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Copper ticks lower on firm dollar, China worries

Copper prices slipped on Tuesday on a stronger dollar and concern about the impact of power cuts in top metals consumer China, where the economy has already been weakening.

Three-month copper CMCU3 on the London Metal Exchange was down 0.9% to $9,274 by 1000 GMT after rising by 0.3% on Monday.

Copper has eased from a record peak of $10,747.50 touched in May, but it is still up 20% so far this year.

“We have the risk of a sudden spike in the dollar, which will weigh on the market,” said Gianclaudio Torlizzi, partner at consultancy T-Commodity in Milan.

“And we have a worsening situation in China due to a double shock – the credit crunch from Evergrande and a shock coming from the energy crisis. It’s a very tricky market to trade so I think a lot of people will stay on the sidelines.”

In China, a shortage of coal supplies, toughening emissions standards and strong demand from manufacturers and industry have pushed coal prices to record highs and triggered widespread curbs on usage.

The U.S. dollar rose to its highest in more than five weeks due to rising bond yields, making metals priced in dollars more expensive for buyers using other currencies. FRX/

* Profit growth at China’s industrial firms slowed for a sixth month as plants fought off high commodity prices, COVID-19 outbreaks and part shortages.

* LME nickel CMNI3 was the biggest loser, sliding 2% to $18,570 after shedding more than 2% on Monday. “The power curtailment policy affects part of the downstream consumption of nickel,” brokerage Huatai Futures said in a note.

* LME tin CMSN3 bounced by 0.7% to $35,340 a tonne, having tumbled more than 4% on Monday after power usage curbs in China also cut demand for refined tin.

* LME aluminium CMAL3 gained 1% to $2,911, zinc CMZN3 added 0.2% to $3,073 and lead CMPB3 climbed 0.6% to $2,175.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Eric Onstad; Additional reporting by Mai Nguyen in Hanoi and Tom Daly; editing by David Evans)

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