2026-03-16 17:28
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2026-03-16 17:28
Trading in all contracts on the London Metal Exchange was suspended and dealers were unable to place orders in markets ranging from aluminum to zinc, pending further information on the cause of the outage, Bloomberg reported on Monday.
Bloomberg reported, according to an LME spokesman, that the exchange is aware of the problem and is working to solve it as soon as possible. Trading data shows the halt occurred at 2:44 p.m. local time, and an update on the LME website indicated an issue was reported with the electronic trading platform, while other systems were operating normally.
Markets remain suspended from 4 p.m. local time, which typically marks the opening of the daily electronic trading windows used to determine closing prices. In a separate statement, a spokesman said the LME intended to resume trading once closing prices were announced.
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The outage comes at a time of high volatility in metal prices as the war in Iran disrupts flows of industrial metals, including aluminum and zinc, and worsens prospects for the long-term use of these metals. Before the crash, prices were mixed, with copper rising 0.6% and aluminum falling 1.3%.
Metals markets have seen several trading interruptions in recent months. The LME stock exchange suffered an hour-long delay in the start of trading on January 30, and rival exchange operator CME Group experienced a 10-hour outage that rocked global markets in November.
In March last year, LME launched a new trading platform as part of a broad technological upgrade that aims, among other things, to increase functionality for electronic traders. Unlike rival exchanges, large trading volumes on the LME continue to take place via telephone and electronic messaging, but the LME is seeking to increase electronic trading in the wake of the 2022 nickel crisis. (PAP Business)
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