Nonferrous Metals Output up 11.2% in Jan-Sept

Oct. 24 (China Dailly) -- China's output of 10 kinds of nonferrous metals rose 11.2 percent year-on-year to 25.86 million tonnes over the first nine months this year, according to latest data provided by the country's top economic planner.

The growth rate was 12.7 percentage points lower than that of the same period last year, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said in a statement on its website.

Output of electrolytic aluminum totaled 13.27 million tonnes during the period, up 10.6 percent year-on-year, according to the statement.

Prices of major nonferrous metals dipped in September over the preceding month. The price of copper futures contracts for September traded on Shanghai Futures Exchange averaged 67,162 yuan (about $10,560) per tonne, down 5.3 percent month-on-month. The price of aluminum futures for the month stood at 17,613 yuan per tonne, down 1.9 percent month-on-month, the NDRC added.

Profits in the country's nonferrous metals industry increased 63.3 percent year-on-year to 147.9 billion yuan in the first eight months. The growth rate was 52.3 percentage points lower than the rise for the same period last year, the NDRC said.