SHFE Friday’s morning trade: Copper prices

Economic Events:

• Canada Core Consumer Price Index (CPI) MoM at actual 0.3%
• Canada Core Retail Sales MoM came to actual -0.1% while forecast was -0.3%

SHFE Today

Observing the copper prices this morning, they were pretty stronger on SHFE. Asia morning trading on Friday May 19 was following positive Chinese economic data and a bounce in crude oil prices.

In the meantime, the three-month copper contract on the LME reached levels of $5 higher to $5,588 per tonne.

It is the strong sales data from China’s air conditioning sector, who has supported red metal prices this morning.

The bounce in crude oil prices has also raised sense across the commodities market, as OPEC members continued to re-affirm their commitment to a rollover in their production cut agreement.

But looking the copper price in forthcoming future; the Slowdown in Chinese housing market and political shakes in USA will definitely rise the curb in prices.

USA political crisis & China home prices

Threats from political crisis in the USA are real. It is probably going to delay US president DonaldTrump’s proposed infrastructure spending and tax cut plans. Which affects the base metals markets.

China’s growth of home prices cooled again in April. Followed by a brief up rise in March, as tougher market restrictions introduced by local governments took effect.

According to data released by China’s National Bureau of Statistics, prices climbed in 58 of the 70 mainland cities tracked by the bureau, down from 62 in March. (Metal Bulletin)

“The net long position of non-commercial traders on both the LME and Comex have been falling over the past few weeks and are now at levels last seen before the Trump trade rally started.” (ANZ Research)

Copper output in China: April data

Firstly, latest NBS data shows that China produced 724,000 tonnes of refined copper in April, which makes it up 5.5% year-on-year. Year-to-April production rose 7% year-on-year to 2.86 million tonnes.

Secondly, losses in the SHFE-LME copper arbitrage remained at over $100 per tonne on Thursday. Thirdly, copper stocks at LME warehouses rose 750 tonnes to 340,350 tonnes on Thursday. While deliverable copper stocks at SHFE warehouses slipped 874 tonnes to 71,420 tonnes.

Other Base Metals

Observing the SHFE July aluminium contract, it climbed 0.79% or 110 yuan to 14,040 yuan per tonne. While the July zinc price rose 0.35% or 75 yuan per tonne to 21,405 yuan per tonne. Continuing with june lead price which dipped 0.51% or 80 yuan per tonne to 15,455 yuan per tonne. Later, the SHFE September nickel contract was 530 yuan or 0.7% higher at 76,040 yuan per tonne.
September tin price moved up 590 yuan or 0.41% to 144,550 yuan per tonne.

Currencies & data  

The Brent crude oil spot price rose $0.38 to $52.90 per barrel. The Texas light sweet crude oil spot price gained $0.39 to $49.77 per barrel.
Shanghai Composite index stood at 3,090.59 recently, up 0.01. The dollar index edged 0.04% lower to 97.81 as of 04:53 BST on Friday.