China reported strong commodities purchases last month, underlining the strength of the country’s demand for raw materials as traders take advantage of falling prices.

　　中国公布了强劲的月度大宗商品进口数据，表明中国对原材料的需求极其强劲，原因是交易商趁着价格下滑大举买进。

　　Chinese copper imports hit a 16-month high of 380,526 tonnes, while iron ore imports reached their highest level since January at 61m tonnes. However, imports of oil were down from August – and 12 percent lower from a year earlier – at 5m barrels a day.

　　9月份中国铜进口量为380526吨，创16个月新高；铁矿石进口量6100万吨，为今年1月以来最高水平。但石油进口量比8月份有所下滑，同比则下降12%，为日均500万桶。

　　The release of monthly import data by the General Administration of Customs came as official US data on Thursday showed that Chinese traders made large purchases of corn earlier this week.

　　中国海关总署公布月度进口数据之前，美国周四出炉的官方数据显示，本周早些时候，中国交易商购买了大批玉米期货。

　　The US Department of Agriculture said that US companies sold at least 900,000 tonnes of corn to China for delivery in 2011-12, nearly half what the USDA estimates that China would buy overseas next year. The strong purchases suggest that China sees the correction in commodities prices as an opportunity to build inventories, helping to set a de facto floor in prices for raw materials from base metals to agricultural commodities.

　　美国农业部表示，美国企业向中国出售了至少90万吨2011-12年交割的玉米，接近美国农业部所估计的中国明年玉米进口量的一半。强劲的购买活动似乎表明，中国把大宗商品价格的回调视作扩大库存的好机会，这有助于为各种原材料（从基础金属到农业大宗商品）的价格构筑事实上的底部。

　　Copper, which hit a 14-month low of $6,635 a tonne at the start of October, was at $7,330.25 on the London Metal Exchange in late European trading Thursday, while Brent crude, which fell below the $100 support level earlier this month, was fluctuating at $110 a barrel.

　　10月初铜价跌至每吨6635美元的14个月低点，而周四欧洲交易尾段伦敦金属交易所(LME)期铜报每吨7330.25美元。布伦特原油(Brent)本月早些时候曾跌破100美元支撑位，目前徘徊在110美元上下。

　　Beijing’s monthly import data are closely watched as a signal of demand strength in the world’s second-largest economy. The world’s biggest consumer of commodities had a quiet start to the year in terms of commodities purchases and there had been fears the trend would continue.

　　外界密切关注中国的月度进口数据，借以了解这个世界第二大经济体的需求状况。今年年初，这个世界头号大宗商品消费国在大宗商品采购方面表现低调，人们一度担心这个趋势会持续下去。

　　A slowdown of demand would shape not just the outlook for commodities such as copper, oil, cotton and iron ore, but the share price performance of mining and oil companies, including BHP Billiton, Vale of Brazil and ExxonMobil.

　　如果中国需求放缓，影响的不仅是铜、石油、棉花和铁矿石等大宗商品的前景，还有必和必拓(BHP Billiton)、巴西淡水河谷(Vale)和埃克森美孚(ExxonMobil)等矿业企业和石油公司的股价表现。

　　The import data of commodities was broadly strong, even if crude oil showed signs of weakness.

　　中国大宗商品进口数据整体上表现强劲，只有原油数据显得疲软。

　　Imports of iron ore, a key ingredient in steelmaking and a proxy for broader economic activity, were stronger than expected, as traders took advantage of lower prices. After flirting with highs near $200 a tonne in February, iron ore prices have fallen to about $160 a tonne this week.

　　铁矿石进口量超过预期，原因是交易商趁着价格下跌的机会买进。铁矿石是一种主要钢铁生产原料，同时也是整体经济活动的风向标。今年2月，铁矿石价格曾逼近每吨200美元高位，到了本周已跌至每吨160美元左右。