John Meyer, Sergey Raevskiy and Simon Beardsmore of SP Angel clinched the top spot on the base metals leaderboard for the Apex fourth-quarter 2019 predictions, with an accuracy rating of 99.29%, while Rhona O’Connell of INTL FC Stone came top for precious metals with a rating of 99.26%.

Given the geopolitical developments with the USA attacking a Syrian air base, base metals prices have been little affected, although precious metals are up, while in China, iron ore and steel prices have fallen heavily.

The global macroeconomic backdrop remains riddled with high amounts of uncertainty this morning, Monday June 17, as the trade conflict between China and the United States drags on with seemingly little progress being made toward an amicable resolution while tensions between the US and Iran look set to ratchet up in the coming days.

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange are for the most part weaker this morning, Tuesday December 5, with lead the only metal showing any strength - its prices are up by 0.2%. The rest are down by an average of 0.7%, led by a 1.8% fall in nickel prices. Three-month copper prices are down by 0.9% at $6,743 per tonne.

London Metal Exchange three-month base metals prices pared gains during morning trading on Tuesday June 5, with copper, nickel and zinc prices consolidating lower, while the rest were largely unchanged.

The three-month copper price on the London Metal Exchange was higher across morning trading on Tuesday November 5, with price action boosted by a softer dollar index and positive forward spreads.

With the exception of that for nickel, base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were up at the close of the morning trading session on Tuesday March 31.

Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were slightly firmer during morning trading on Tuesday April 2, up by an average of 0.2% but still down from Monday's highs.

Metal Bulletin's price reporters look forward to the major issues and industry trends that face the base metals industry in 2017.

Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were mostly up during Asian morning trading on Friday January 25, with the complex following the stronger tone set by the London Metal Exchange three-month base metals prices on Thursday.