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Most nonferrous metals rose on Monday, buoyed by a softer dollar amid expectations of an interest rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve this week.
Three-month aluminium on the London Metal Exchange (LME) was 0.9% higher at $2,492 a metric ton by 0804 GMT. Earlier in the session, the contract hit the highest level since Aug. 28 at $2,506.50.
Trading volume was tepid as markets in China are closed until Wednesday for a public holiday.
The Fed is almost as likely to deliver an outsized 50 basis point interest-rate cut as a more usual 25 bp cut, trading in rate-futures contracts suggests, as financial markets priced in a bigger chance that the Fed will move more aggressively.
A rate cut would support economic growth and physical metals demand, as well as putting pressure on the dollar.
A metals trader said prices were being driven by the U.S. dollar, which when it softens makes greenback-priced metals cheaper for holders of other currencies.
"The U.S. dollar is being pushed weaker as we get closer to the Fed meeting," the trader said.
The dollar index eased to hover near its lowest since Sept. 5.
LME zinc reversed an earlier 0.9% climb to $2,930, its highest since Aug. 30, to stand 0.1% lower at $2,901. Lead edged up 0.1% to $2,044.50, tin was 0.2% higher at $31,870 and nickel rose 0.6% to $16,040.
Weekend data showed industrial output growth in top metals consumer China slowed to a five-month low in August, while retail sales and new home prices weakened further.
LME copper fell 0.7% to $9,246.50 a ton.
The sluggish Chinese data, however, bolstered the case for aggressive stimulus to shore up the world's second-biggest economy and help the country achieve its annual growth target pushed by President Xi Jinping.
(Reporting by Mai Nguyen in Hanoi; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu, Kirsten Donovan)