Weak Chinese industrial data drive copper lower

LONDON — Copper clocked a third consecutive weekly fall on Friday after weaker-than-expected Chinese industrial data dampened expectations of demand from the largest metals consumer.

Official figures showed China’s November industrial output rose by the least in nearly three years. Euro zone data, meanwhile, showed growth in Europe had slowed.

Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) ended down 0.4% at $6,131.50 a ton. It was 0.2% lower last week.

The metal used in power and construction has fallen 16% this year, pushed lower by fears that China’s economy is cooling and a US-China trade dispute could accelerate the slowdown.

The Chinese data and a sharply stronger dollar were pressuring metals prices, said Commerzbank analyst Daniel Briesemann. A stronger dollar makes metals more expensive for buyers with other currencies and can curtail demand.

“The (price) risks are to the downside because the Chinese economy will definitely cool,” Mr. Briesemann said.

But he said that despite weaker Chinese growth, the fundamentals justified copper prices in a $6,500-7,000 range.

“Supply is lagging behind demand and the producers need higher prices to invest in new projects.”

The world’s second-largest economy has been losing momentum in recent quarters. China’s automobile sales also fell about 14% year on year in November, the steepest such drop in nearly seven years.

Euro zone business expanded at the slowest pace in over four years as new order growth all but dried up. French business activity plunged into contraction.

Copper inventories in LMEregistered warehouses rose by 1,250 tons to 121,225 tons but remain near 10-year lows.

Stockpiles in Shanghai Futures Exchange warehouses fell last week and are down from more than 300,000 tons in April.

China’s primary aluminum output rebounded in November after three straight months of decline. LME aluminum ended down 0.3% at $1,926 a ton on the day and down 1.6% last week.

China’s crude steel output dropped to its lowest in seven months in November, hit by shrinking profit margins at mills and winter restrictions on emissions. Zinc and nickel are used in the steel industry.

LME zinc ended down 0.9% at $2,543 a ton; nickel ended up 2.1% at $11,080; lead ended flat at $1,948.50; and tin closed down 0.4% at $19,330. —