Investing.com - Copper futures came off the lowest levels of the day in European morning trade on Tuesday, after Spain sold the full targeted amount at a short-term debt sale earlier and after a report showed that German consumer confidence improved for the fifth consecutive month in April.
On the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, copper futures for May delivery traded at USD3.616 a pound during European morning trade, dipping 0.33%.
It earlier fell by as much as 1.2% to trade at a session low of USD3.586 a pound. Prices dropped to USD3.568 a pound on Monday, the lowest since January 12.
Copper futures trimmed losses after Spain’s Treasury sold EUR2.09 billion worth of 12-month government bonds at an average yield of 2.62% earlier in the day, up from 1.41% at a previous auction.
The country also sold EUR1.09 billion of 18-month bills at an average yield of 2.93%, up from 1.71% at a similar auction last month.
While the country saw its short-term borrowing costs more than double, markets blew a sigh of relief that the country sold the full targeted amount of EUR3 billion.
Bond auctions have become key drivers of risk sentiment in recent months, as traders attempt to gauge the ability of indebted euro zone nations to fund themselves.
There have been renewed concerns of further debt contagion in the euro zone in recent weeks amid fears Spain will be the next in the euro zone to require a bailout.
Also helping market sentiment firm up was a report from the ZEW Centre for Economic Research saying that its index of German economic sentiment improved unexpectedly by 1.1 points to 23.4 in April from March’s reading of 22.3.
Analysts had expected the index to decline by 2.3 points to 20.0 in April.
Europe as a region is second in global demand for the industrial metal. Prices have tracked investor sentiment toward the euro zone’s debt crisis in recent months.
Copper prices were lower during the Asian trading session after a report showing a slowdown in foreign direct investment into China added to concerns over the health of the global economy.
Concerns over China’s economic outlook intensified after data released earlier showed that foreign direct investment into China in March declined 6.1% from a year earlier to USD11.76 billion.
The data from China added to recent jitters over the global economy, especially in China, the world’s second largest economy. Data released from the country last week showed that the Chinese economy grew at the slowest pace in almost three years in the first quarter.
A deeper slowdown in China would impair a global expansion that is already faltering because of the implementation of harsh austerity measures in Europe.
China is the world’s largest copper consumer, accounting for almost 40% of world consumption last year.
Copper is regarded as a leading indicator of the global economy. The industrial metal is sensitive to the economic growth outlook because of its widespread uses across industries.
Elsewhere on the Comex, gold for June delivery rose 0.25% to trade at USD1,653.75 a troy ounce, while silver for May delivery added 0.5% to trade at USD31.54 a troy ounce.
On the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, copper futures for May delivery traded at USD3.616 a pound during European morning trade, dipping 0.33%.
It earlier fell by as much as 1.2% to trade at a session low of USD3.586 a pound. Prices dropped to USD3.568 a pound on Monday, the lowest since January 12.
Copper futures trimmed losses after Spain’s Treasury sold EUR2.09 billion worth of 12-month government bonds at an average yield of 2.62% earlier in the day, up from 1.41% at a previous auction.
The country also sold EUR1.09 billion of 18-month bills at an average yield of 2.93%, up from 1.71% at a similar auction last month.
While the country saw its short-term borrowing costs more than double, markets blew a sigh of relief that the country sold the full targeted amount of EUR3 billion.
Bond auctions have become key drivers of risk sentiment in recent months, as traders attempt to gauge the ability of indebted euro zone nations to fund themselves.
There have been renewed concerns of further debt contagion in the euro zone in recent weeks amid fears Spain will be the next in the euro zone to require a bailout.
Also helping market sentiment firm up was a report from the ZEW Centre for Economic Research saying that its index of German economic sentiment improved unexpectedly by 1.1 points to 23.4 in April from March’s reading of 22.3.
Analysts had expected the index to decline by 2.3 points to 20.0 in April.
Europe as a region is second in global demand for the industrial metal. Prices have tracked investor sentiment toward the euro zone’s debt crisis in recent months.
Copper prices were lower during the Asian trading session after a report showing a slowdown in foreign direct investment into China added to concerns over the health of the global economy.
Concerns over China’s economic outlook intensified after data released earlier showed that foreign direct investment into China in March declined 6.1% from a year earlier to USD11.76 billion.
The data from China added to recent jitters over the global economy, especially in China, the world’s second largest economy. Data released from the country last week showed that the Chinese economy grew at the slowest pace in almost three years in the first quarter.
A deeper slowdown in China would impair a global expansion that is already faltering because of the implementation of harsh austerity measures in Europe.
China is the world’s largest copper consumer, accounting for almost 40% of world consumption last year.
Copper is regarded as a leading indicator of the global economy. The industrial metal is sensitive to the economic growth outlook because of its widespread uses across industries.
Elsewhere on the Comex, gold for June delivery rose 0.25% to trade at USD1,653.75 a troy ounce, while silver for May delivery added 0.5% to trade at USD31.54 a troy ounce.