CAPITAL MARKETS

LME metals trade up

Nickel plateaus after big week

Staff reporter

This article is 4 years old. Images might not display.

Copper was up 0.28% by just after 9am UK time to US$9,746.5/tonne, while aluminium gained 0.72% to $2,998/t - a level not seen since October. Zinc climbed 0.27% to $3,530/t.

After a strong run last week, nickel cooled a fraction in early trading on Monday, down 0.04% to $22,185/t.

Macro-wise, the UK and Europe opened higher, with Asian markets mostly up overnight despite China property developers weighing on the Hang Seng index.

Friction between the US and China over critical minerals continues to unfold, with a bipartisan piece of legislation introduced to the US Senate on Friday that would prevent defence contractors buying rare earths from China by 2036. The move - by extension - is intended to stimulate US rare earths production.

Gold continues to hover just above US$1,800/oz, trading at $1,821/oz just before 10am UK time.

Expert-led Insights reports and Analytics tools built on robust data, rigorous analysis and expert commentary covering mining Risk, Projects, ESG, Leadership, and Investor Sentiment.

Expert-led Insights reports and Analytics tools built on robust data, rigorous analysis and expert commentary covering mining Risk, Projects, ESG, Leadership, and Investor Sentiment.

editions

Investor Sentiment Insights 2026

Discover what investors have planned for mining in 2026 in our industry-leading survey

editions

World Risk Insights 2025 (feat. MineHutte ratings)

A detailed analysis of mining investment risks across 120 jurisdictions globally, assessed across six risk categories and an industrywide survey.

editions

ESG Index 2025: Benchmarking the Future of Sustainable Mining

The ESG Index provides an in-depth evaluation of the ESG performance of 60+ of the world’s largest mining companies. It assesses companies across 10 weighted indicators within 6 essential ESG pillars.

editions

Leadership Insights 2025

Leadership Insights reveals key trends in priority mining issues through interviews with 15+ top mining company executives and an industrywide survey.