SMM Evening Comments (Feb 8): Shanghai nonferrous metals closed mostly higher, lead fell 0.1%

Published: Feb 8, 2021 18:00
SHFE nonferrous metals rose for the most part on Monday February 8 with markets tracking positive sentiment in Asia and the US.

SHANGHAI, Feb 8 (SMM) – SHFE nonferrous metals rose for the most part on Monday February 8 with markets tracking positive sentiment in Asia and the US.

Aluminium, the best performer, rose 2.1%, zinc advanced 0.4%, tin went up 1.59%, copper climbed 1.54% and nickel gained 1.68%, while lead dropped 0.22%.

The ferrous complex rose across the board. Iron ore increased 2.9%, rebar rose 1.81%, and hot-rolled coil climbed 2.83%.

Copper: The most-traded SHFE 2103 copper contract finished the day 1.54% higher at 58,790 yuan/mt. Open interest fell 6,630 lots to 93,985 lots.

The US House of Representatives voted on Friday to pass the budget resolution approved by the Senate earlier, paving the way for Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus package. US announced that the number of new nonfarm payrolls in January was far lower than expected, which also gave more reasons to support the upcoming relief bill. As a result, the US dollar index dropped significantly, and copper prices gained support instead. In addition, the governor of the Bank of England said that the central bank was doing the right thing by implementing a record low interest rate, and said that after the third pandemic prevention blockade was lifted, Britain might usher in a consumption boom. Under the expectation of future economic and consumption recovery, the fundamentals gave copper price some support.

China's social financing scale in January, and whether the contract can follow the LME copper to strengthen will come under scrutiny tonight.

Aluminium: The most-liquid SHFE 2103 aluminium contract finished the day 2.1% higher at 15,780 yuan/mt. Open interest fell 3,483 lots to 171,227 lots.

Zinc: The most-active SHFE 2103 zinc contract climbed to an intraday high of 20,310 yuan/mt and closed up 0.4% at 20,035 yuan/mt. Open interest rose 956 lots to 81,406 lots. The local clearing of the domestic COVID-19 cases boosted market confidence, and the positive news from the overseas stimulus bill boosted zinc prices. However, social stocks began to pile up due to the stagnation of pre-holiday consumption, and the contract has no further momentum in the near term. The pressure from the middle line of BOLL will be monitored. It is expected that zinc prices will fluctuate around 20,000 yuan/mt.

Nickel: The most-traded SHFE 2104 nickel contract ended the day 1.68% higher at 133,550 yuan/mt today. Open interest fell 5,467 lots to 158,211 lots. China's refined nickel output shrank 11.63% from December and 10.17% from a year earlier, to 13,000 mt in January.

Lead: The most-traded SHFE 2103 lead contract rose to an intraday high of 15,180 yuan/mt and ended the day 0.1% lower at 15,145 yuan/mt. Open interest fell 2,035 lots to 27,980 lots. The spot market has taken a holiday one after another. It is expected that the contract will maintain a high level and fluctuate within a narrow range in the last few trading days before the CNY.

Tin: The most-liquid SHFE 2104 tin contract fell to a session low of 164,170 yuan/mt and finished the day 1.59% higher at 163,550 yuan/mt today. Open interest rose 1,351 lots to 36,020 lots. The guidance of LME tin on the trend of the contract will be monitored. It is expected that the contract will keep fluctuating in the near term. Pressure above will be seen from 168,000 yuan/mt today. Support below will be seen from 163,000 yuan/mt today.

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn
For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn
Related News
Anglo Asian Reports Q2 Production Surge, Maintains Full-Year Guidance
16 mins ago
Anglo Asian Reports Q2 Production Surge, Maintains Full-Year Guidance
Read More
Anglo Asian Reports Q2 Production Surge, Maintains Full-Year Guidance
Anglo Asian Reports Q2 Production Surge, Maintains Full-Year Guidance
Data released on Wednesday by Anglo Asian, a producer of copper, gold and silver, showed that its copper production in Q2 this year increased 27% QoQ to 5,129 mt, a sharp 87% YoY increase.In the quarter, its gold production rose 3.4% QoQ to 6,272 ounces, up 2.9% YoY; silver production was 50,059 ounces, up 36% YoY.All of the company’s operations are located in Azerbaijan.Anglo Asian stated that it maintains its full-year production guidance, targeting copper production of 20,000-25,000 mt, gold production in the range of 28,000-33,000 ounces, and silver production between 170,000-210,000 ounces.
16 mins ago
First Quantum Considers Selling Stake in Taca Taca Copper Mine Amid Global Supply Rush
17 mins ago
First Quantum Considers Selling Stake in Taca Taca Copper Mine Amid Global Supply Rush
Read More
First Quantum Considers Selling Stake in Taca Taca Copper Mine Amid Global Supply Rush
First Quantum Considers Selling Stake in Taca Taca Copper Mine Amid Global Supply Rush
First Quantum Minerals is considering selling a minority stake in its Taca Taca copper mine project in Argentina. The move comes as major global mining companies and strategic investors race to secure future copper supply.According to US media reports, the company has initiated this potential sale process.Potential bidders include Japan's Mitsubishi Corp. and Mitsui & Co., among others.
17 mins ago
Oyu Tolgoi Boosts H1 2026 CuEq Output, Rio Tinto Lowers Cost Guidance Amid Mixed Q2 Production
18 mins ago
Oyu Tolgoi Boosts H1 2026 CuEq Output, Rio Tinto Lowers Cost Guidance Amid Mixed Q2 Production
Read More
Oyu Tolgoi Boosts H1 2026 CuEq Output, Rio Tinto Lowers Cost Guidance Amid Mixed Q2 Production
Oyu Tolgoi Boosts H1 2026 CuEq Output, Rio Tinto Lowers Cost Guidance Amid Mixed Q2 Production
H1 2026 copper equivalent (CuEq) production was up 3% YoY. The Oyu Tolgoi ramp-up plan progressed steadily, with H1 output up 31% YoY.Overall copper production in Q2 was 213,000 mt, down 7% both QoQ and YoY, mainly due to lower output from Rio Tinto’s Kennecott and Escondida mines.Additionally, the 2026 copper C1 net unit cost guidance was lowered to 30-50¢/lb (previously 65-75¢/lb).Aluminum business, the supply chain performed steadily, and bauxite recovered strongly. Q2 aluminum production rose 1% QoQ to 840,000 mt; bauxite production rose 14% QoQ to 15.2 million mt.
18 mins ago
SMM Evening Comments (Feb 8): Shanghai nonferrous metals closed mostly higher, lead fell 0.1% - Shanghai Metals Market (SMM)