MARKET TALK: China Apr Copper Imports Could Be Sharply Lower

China's preliminary trade data due out by early next week may show that copper imports in April fell, maybe even sharply, as price differential of Shanghai Futures Exchange, London Metal Exchange then were unprofitable for imports, analysts and traders say; some estimate that refined copper imports may only top 100,000 tons, vs 202,955 tons in March. Ample supplies, following 483,485 tons of imports in 1Q have been weighing on domestic physical copper price, hence curbing imports.