The most traded December copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange was flat at 47,990 yuan ($7,820) a tonne on Wednesday as more evidence of brighter economic prospects in the United States failed to overcome jitters over Chinese growth and swelling supply of the metal. Manufacturing in China, the world's top user of most metals, unexpectedly picked up some momentum in September, even though factory employment slumped to a 5-1/2-year low, according to a purchasing managers' survey.
The improvement was partly seasonal but was likely to stretch into coming months, which, with more targeted economic stimulus by China, would underpin demand for metals, said Wan Ling, an analyst with consultancy CRU in Beijing. "In August it's not great, to be honest, but in September usually manufacturing activity improves. And I do believe China will do a little more minor stimulus to help the economy - but as always, it won't do big stimulus," she said.