LONDON: Copper prices dropped on Friday and zinc touched the lowest in nearly two months as investors trimmed some of their bullish positions on the back of rising coronavirus cases around the world, threatening economic growth.
Data on Friday showed Britain’s economy shrank in November for the first time since the initial COVID-19 lockdown last spring, while the number of coronavirus infections in Germany rose above 2 million.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange fell 0.7% to $7,989.50 a tonne in official trading, having risen earlier in the session to a one-week high on US President-elect Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus plan.
LME zinc fell to $2,709 a tonne, the lowest since Nov. 18, before paring losses to $2,720, down 1.3%.
Fitch Solutions analysts see base metals prices easing in the coming months, saying in a note: “The broader, deeper and strong 2021 economic recovery generally expected by investors is now probably already priced in.”
ShFE copper inventories fell to their lowest in more than nine years at 73,685 tonnes. LME aluminium fell 0.4% to $1,998.50 a tonne in official activity, nickel dropped 1.6% to $17,997, lead shed 1.5% to $1,999 and tin rose 0.3% to $21,075.
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