Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly lower at the close of trading on Friday May 17, with broad strength in the US dollar index pressuring commodity prices while trade tensions continue to deter investment.
Trading volumes were thin over the day, with copper volumes leading the complex at just over 10,000 lots exchanged. Low liquidity conditions continue to typify the base metals complex, with investors maintaining a broadly risk-averse approach to metals, while a resurgence in thetrade disputes between the United States and China has further capped buying this week. The three-month zinc futures price was the worst performing metal over the afternoon, falling by more than 1% to reach an intraday low of $2,593 per tonne and closing at $2,600 per tonne. The metal's forward cash/three-month...