Copper prices recovered on Monday as the market turned its attention back to robust growth and demand in China and expectations of an upturn at manufacturing firms in Europe and the United States.

Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange was up 0.9% at $6,362 a tonne at 1103 GMT. Prices of the metal used in the power and construction industries fell to a one-month low of $6,226 on Friday as funds took profits on long positions.

“Prices stalled at around $6,500, the fatigue of going nowhere set in and there was some profit-taking,” said Citi analyst Oliver Nugent, adding that the short-term noise created by funds didn’t change the backdrop of healthy demand.

“The medium term is positive, visible stocks are low and the narrative of a V-shaped recovery in China is still relevant, its imports of refined metal are still strong.”

DEMAND: China’s industrial output is steadily returning to levels seen before the pandemic paralyzed huge swathes of the economy, as pent-up demand, government stimulus and surprisingly resilient exports propel a recovery.

IMPORTS: China’s imports of unwrought copper and copper products rose to a record 762,211 tonnes in July, a jump of 16.1% from the previous record of 656,483 tonnes set in June and up 81.5% from 420,000 tonnes in July 2019.

INVENTORIES: Copper stocks in warehouses registered with the LMEat 114,375 tonnes are down nearly 60% since the middle of May and at their lowest since March 2019.

Highlighting the tight LME market are canceled warrants — metal earmarked for delivery and no longer available to buyers — at nearly 60% of total copper stocks and large holdings of copper warrants .

UNCERTAINTY: Weighing on sentiment overall was nervousness about a fresh flare in U.S.-China tensions and considerable uncertainty on whether U.S. policymakers could approve a mooted stimulus package.

OTHER METALS: Aluminium fell 0.3% to $1,766, zinc was down 0.8% to $2,385, lead lost 0.7% to $1,901, tin was flat at $17,745 and nickel ceded 0.6% to $14,300 a tonne.