By Lucas Liew
Aug 14 (Reuters) - Copper prices were range-bound on Thursday as traders awaited key economic data from top consumer China, while supply disruptions and a lowered production forecast helped support market sentiment.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange CMCU3 was up 0.31% at $9,833 per metric ton by 0221 GMT, while the most-traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange SCFcv1 eased 0.11% to 79,250 yuan ($11,052.23) a ton.
The copper market is awaiting critical data from China due on Friday, with retail sales, industrial production, and fixed asset investment expected to show signs of improvement despite trade concerns, according to analysts from ANZ.
At the same time, recent supply-side issues are providing some support to prices, with Codelco's El Teniente copper operation suspending underground mining following a tunnel collapse that could see operations halted for months, ANZ said.
Adani Enterprises Ltd ADEL.NS has applied for its new major copper smelter in India to be listed on the LME. Copper listed for storage in LME-registered warehouses can be delivered against copper futures traded on the exchange.
The smelter has an annual production capacity of 500,000 metric tons, the world's biggest single-location plant of its type.
Meanwhile, Chile's state copper commission has lowered its forecast for the country's copper production growth in 2025 to 1.5% year-on-year, down from the 3% estimate it made in May.
The slide in forecast growth was attributed to a decline in June production at mines operated by major mining companies, including BHP BHP.AX, Anglo American AAL.L, and Glencore GLEN.L.
Among other London metals, aluminium CMAL3 edged 0.08% higher to $2,618 a ton, nickel CMNI3 strengthened 0.33% to $15,315, lead CMPB3 gained 0.13% to $1,990.5, tin CMSN3 nudged 0.06% higher to $33,750, and zinc CMZN3 climbed 0.11% to $2,832.
SHFE aluminium SAFcv1 dipped 0.36% to 20,720 yuan, nickel SNIcv1 eased 0.19% to 122,520 yuan, lead SPBcv1 decreased 0.65% to 16,815 yuan, tin SSNcv1 fell 0.28% to 269,390 yuan, and zinc SZNcv1 lost 0.49% to 22,560 yuan.
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TOP/MTL or MET/L DATA/EVENTS $(GMT.NZ)$0600 UK GDP Estimate MM, 3M/3M, YY June
0600 UK Services MM, YY June
0600 UK Manufacturing Output MM June
0600 UK GDP Prelim QQ, YY Q2
0645 France CPI (EU Norm) Final MM, YY July
0645 France CPI MM, YY NSA July
0900 EU GDP Flash Estimate QQ, YY Q2
1230 US Initial Jobless Clm 9 August, w/e
1230 US PPI Machine Manuf'ing July
($1 = 7.1705 Chinese yuan)
(Reporting by Lucas Liew; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
((Lucas.Liew@thomsonreuters.com;))
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