Producers of metals and other raw materials fell, but not by as much as the broad market, as Chinese economic data suggested stimulus measures in the key industrial nation were bearing fruit.
An official gauge of China's factory activity edged up to 50.8 from February's 49.1, the country's National Bureau of Statistics said Sunday, beating a forecast of 50 by economists polled by The Wall Street Journal, and ending five months of decline.
Copper futures have been on a run lately as traders wager the electricity demands created by the robust growth of artificial-intelligence and data-center applications will generate more demand for the industrial metal, said J.D. Joyce, president of Houston financial advisor Joyce Wealth Management.
Write to Rob Curran at rob.curran@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
04-01-24 1750ET
