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No sign of 'flagging' in copper imports

(Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2007-03-23 14:45

China's demand for copper rose to 387,000 tons in January from 288,000 tons a year earlier, the World Bureau of Metal Statistics said on Wednesday.

The country's output of copper fell 4.8 percent to 220,000 tons in February, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics issued in a statement on March 16.

Refined copper production has been limited by shortages of copper concentrates, the raw material for the refined metal. Imports of copper concentrates rose 35 percent to 392,366 tons in February, the customs data showed.

In February, copper stockpiles monitored by the Shanghai Futures Exchange rose 16,888 tons, or 70 percent, to 40,886 tons. Stockpiles of the rival lightweight metal aluminum rose 63,334 tons, or 217 percent, to 92,927 tons.