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Copper eases on potential delay in U.S.-China trade deal

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SINGAPORE — Copper prices in London fell on Wednesday as a possible delay in the trade deal between the United States and China weighed on sentiment.

The metal is often used as a gauge of global economic health. A prolonged trade dispute between the world’s two biggest economies has hurt economic growth and demand for copper.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) dipped 0.3% to $5,911 a tonne by 0239 GMT, while the most-traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange edged up 0.1% to 47,480 yuan ($6,722.26) a tonne.

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An interim trade agreement between the United States and China might not be completed in time for signing in Chile next month as expected, a U.S. administration official said, but stressing that does not mean the accord is falling apart.

FUNDAMENTALS

* COPPER: The global world refined copper market showed a 48,000 tonnes deficit in July, compared with a 36,000 tonnes deficit in June, the International Copper Study Group said in its latest monthly bulletin.

* ESCONDIDA: BHP said its Escondida copper mine, the world’s largest, was operating at a “reduced rate” after union workers walked off the job for part of Tuesday in solidarity with the anti-government protest movement in Chile.

* COPPER: South Korea’s LS Nikko Copper signed a contract with Canada’s First Quantum Minerals to buy 120,000 tonnes per year of copper concentrate for 15 years starting in 2020, the South Korean copper smelter said.

* INDONESIA NICKEL: Indonesia could resume nickel ore exports in one to two weeks once an investigation into violations of export rules completes, said Luhut Pandjaitan, coordinating minister overseeing maritime and mining.

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* CHINA: China’s three biggest commodities exchanges said on Tuesday they would end their practice of double-counting trades from Jan. 1, 2020 and report on a single-count basis instead to help them converge with international standards.

* “The China Securities Regulatory Commission is aligning the Chinese futures markets with international norms, and (this) is an example of a small step in the continuous process of reform and opening up,” said John Browning, managing director of brokerage Bands Financial in Shanghai.

* PRICES: LME aluminum fell 0.3%, nickel declined 0.5%, zinc dipped 0.1%, and lead dropped 1%. In Shanghai, aluminum rose 0.4%, nickel fell 0.4%, zinc eased 0.3% and lead rose 0.1%.

* For the top stories in metals and other news, click or

MARKETS NEWS

* A rally in global shares stalled, with Asian markets stuck in tight ranges, as the prospect of a rate cut by the Federal Reserve was countered by worries a Sino-U.S. first-stage trade deal could be delayed.

DATA/EVENTS (GMT)

0630 France GDP Preliminary QQ Q3

0855 Germany Unemployment Chg, Rate SA Oct

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1000 EU Consumer Confid. Final Oct

1100 Germany CPI Prelim YY, HICP Prelim YY Oct

1230 US GDP Advance Q3

1800 US Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market

Committee announces its decision on

interest rates followed by statement

:: Japan Bank of Japan holds Monetary Policy Meeting

PRICES

Three month LME copper

Most active ShFE copper

Three month LME aluminum

Most active ShFE aluminum

Three month LME zinc

Most active ShFE zinc

Three month LME lead

Most active ShFE lead

Three month LME nickel

Most active ShFE nickel

Three month LME tin

Most active ShFE tin

ARBS ($1 = 7.0631 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Mai Nguyen, additional reporting by Tom Daly in Beijing; editing by Uttaresh.V)

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