off-the-wire

LME first-quarter volumes jump 5.9% to second highest in 11 years

Kitco Media
By Reuters
Published:
Updated:
Reuters
LME first-quarter volumes jump 5.9% to second highest in 11 years teaser image

The London Metal Exchange (LME) average daily volumes gained 5.9% in the first quarter of 2025, marking the second highest quarterly level in the last 11 years, the exchange said on Wednesday.

The exchange, the world’s oldest and largest market for industrial metals, said average daily volumes (ADV) rose to 698,209 lots in the first three months of the year.

ADV in nickel surged 28% in the first quarter, tin jumped 22% while copper gained 10.6%, the second strongest quarter since Q2 in 2016, the exchange said.

“This has been another strong quarter for the LME, driven by an ever-widening set of participants accessing the market,” CEO Matthew Chamberlain said.

The only metal that had weaker quarterly volumes was lead, which slipped 2.8%, while aluminum edged up by 1.2%.

The LME is owned by Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd.

(Reporting by Eric Onstad, Editing by Louise Heavens and Jane Merriman)

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