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Copper falls to a 3-week low as inventories increase, with a focus on oil

The copper price fell to its lowest level in over three weeks on Tuesday as the London Metal Exchange increased their inventories, and oil prices rose.

The benchmark copper price on the London Metal Exchange was 0.5% higher, at $14.075 per metric ton of official rings. This is the lowest level since August 20, and it's been trading there for a year. Copper recovered thanks to bargain hunters, traders said.

Due to higher premiums on nearby contracts against longer-dated forwards, copper stocks in LME warehouses rose nearly 20% to 242,900 tonnes since the middle of August.

The traders expect that more copper sold previously at high prices will be delivered to LME warehouses in the coming days. The premiums that were paid last week have now been reduced, and deliveries will likely dry up pretty quickly.

After a report by?U.S. sources, copper prices for all maturities began to drop last week. The President Donald Trump has not made a final decision about whether or not to impose tariffs against copper imports.

Comex copper prices rose above LME copper prices due to the possibility of tariffs on U.S. imports. Since 18 months traders have been shipping copper to the United States. Comex stocks are at record highs.

Tom Price, Panmure Liberum's analyst, said: "There is no benefit to confusing the markets with government policy." "I have a gut feeling that he'll impose this at some point, otherwise we will see the largest trade reversal ever in copper history."

Analysts believe that concerns over oil prices and supplies - at around $107 per barrel compared to $87 at the end of August - will impact growth, manufacturing and metal demand.

The dollar's strength has made commodities priced in dollars more expensive to holders of other currencies.

Lead was unchanged at $1,874 and tin at $51,900. Nickel was down 0.6% at $16,230.

(source: Reuters)