Copper prices in China rose then fell during the reporting period (May 11-15). Early last week, the U.S. President's visit to China and China-U.S. trade talks boosted market sentiment, together with concerns over copper supply disruptions stoked by Peru's energy decree, copper prices posted strong gains. However, later in the week, as the U.S. April inflation reading came in above expectations and the Middle East geopolitical tensions remained unresolved, fears over the U.S. inflation outlook reignited, fueling expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve could raise interest rates. This pushed the USD index higher and weighed on copper prices.