which last. week succumbed to the first time on a weekly basis given that Dec. 22.

Chinese smelters are set up for significant upkeep in the. 2nd quarter, and a possible output cut.

Comex copper speculators increased their long positions to. 99,829 contracts on March 19, the highest given that May 2021, information. by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed.

If the macroeconomic environment cools down, copper costs. will be at threat of falling back, however based on expectations of. destocking in the 2nd quarter, the space might be limited,. Jinrui Futures analysts said in a note.

LME aluminium relieved 0.1% to $2,307.50 a load, nickel. declined 0.5% to $17,155, zinc was almost flat. at $2,483, lead dipped 0.2% to $2,033, and tin. fell 0.3% to $27,635.

SHFE aluminium increased 0.2% to 19,455 yuan a lot,. lead edged up 0.1% at 16,240 yuan, while nickel. fell 1.9% to 133,330 yuan, zinc fell 0.8% to. 21,145 yuan and tin declined 0.8% to 226,100 yuan.

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(source: Reuters)