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China unpredictability, firmer US dollar weigh on copper rates

Copper rates slipped on Tuesday, pressured by a firmer U.S. dollar and uncertainty about top customer China's economic recovery following lacklustre information and an absence of detail on the country's stimulus plans.

The most-traded November copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) dipped 0.5% to 77,150 yuan ($ 10,855.95) a ton.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME). was down 0.1% at $9,648.5 per metric heap, as of 0254. GMT.

The dollar was perched at a more than two-month high, making. greenback-priced commodities more expensive to other currency. holders.

One information set showed China's export development slowed dramatically in. September and imports decreased unexpectedly. While another. report over the weekend noted a deepening producer price. deflation, heightening pressure to roll out more stimulus. steps.

China promised on Saturday to substantially increase debt. to stimulate development, but officials supplied no specific. details on the size or the timing of the package.

Financiers are going to see how Chinese policymakers. navigate their economic play book. If we get a clear figure on. the size of the stimulus and not just re-iterations, then copper. prices might increase, said Kelvin Wong, OANDA's senior market. analyst for Asia Pacific.

Focus is on the Standing Committee of the National Individuals's. Congress conference due later this month.

Local media reported that Beijing may raise an additional 6. trillion yuan ($ 850 billion) from Treasury bonds over three. years. Reuters reported last month that China had strategies to release. special sovereign bonds worth about 2 trillion yuan ($ 285. billion) this year as part of fresh financial stimulus.

China's unwrought copper imports increased in September to. 479,000 heaps, up 15.4% from August.

SHFE aluminium was down 0.4% at 20,780 yuan a ton,. nickel fell 0.5% to 134,560 yuan, zinc shed. 1.7% to 25,045 yuan, lead declined 1.5% to 16,525 yuan. and tin fell 1.2% to 264,800 yuan.

LME aluminium reduced 0.4% at $2,583.50 a load,. nickel lost 0.2% to $17,635, zinc dropped 0.8%. to $3,056.5, lead reduced 0.6% to $2,053 and tin. reduced 0.3% at $32,350.

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(source: Reuters)