News

May 20, 2023

LME to tighten daily price limits for aluminium, copper from July 24

LONDON (Reuters) - The London Metal Exchange (LME) will reduce the daily price limits for outright contracts in aluminium and copper to 12% from the current 15% starting from July 24, it said in a

LONDON (Reuters) - The London Metal Exchange (LME) will reduce the daily price limits for outright contracts in aluminium and copper to 12% from the current 15% starting from July 24, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

The LME imposed price limits on aluminium and copper, the most liquid metals on the LME, following March 2022's significant swings in the price of nickel, which doubled in a matter of hours on the world's largest and oldest metals forum.

The LME suspended nickel trading for more than a week and cancelled trades worth billion of dollars. The price limits later became a permanent tool.

July's change to the price limits is the result of LME adopting a new methodology for calculating them. The methodology was recommended to LME by management consultants Oliver Wyman.

The exchange hired the consultants earlier this year.

The new methodology results in a more granular calibration of the price limits, LME said.

"The calibration review process for the Daily Price Limits shall occur bi-annually as well as on an ad-hoc basis where circumstances warrant additional review," it continued.

Benchmark copper and aluminium on the LME traded down 0.2% and 0.7% respectively on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Polina Devitt; Editing by Toby Chopra and Emma Rumney)