Dec 23 (Reuters) – Copper edged higher on Thursday, underpinned by a weak U.S. dollar, easing concerns about the Omicron coronavirus variant and upbeat U.S. economic data.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange was up 0.2% at $9,625 a tonne at 0300 GMT, extending gains to a fourth straight day.
The most-traded February copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange rose as much as 0.9% to 70,090 yuan ($11,002.10) a tonne, its highest since Dec. 8.
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
Register
The dollar index (.DXY) hovered near a one-week low against riskier currencies and asset classes, making greenback-priced metals cheaper to holders of other currencies.
* The risk of needing to stay in hospital for patients with the Omicron variant is 40% to 45% lower than for patients with the Delta variant, according to research by London’s Imperial College. read more
* A South African study, meanwhile, suggests…
