Copper eases but holds near two-week highs as tight China supply offers support

Copper prices dipped slightly on Thursday but maintained their near two-week high levels, backed by limited supplies in China, the world's largest consumer. The London Metal Exchange's three-month copper price fell 0.31% to $14,432.50 per metric ton, falling short of a two-week peak of $14,517 set on Wednesday. The Shanghai Futures Exchange's most-traded copper contract fell 0.25% to 109,560 yuan ($16,435.64) per ton.

Tight Chinese supplies were evident in soaring copper premiums, with the Yangshan premium reaching $205 per ton, the highest in over a decade. Domestic premiums rebounded from a post-holiday slump, climbing to 1,085 yuan per ton. Chinese stocks plummeted over 26% the previous week due to two weeks of inflows, but expectations of additional US interest rate hikes could hinder copper gains.

Despite the Fed keeping its interest rate steady, concerns about high inflation persist, with markets pricing in another US rate increase in December. Among other LME metals, aluminum declined 0.21%, zinc dipped 0.03%, lead rose 0.24%, nickel rose 0.70%, and tin climbed 1%. On the SHFE, aluminum dropped 0.76%, zinc declined 0.02%, lead fell 1.19%, and tin slipped 0.55%, while nickel rose 0.37%.