METALS-Copper falls below $9,000 level on China demand concerns

BEIJING, July 25 (Reuters) - London copper fell further on Thursday to trade below the $9,000 per-metric-ton level for the first time since early April, as concerns about demand in top consumer China weighed on the market. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange CMCU3 fell 1.9% to $8,933.50 per ton by 0242 GMT, marking the ninth straight session of decline and the lowest level since April 3. The most-traded September copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange SCFcv1 fell 2.5% to 72,970 yuan ($10,046.67) a ton, also a three-and-half month low. The sell-off was sparked by fears about China demand after a key political gathering last week did not announce any specific measures to boost the economy and revive the property sector. Physical demand for the metal used in power and construction remained weak amid high inventories. LME lead CMPB3 slid 0.6% to $2,032.50 a ton, zinc CMZN3 moved 1.5% lower to $2,644.50, tin CMSN3 slipped 1.7% to $29,280, nickel CMNI3 ticked 1.2% lower to $15,640, and aluminium CMAL3 shed 0.7% at $2,285.50. SHFE aluminium SAFcv1 was down 1.2% to 19,085 yuan a ton, nickel SNIcv1 tumbled 3.1% to 124,410 yuan, lead SPBcv1 dropped 1.4% to 18,710 yuan, tin SSNcv1 moved down 0.8% to 245,730 yuan and zinc SZNcv1 declined 1.8% to 22,530 yuan. For the top stories in metals and other news, click TOP/MTL or MET/L ($1 = 7.2631 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Siyi Liu and Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) (([email protected];)) (( For related news and prices, click on the codes in brackets: LME price overview RING= COMEX copper futures 0#HG: All metals news MTL All commodities news C Foreign exchange rates FX= SPEED GUIDES LME/INDEX ))