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Copper slips as Trump launches details of China tariffs

Copper prices dropped decently on Tuesday after incoming U.S. President Donald Trump supplied information of proposed tariffs on top metals customer China, which were lower than anticipated.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME). was down 0.3% at $9,019 per metric lot by 1030 GMT,. paring losses after touching an inter-day low of $8,958.

On Monday, Trump promised an extra 25% tariff on all. products from Mexico and Canada from his first day in office,. and 10% tariffs on goods from China.

He has previously promised to end China's most-favored-nation. trading status and slap tariffs on Chinese imports in excess of. 60% - much greater than those enforced during his very first term.

Trump's message is pretty strong and the market certainly. doesn't like it, but the 10% on China was lower than what the. market may have feared, stated Ole Hansen, head of commodity. strategy at Saxo Bank in Copenhagen.

The most-traded January copper contract on the Shanghai. Futures Exchange (SHFE) shut down 0.3% to 73,740 yuan. ($ 10,162.48) a lot.

China's peak need season, which spans November and. December, has actually likewise avoided an additional decrease in copper costs,. with SHFE inventories falling and import premiums increasing to a. one-month high of $53 a ton << SMM-CUYP-CN >.

On larger markets, the dollar rallied while European shares. fell in the after-effects of Trump's statement.

The dollar index drew back from its gains and was. virtually flat in mid-morning European trading.

A stronger dollar generally weighs on products priced in. the U.S. currency, making it more expensive for purchasers using. other currencies.

LME copper has shed 12% because hitting a four-month peak on. Sept. 30.

Copper looks somewhat challenged, it's trading near the low. end of its current range and the risk at this moment is for some. additional weakness, Hansen stated.

Zinc was the only LME metal in positive territory,. leaping 2% to $3,079 a lot after holders of LME inventories gave. notice they wished to get rid of over 50,000 tons of product,. cutting the quantity of offered stocks by a fifth. << MZNSTX-TOTAL > LME aluminium fell 1.2

% to $2,621.50 a heap, nickel. shed 0.6% to $16,100, lead was down 0.7% at. $ 2,015 and tin dipped 0.1% to $28,950.

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(source: Reuters)