Global copper smelting activity flat in August

LONDON, Sept 10 (Reuters): Global copper smelting activity was largely flat in August, with a rebound in top refined producer China offset by weak readings elsewhere, data from satellite surveillance of metal processing plants showed last week.

Only four of the 37 primary smelters that are monitored in China were inactive by the end of last month, commodities broker Marex and the SAVANT satellite service said in a statement.

"August is always an interesting month for the copper midstream as smelters in China ramp up production ahead of the seasonal construction peak in September and October," said Guy Wolf, global head of analytics at Marex.

Earth-i, which specialises in observational data, tracks smelters representing up to 90 per cent of global production.