LONDON: Copper prices steadied on Thursday on expectations of improved copper consumption in China and a larger than previously forecast cut in interest rates by the U.S. Federal Reserve in September.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange was down 0.1% at $8,760 a metric ton by 1029 GMT, having earlier slipped to $8,716, within touching distance of Monday’s 21-week low of $8,714.
Copper prices are close to the bottom after retreating 5%in a week, one trader said, citing improving fundamentals.
“Lack of concentrates and domestic scrap will carry on to eventually weigh on copper production in China. It will be translated to a drawdown of existing copper stocks in next two months,” the trader said.
Chinese imports of copper concentrates, used by smelters to make copper, dropped to a one-year low of 2.165 million tons in July, data showed on Wednesday.
Mined production from top copper producer Chile remained sluggish while a potential strike at Escondida, the world’s biggest copper mine, is still looming. Operator BHP had turned to the Chilean government for mediation after failing to reach agreement with the union.
Copper losses deepen on investor fears of potential slowdown
Also supporting prices were lower copper stocks in warehouses monitored by the Shanghai Futures Exchange(ShFe). Inventories have fallen 23% since June, reflecting a return of Chinese physical buyers as prices have retreated.
Outside China, however, copper supply remains abundant.
LME copper inventories jumped nearly threefold in less than three months to 294,750 tons on Wednesday.
On the macroeconomic front, traders raised their expectations on interest rate cuts from the U.S. Federal Reserve this year after a soft jobs report last week, with nearly 105 basis points of easing expected by the end of the year.
Interest rate cuts could pressure the dollar and make metals cheaper for buyers with other currencies.
Investors were also watching for jobless claims data due later on Thursday because a weaker labour market could support the case for a bigger reduction in borrowing costs.
In other metals, LME aluminium declined 1.1% to $2,261.50 a ton, nickel dropped 1% to $16,140, lead was down 0.6% at $1,956 while tin rose 0.4% to $30,115 and zinc advanced 1.6% to $2,624.5.
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