Copper price down, pressured by stronger dollar

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Copper price fell on Monday as a stronger dollar kept gains in check.

US jobs data on Friday underscored a tight labour market, firming up expectations that the Federal Reserve will again raise interest rates at its meeting next month.

Friday’s data showed US nonfarm payrolls increased by 236,000 in March, in line with forecasts of 239,000.

February data was revised to show 326,000 jobs were added instead of 311,000 as previously reported.

Copper for delivery in May on the Comex market in New York touched $3.97 per pound ($8,734 per tonne), down 1.1% compared to Friday’s closing.

[Click here for an interactive chart of copper prices]

The most-traded May copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange was up 0.22% to 68,740 yuan ($10,000.73) a tonne.

(With files from Reuters)