Glencore slumps to record low

Mining shares led a slump in European equities as metals prices tumbled on fears that an economic slowdown in China is deepening.

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London - Mining shares, including Glencore led a slump in European equities as metals prices tumbled on fears that an economic slowdown in China, the world’s biggest consumer of raw materials, is deepening.

Glencore fell as much as 10 percent to a record low 107 pence in London trading. Anglo American, Antofagasta and ArcelorMittal dropped more than 6 percent, dragging the regional benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 Index lower. KAZ Minerals plunged almost 18 percent, the most since January, to a record low.

"Until China demand and emerging-market currencies find a floor, it will remain challenging to put an absolute floor on commodity prices," Credit Suisse Group analysts led by Liam Fitzpatrick wrote in a note Tuesday.

The bank cut its price estimates for large diversified miners including Glencore and BHP Billiton Ltd., which said on Tuesday it’s planning to sell hybrid securities to help refinance near-term liabilities. Stainless steel producer Outokumpu sank as much as 16 percent after saying third-quarter delivery volumes may be 10 percent lower than the previous quarter.

Growth cut

The Asian Development Bank reduced its growth forecasts for China and said the country’s declining appetite for energy, metals and other raw materials would hurt commodity-focused export economies like Mongolia and Indonesia. China is set to grow at its slowest pace in a quarter century this year even after five central bank interest-rate cuts and fiscal stimulus.

Copper declined 2.5 percent to $5 139 a metric ton. Zinc sank as much as 1.8 percent to $1 628 a ton, the lowest in five years. European coal for 2016 dropped below $50 a ton for the first time.

Glencore, which sells all three commodities, was down 8.7 percent at 108.60 pence by 11:02 a.m. in London trading, after earlier touching the lowest since it began trading in May 2011.

“Glencore is a bet on copper, and weakness in metal prices is sending tremors through Glencore’s shareholders,” said Richard Knights, a mining analyst at Liberum Capital in London.

BLOOMBERG