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Copper bounces regardless of stocks jump

Copper rates bounced on Wednesday as focus changed to scarcities while fund purchasing added momentum, however concerns about need potential customers in leading consumer China were highlighted by rising stocks.

Criteria copper on the London Metal Exchange ( LME) was up 1.2% at $9,789 a metric lot by 1600 GMT.

Prices of the industrial metal touched a two-month low of $ 9,551 on Tuesday, struck by fading hopes of growth healing in China.

The sell-off was quite high; funds are reversing shorts and the Anglo news reminded people about the possibility of copper shortages, one metals trader stated.

Anglo American stated on Tuesday that copper output at its Los Bronces mine in Chile is expected to fall by almost a. 3rd from typical historical levels next year as it stops a. plant for maintenance that could take a couple of years.

Expectations of lacks and the possibility of strong demand. in coming years drove LME copper to records above $11,100 in. May. However, costs have considering that retreated on uncertainty about. the timing of rates of interest cuts in the United States.

Lower U.S. rates would weigh on the U.S. currency, making. dollar-priced metals less expensive for holders of other currencies,. possibly enhancing need.

Weak demand in China can be seen in copper inventories in. LME-approved warehouses, mostly in Asia. At 158,700 tons, stocks. have climbed up more than 50% because the middle of May.

The discount rate, or contango, for cash metal over the. three-month agreement << CMCU0-3 > is around $139 a ton, hovering. near record highs that indicate surpluses of the metal used in. the power and building markets.

The large contango and lacklustre production demand do not. feed into a narrative of fine-tuned supply being 'tight' and. instead suggests we might see more rate disintegration going into a. seasonally weak summertime, notwithstanding any mining issues, said. Marex expert Edward Meir.

Industrial metals markets were likewise waiting for news on Chinese. rates of interest on Thursday.

In other metals, aluminium rose 0.3% to $2,494 a load, zinc. gained 1% to $2,866.50, lead was up 0.3% at. $ 2,199, tin advanced by 0.7% to $32,370 and nickel. added 0.5% to $17,385.

(source: Reuters)