China copper imports ease in June, but still strong

Imports eased for a third month after near record imports in March pushed up domestic stockpiles, data from the General Administration of Customs showed, but are still up 22 percent for the first half of the year at 2.74 million tonnes.

Analysts said the strong figure reflected robust demand from China's power sector, China's biggest consumer of copper, and also a revival in property.

"If you look at investment in power and the property sector, the numbers are all good. Except for air conditioner production which is in the negative zone, demand is pretty good," said analyst Helen Lau of Argonaut Securities in Hong Kong.

"Given China imported a lot of concentrates, it has a lot of refined copper production and it's still able to accept such relatively solid imports, that reflects relatively good and improving demand."

The copper imports data includes include anode, refined, alloy and semi-finished copper products.

China's copper ore imports eased by 5.6 percent to 1.35 million tonnes in June amid plentiful supply, after several new mines ramped up in Peru. For the first half, concentrate imports have surged 34.7 percent.

Elsewhere, China exported 380,000 tonnes of unwrought aluminum and aluminum products, including primary, alloy and semi-finished aluminum products, in June, down by 9.5 percent from May's 420,000 tonnes and bringing the first half figure down by 9.4 percent on last year.

(Reporting by Richard Pullin)