Mainland commodities internationalize apace without Hong Kong's help

Hopes that Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing could follow up its Shanghai stock connect success with a similar linkup for metals are fading as mainland commodities have begun to internationalize more quickly on their own and demand for metals has dwindled, South China Morning Post reported, citing industry analysts. Progress has been limited since the firm bought the London Metal Exchange in 2012; it has received a cold shoulder from the Shanghai Futures Exchange, which runs China’s flagship copper contract. Said mainland exchange is also moving ahead with plans to attract investment by opening a new oil contract to foreign investors this year.