LIVE FUTURES REPORT 11/10: Comex copper price extends rally on Chinese market activity

Comex copper prices saw extended buying in the morning of Wednesday October 11 in the USA with Chinese investors providing a boost for the complex.

Copper for December settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 2.25 cents or 0.7% to $3.0830 per lb.

Since Chinese investors returned from the Golden Week holiday on Monday, prices for the red metal have experienced a big boost. However, many will likely await the decisions of the Communist Party Congress meeting next week in Beijing on infrastructure spending, stimulus plans and so on.

“We remain bullish for copper’s fundamentals but prices started to look overstretched when they approached $7,000 per tonne,” Metal Bulletin senior analyst William Adams said. “They have since corrected on some profit-taking, but the dip has been well supported.”

On the global scale, the IMF raised its global growth forecast by 0.1 percentage points from its April and July outlooks to 3.6% in 2017 and to 3.7% for 2018, driven by a pick-up in trade, investment and consumer confidence.

Meanwhile, the IMF increased its 2017 China and US forecasts to 6.8% (from 6.7%) and 2.2% (from 2.1%), respectively, according to ANZ Research.

In the precious metals space, Comex gold for December delivery dipped $1.50 or 0.1% to $1,292.30 per oz.

Currency moves and data releases 

  • The dollar index was down 0.29% to 92.99. 
  • In other commodities, the Texas light sweet crude oil spot price was up 0.14% to $50.99 per barrel. 
  • In equities, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.01%. 
  • In data today, we have August job openings from the USA and the FOMC’s September meeting minutes due, the latter of which will be closely eyed by markets for any language hinting towards a US rate increase in December. 
  • In addition, FOMC member Robert Kaplan is speaking.

What to read next
Following an initial consultation with the market, Fastmarkets is proposing to:  The new specifications would be as follows, with amendments in italics: MB-CU-0002 Copper grade 1 cathode premium, ddp Midwest US, US cents/lb Quality: Grade A 99.9935% min copper cathode conforming to LME specifications BS EN 1978:2022 – Cu-CATH-1 or Grade 1 Electrolytic Copper Cathode ATSM B1115-10 Quantity: Min […]
Fastmarkets’ 2025 outlook for key raw materials and ingredients used in the production and distribution of fast-moving consumer goods.
Vale Base Metals plans to boost annual copper production to 700,000 tonnes by 2035, aiming to become a top-five global producer of nickel and copper. CEO Shaun Usmar highlights a focus on productivity, cost optimization and sustainable growth. With strong assets in Canada and Brazil, Vale is well-positioned to meet rising global demand.
Fastmarkets has corrected its fob Australia alumina index, which was published incorrectly on Monday June 2 and Tuesday June 3 due to a back-end calculation error. Fastmarkets has also corrected all the related inferred indices. On June 2 the following prices were published incorrectly: Fastmarkets’ MB-ALU-0002 Alumina index, fob Australia, was published in error as $375.59 per […]
Mexico’s strategic role in automotive nearshoring is fueling demand for recycled aluminium, with investment in scrap-intensive sectors boosting its non-ferrous secondary markets. Despite tariff uncertainties, USMCA compliance and EV production growth continue to attract global manufacturers.
Goldcorp founder Rob McEwen is back in the spotlight with a bold bet on copper in Argentina. The $2.5 billion Los Azules project, set to become Argentina’s first major copper mine in over 30 years, is reshaping the country’s mining industry while raising sustainability standards. Positioned as a key player in addressing a global copper shortage, the project highlights innovation, persistence and a commitment to meeting the growing demand from global electrification.