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London copper retreats on short-covering, China need worries

Copper prices in London fell on Tuesday on short-covering after prices rallied in the previous sessions, while demand concerns remained in top consumer China.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange fell 0.5% to $9,210 per metric load by 0552 GMT, while the most-traded September copper agreement on the Shanghai Futures Exchange advanced 0.2% to 73,800 yuan ($ 10,325.43) a ton.

The recent cost increase is from short-covering, said Hong Kong-based expert Matt Huang at broker BANDS Financial, describing bearish copper position holders needing to close their positions when prices increase to tame losses.

September open interest for copper has actually dropped to 67,000 lots from 107,000 lots a week ago, while December agreements only increased by less than 10,000 lots, suggesting there is little contract rollover, according to Huang.

( We are) not seeing any new long positions opened. The market needs to see more powerful signs of need recovery in China, Huang added.

Chinese physical copper need has enhanced a little in the previous couple of weeks, as rates fell 4.4% in June and 3.9% in July. But a strong intake rebound is still unpredictable amidst slowing financial development and difficulties in the country's residential or commercial property sector.

A strike at Escondida, the world's biggest copper mine, was likewise averted, relieving supply issues and pressing copper rates.

The LME cash copper agreement traded at a discount of over $ 100 a load to the three-month contract << CMCU0-3 >, showing abundant near-term supply.

LME aluminium declined 0.5% to $2,433.50 a lot, nickel fell 0.4% to $16,600, zinc relieved 0.3% to $ 2,779, tin dropped 0.8% to $32,300 and lead was down 0.2% at $2,036.

SHFE aluminium increased 0.9% to 19,650 yuan a load, nickel increased 0.6% to 129,610 yuan, tin sophisticated 0.2% to 263,120 yuan while zinc fell 0.3% to 23,215 yuan and lead decreased 0.4% to 17,590 yuan.

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(source: Reuters)