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London copper increases on rate cut expectations, China need frets cap gains

Copper prices in London climbed on Thursday with the prospect of a U.S. rate cut in September supporting belief, although a firm U.S. dollar and concerns over need from China capped gains.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange increased 0.3% at $9,287 per metric lot by 0728 GMT, after reversing losses in early trading.

The most-traded October copper agreement on the Shanghai Futures Exchange was down 1.1% at 74,200 yuan ($ 10,434.68) a lot.

The gains in London were assisted by positive belief after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday provided his strongest signal that rates of interest would be cut in September, a trader and an expert stated.

The marketplace is looking ahead to an essential U.S. inflation reading at the end of the week that could offer further clues on the outlook for rates there.

But lingering fears over demand of the metal for power, building and construction and transportation sectors in leading customer China were weighing on the market.

Sentiment is not good here given the absence of indications revealing any possible strong recovery in the Chinese economy, a. Chinese trader stated.

The world's leading miner BHP reduced its. forecast for China's copper growth to 1% -2% this year, as. housing conclusions, the major indicator for copper end-use in. housing, are expected to agreement sharply in 2024, the business. stated on Tuesday.

LME aluminium dropped 0.6% to $2,480.50 a lot,. nickel climbed 0.1% to $17,040, zinc was up 0.4%. at $2,893, lead decreased 0.7% to $2,071.50 and tin. dipped 0.1% at $32,585.

SHFE aluminium decreased 1.3% to 19,710 yuan a ton,. lead slipped 0.6% to 17,450 yuan, nickel was. 0.3% lower to 131,760 yuan, zinc was 0.2% lower at. 24,095 yuan and tin fell 1.4% to 264,210 yuan.

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(source: Reuters)