October 8 - London Metal Exchange (LME) copper futures fell on Thursday, while the Chinese market resumed trading after a seven-day holiday, Shanghai copper boosted by short covering,

The market is expecting a slight improvement in seasonal demand and a reduction in supply, which will support copper prices, even as China's growth remains worrisome.

China's stock market Shanghai Composite Index opened more than 3%, to follow the global stock market rally. Shanghai copper also opened up more than 3%.

However, traders said that due to concerns about the economic situation in China lingering, the market profit-taking, leading to gains in copper prices.

However, Argonaut Securities said in a report, the outlook for copper is bullish as China's major buyer, State Grid Corp, is expected to increase copper purchases by the end of the year.

On the London Metal Exchange (LME), copper for the month was down 0.9 percent at $ 5,142.50 a tonne, unchanged from the previous day's close.

Shanghai Futures Exchange copper closed up 2.3 percent to 39,080 yuan per ton.

"China's sentiment is not as good as other markets, so LME copper is following the Shanghai copper's decline," a Singapore-based trader says.

Germany's exports in August hit a record high since the height of the global financial crisis in early 2009, while imports also fell sharply, the latest sign that the German economy was dragged down by the slowdown in emerging markets.

Japan's Cabinet Office on Thursday announced that in August the core machinery orders unexpectedly fell 5.7% from the previous month, so that capital spending intensity overshadowed.

International nickel research group (INSG) said on Wednesday, the global nickel market in 2016 this year's surplus from a slight surplus into a shortage of 23,000 tons, China is expected to lead to increased demand for nickel.