LME eyes renminbi move for metals

　　The London Metal Exchange is looking at offering traders the chance to settle its contracts in renminbi, a move that could lead to its dropping sterling after 135 years.

　　伦敦金属交易所(LME)正考虑让交易商们有机会用人民币结算合约，此举可能导致这家已有135年历史的英国交易所放弃使用英镑作为结算货币。

　　The move, at an early stage of discussion, would highlight the shift in power in metals markets.

　　仍处于早期讨论阶段的这一举动，将突显金属市场的实力转移。

　　When the LME was established in 1877, Britain was a manufacturing powerhouse and the LME’s benchmark contracts for delivery in three months were designed to mirror the time needed for shipments of copper from Chile and tin from Malaya to reach British ports.

　　1877年LME成立时，英国仍是一个制造业大国。LME的三个月交割基准合约，就是为了反映将智利的铜（或马来亚的锡）运至英国港口所需的时间。

　　But now China is the dominant force in the market, accounting for more than 40 per cent of demand for most metals and a rapidly increasing share of trading in LME futures.

　　但如今，中国是金属市场上举足轻重的力量，在多数金属的需求中占40%以上的比重，在LME期货交易中的份额也在快速增长。

　　While LME contracts, which serve as global benchmarks for metals from aluminium to zinc, are denominated in dollars, the exchange offers companies the option of settling and clearing their trades in euro, yen and sterling.

　　从铝到锌，LME的合约是各种金属的全球基准。尽管这些合约是以美元计价的，但该交易所为各公司提供以欧元、日元和英镑结算和清算其交易的选择。

　　The LME is asking its members, as part of a survey to help the exchange design its planned clearing house, whether they would like the renminbi to be added to the roster of currencies on offer for settling and clearing, and sterling dropped.

　　为了更好地设计规划中的清算所，目前LME正向会员公司进行一项调查。作为调查的一部分，会员公司被问到：是否希望在结算和清算的货币选项中加入人民币，同时剔除英镑？

　　The LME plans to maintain its benchmark denominated in US dollars.

　　LME计划保持用美元为基准合约计价的做法。

　　“We are always looking at new ways to help the market,” the exchange said.

　　“我们始终在研究有助于市场的新途径，”该交易所表示。

　　The move would be a final blow to sterling’s role in metals trading.

　　此举将对英镑在金属交易中扮演的角色构成最后一击。