Copper plunges to five-year low on afternoon trades Friday on demand concerns from Euro-zone and China and on higher stockpiles of the metal, said analysts.
"Base metals were down on global demand worries and on higher supply," said Priyanka Jhaveri an analyst with Kotak Commodities.
Base metals were down on demand worries from Euro-zone following weaker than expected industrial production activity in Germany, the biggest metal consumer in Euro-zone, said analysts.
Germany industrial production s.a for month of June fell unexpectedly to 1.4% compared to analysts' expectation of 0.4% gain and 0.0% a month ago, government data showed.
Germany imports for month of June dropped 0.5% compared to consensus estimation of 0.5% growth and 0.7% growth a month ago while exports dropped 1% compared to analysts forecast of 0.5% decline and 1.6% expansion a month ago, government data showed.
Prices of base metals were also down on growing fears about China's slowing economic growth. Traders worry that contracting manufacturing activity and falling home prices will translate into reduced demand for the metal.
China services PMI came at 53.8 in July compared to 51.9 a month ago, a survey by Caixin/Markit Economics showed.
A reading above 50 points indicates growth on a monthly basis, while one below that points to a contraction.
China is the world's largest consumer of copper accounting for about 40% of total global demand and major consumer of other industrial metals.
Copper prices were also supported after jumped to highest since January 2014 and inventories rose a eighth day on London Metal Exchange (LME), indicating oversupply woes, said analysts.
Copper stockpiles jumped by 725 tons to 352,325 tons, LME data showed.
Base metals were also down as investors are caution ahead of United States, the second biggest metal consumer, Non-Farm payrolls data due later in the day today.
Upbeat Non-farm data will fuel expectation of September rate hike which in turn may lift US Dollar higher and drag down commodities in general.
On Tuesday, Dennis Lockhart, Federal Reserve President of Atlanta expressed his support for an interest rate hike in September.
Lockhart, a voting member of Federal Open Market Committee this year, said to Wall Street Journal that it would take 'significant deterioration' in the United States economy for him not to support a September rate hike.
In its latest policy review last month, the central bank reiterated its resolve to hike rates later this year as the economy was poised for expansion and labour market was expected to improve further. A pick-up in US economy, the world's biggest, augurs well for emerging market especially for exporting companies.
The central bank said it was seeing 'solid' job gains and maintained its view that economic activity was expanding 'moderately', with the risks to the outlook 'nearly balanced'.
Copper for August delivery dropped 0.26% to Rs 330.30 per kilograms on the MCX.
Lead for August delivery slipped 0.60% to Rs 108.25 per kilograms on the MCX, its lowest level since July 31.
Prices of zinc for August delivery plunged 0.29% to Rs 118.60 per kilograms on the MCX, its lowest level since April 2, 2014.
Nickel for August delivery dropped 0.22% to Rs 692.60 per kilograms on the MCX, its lowest level since July 7.
However, prices of aluminium traded flat in afternoon trades Friday on short covering and on higher supply, said analysts,
Prices of the aluminium were supported as investors bought back oversold position after prices plunged to two-year low on Thursday, said analysts.
On Thursday, aluminium for August delivery plunged 0.34% to Rs100.55 per kilograms on the MCX, its lowest since May 16, 2013.
However, sharp gain in the metal prices was cushioned by higher supply of that metal from China, said analysts.
China's exports of primary aluminium rose to 20,412 tons in the first six months of the year, a surge of 66% from the same period a year ago while exports of semi-finished aluminium products jumped by 44% to 2.22 million tons.
Meanwhile it is estimated that global inventories are at about 14 million tons.
Aluminium for August delivery fell 0.05% to Rs 100.50 per kilograms on the MCX. The metal prices traded as high as at Rs 100.80 per kilograms on the MCX.
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