Copper holds in tight range as supply concerns counter weak China demand
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BEIJING, July 17 (Reuters) -London copper was stuck in a tight range on Wednesday as supply concerns countered weak demand from top consumer China and pressure from a firmer dollar.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange CMCU3 was little changed at $9,667.50 per metric ton, as of 0554 GMT, after a 1.5% drop on Tuesday.
The most-traded August copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange SCFcv1 slid 1% to 78,560 yuan a ton.
Two Chinese copper smelters have outlined plans to cut output next year as a result of raw materials supply shortages, Bloomberg News reported.
Concern over mined copper supply was a driver of a price surge earlier this year. Copper prices hit record highs in late May before declining on weak demand from China, where a property crisis has dampened demand for industrial metals.
Market participants are awaiting China's third plenum that started on Monday to outline efforts to promote advanced manufacturing, manage a vast property crisis and boost domestic consumption.
The dollar rose after a reading of U.S. retail sales proved to be firmer than expected, but was still soft enough to keep expectations intact for a Federal Reserve rate cut this year.
A stronger dollar makes it more expensive to buy the greenback-priced commodity.
LME aluminium CMAL3 climbed 0.2% to $2,411 a ton, zinc CMZN3 dipped 0.1% to $2,882, lead CMPB3 gained 0.1% to $2,185, nickel CMNI3 was listless at $16,600, and tin CMSN3 added 0.2% at $33,250.
SHFE aluminium SAFcv1 slid 0.6% to 19,785 yuan a ton, nickel SNIcv1 declined 0.9% to 132,390 yuan, zinc SZNcv1 fell 1.8% to 23,890 yuan, while lead SPBcv1 was up 0.6% at 19,835 yuan and tin SSNcv1 moved up 0.4% to 274,330 yuan.
The SHFE said on Tuesday it is seeking market opinions as it considers launching nickel, zinc, lead, tin and alumina options contracts.
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Reporting by Siyi Liu and Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu
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