Copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) was set for its biggest weekly drop since September 2020 after a sizzling rally with near 40% gains since the start of the year to a record peak of $10,747.50 last week.
Three-month LME copper had slid 1.6% to a two-week low of $9,884 a tonne, down 3.5% on the week.
Copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) was set for its biggest weekly drop since January after a sizzling rally with near 40% gains since the start of the year to a record peak of $10,747.50 last week.
Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange traded up 1% at $10,104 a tonne in official rings. However, prices of the metal used widely in power and construction are down 6% since hitting a record $10,747.50 a tonne earlier in May.
"There's been some buying on the back of a lower dollar and the possibility of a strike at Escondida (copper mine in Chile)," a copper trader said. "But the rally does seem to have to run out of steam."
An overhaul of Chile's market-orientated constitution is underway and the country is debating whether to increase royalties on miners.
Cochilco said that increased speculation in the market was playing a role in bolstering copper, adding: "This could push the price to new highs in the short term."
The commission also predicted that copper production out of Chile would hit close to 5.8 million tonnes this year, a year-on-year increase of 1.8%, but below its previous forecast of just under 6 million tonnes.
Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) shed 2.6% to $10,136 a tonne.
The metal, widely used in the power and construction industries, was on track for its biggest daily fall since February. Last week, copper hit a record of $10,747.50 a tonne and has jumped 32% so far this year.
Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) was up 1.2% at $10,496.50 a tonne in official trading and near last week's record high of $10,747.50.
LME zinc was up 2.4% at $3,085 a tonne after surging to $3,108.50, its highest since June 2018.
Copper prices have doubled in the last year, fuelled by a rebound in demand from top consumer China and other economies after a COVID-19 induced slump.
Funds have raised their bullish bets on LME and Comex copper, according to estimates by broker Marex and the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) broke above the previous record high of $10,190 set in 2011 and had gained 2.3% to $10,325.
The most-traded June copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange climbed as much as 2.7% to 74,950 yuan ($11,603) a tonne, its highest since May 2006 and only 1.6% below its record peak of 76,160 yuan.
Prices have rocketed 25% this year as commodities and equities markets surged and investors anticipate that a crackdown on polluting smelters in China will constrain supply.
Adding impetus was China saying it would "indefinitely" suspend all activity under a China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue, deepening a crisis in relations.
Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) touched $10,040 a tonne, its highest since Feb. 2011 when the contract hit a record of $10,190 a tonne.
"It makes sense for market to take stock after hitting the key technical level of $10,000 a tonne," said Saxo Bank analyst Ole Hansen.
Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) had risen 1.4% to $9,958.50 per tonne in official trades. On Thursday, prices hit $10,008 a tonne which was the highest since Feb. 2011.
"It's a tremendously positive story for copper at the moment and in the long term," said WisdomTree analyst Nitesh Shah, adding that the metal will likely pierce through the $10,000 mark again.
Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange was up 0.1% at $9,895 a tonne.
Copper prices dipped initially on Friday, but then joined gains in other risky assets such as world stocks, which held near record highs, lifted by strong US data and the Federal Reserve's vow to support the economy.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange gained 1.1% to $9,983 a tonne in official trading, having risen to as high as $9,999.50 a tonne earlier in the session.
The last time copper rose above $10,000 was in February 2011, when it touched an all-time record of $10,190.
Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange traded up 1.5% at $9,894 a tonne in official rings, a gain of 27% this year.
"Chilean port workers called a strike over pension-related issues. They are being supported by the mining unions. There is no indication of supply disruptions, but copper prices have rallied," said Julius Baer analyst Carsten Menke.
Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) traded 1.9% up at $9,730 a tonne in official rings. Prices of the industrial metal earlier hit $9,750 a tonne, its highest since August 2011.
The Chile news helped, but there was already a lot of momentum based on a few things, including stocks and the dollar.
Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange was up 1.9% at $9,736 a tonne at 1140 GMT. Prices of the industrial metal earlier hit $9,750 a tonne, the highest since August 2011.
Stocks of copper in LME registered warehouses at 155,100 tonnes have fallen about 10% over the past couple of weeks.
Benchmark aluminium on the London Metal Exchange was up 1% at $2,387 a tonne at 1121 GMT. Prices of the metal used widely in the transport, construction and packaging industries earlier touched $2,389, a gain of more than 20% since January.
Electricity, much of it from coal in China, can account for 30%-40% of aluminium smelting costs.