Investing.com - Copper prices surged Tuesday as the latest volley of tit-for-tat tariffs announced by the U.S. and China were less harsh than many had feared, easing concerns about a downtick in Beijing's demand for metals.
Copper prices gained 3.02% to $2.73, zinc prices rose 1.95% to 2,371.00 and nickel futures rose 0.77% to 12,367.50.
China said it will impose new tariffs on U.S. goods worth $60 billion on Sept. 24, but levies would be instituted at lower rates than had been expected, according to a Reuters report.
China's tariff rate on a list of 5,207 U.S. products will range between 5% and 10%, below the previously touted 10% to 20% rate, Reuters said.
Investors seemingly took this as a sign that both sides were reluctant to enter a full-scale trade war, keeping hopes alive that the monthslong trade dispute could be resolved ahead of planned meetings between President Donald Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in November.
Beyond trade, metals have been sullied on concerns over a wobble in emerging markets. Emerging markets, fueled by dollar-dominated debt, tend to struggle in a rising dollar environment as it becomes more expensive to pay down their debt obligation.
"Rising U.S. interest rates have been the reason behind the fall in emerging market currencies this year," JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) said in a client note. Riskier and more volatile currencies, such as EM currencies, started to fall in April because data had "started missing expectations outside the U.S.," it added.
Aluminum prices fell 0.17% to 2,032.00.
In precious metals, Gold prices were pressured by a stronger dollar and bullish U.S. bond yields as the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield rose above the psychologically important 3% level.
Gold futures for December delivery on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange fell by $2.80, or 0.23%, to $1,203.00 troy ounce.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, rose by 0.16% to 94.25, from a session low of 93.88.
Gold is sensitive to moves higher in both bond yields and the U.S. dollar. A stronger dollar makes gold more expensive for holders of foreign currency, while a rise in U.S. rates lifts the opportunity cost of holding gold as it pays no interest.
Silver futures fell 0.20% to $14.20 a troy ounce, while platinum futures rose 1.47% to $812.70.