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Copper eyes very first weekly gain in six on Chile strike, fading US development concerns

Copper prices were set for their first weekly gain in 6 on Friday, supported by supply worries due to a strike at a mine in Chile and declining worries of a. recession in the United States.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange increased. 0.1% to $9,160 per metric lot by 0608 GMT, however hovered around a. two-week high hit in the previous session.

The most-traded September copper contract on the Shanghai. Futures Exchange advanced 2% to 73,810 yuan. ($ 10,290.55) a ton. The agreement reached 73,980 yuan earlier. in the session, its highest since Aug. 5.

On a weekly basis, LME copper was up 3.3% after five weeks. of losses. SHFE copper was likewise set for its very first weekly gain in. 6.

A strike at mining huge BHP's Escondida mine in. Chile, the world's largest copper mine that accounted for almost. 5% of international supply in 2023, sparked issues of supply. disturbances.

The (copper) bears are stressed over the mine's history of. long strikes, stated Sandeep Daga, a director at Metal. Intelligence Centre.

A 44-day strike in 2017 at Escondida triggered a copper. price rally. There were also other

strikes

in 2006, 2011 and 2015.

On the other hand, positive U.S. retail sales and jobs information alleviated. worries about a possible economic downturn in the country that has. pressed base metals costs down in the past 3 weeks.

The one-way rally in metal costs (this week) made. numerous bears - who had developed positions presuming that the global. sell-off ... may mark the beginning of a bigger drawback -. hurried to close their trades, Daga stated.

LME aluminium rose 0.3% to $2,371.50 a lot, tin. sophisticated 0.1% to $31,990, zinc was almost flat. at $2,782, while lead edged down 0.4% to $2,027 and. nickel shed 0.4% to $16,260.

SHFE aluminium increased 1.2% to 19,345 yuan a load, zinc. advanced 2.2% to 23,385 yuan, lead increased. 0.7% to 17,625 yuan, tin jumped 2.5% to 262,930 yuan. while nickel fell 0.6% to 128,030 yuan.

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(source: Reuters)