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Copper rates slide under pressure from stronger dollar

Copper costs in London fell under pressure from a more powerful dollar and technical elements on Wednesday while the marketplace awaits more clearness as needed potential customers in leading metals consumer China and possible trade tariffs.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange ( LME) was down 0.2% at $9,093 a metric heap by 1114 GMT.

The metal utilized in power and building and construction increased 1.3% on Tuesday and closed at the highest considering that Nov. 12. However it remains variety bound while financiers watch for advancements on import tariffs threatened by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and possible retaliation from China.

Copper has settled into a broad $8,900-$ 9,200 variety which it is likely to remain within while we await more information, stated Ole Hansen, head of commodity method at Saxo Bank.

Speculative length remains weak, leaving the market exposed to an upside surprise move within the range as we saw on Tuesday when a technical break offered the metal some advantage momentum that is being partly reversed today.

On the supply side, mining huge Rio Tinto, on Wednesday forecast higher copper production in its 2025 fiscal year, mostly on the back of an expected output dive at its Mongolia operations.

Copper miner Freeport Indonesia stated its Manyar smelter in East Java would ramp up in the 3rd quarter of 2025 after operations were halted by a fire.

Politics were also in focus as South Korean lawmakers called on President Yoon Suk Yeol to resign or face impeachment after he stated martial law late on Tuesday just to reverse the relocation hours later.

South Korea is home to a substantial share of aluminium and copper stocks in LME-registered warehouses.

On the other hand, aluminium increased 0.4% to $2,618.50 a heap, zinc edged up by 0.2% to $3,098, lead lost 0.4%. to $2,070, tin was up 0.1% at $28,830 and nickel. gotten 0.7% to $16,115.

Both aluminium and nickel hit a one-week high.

(source: Reuters)