The London Metals Exchange is controlled by the CCP in China though through Hong Kong now that Hong Kong is part of China. They shut down the exchange just to control the commodity prices so as not to cause inflation in input prices. It has nothing to do with people making money just the government controlling the market. The CCP does this all the time in financial markets. If they see the market is too low, they will go in through subsidiaries owned by them to lend traders more money for them to buy to pump the market up. When they see the market price being too high like in this case, they go in and shut the exchange down. Another reason why one shouldn't invest in the Chinese market or financial system because it's not a free market. No matter how well you play by the rules but when the government says otherwise, it's otherwise. If it doesn't want you to keep your money, you don't get to keep your money. All your efforts, your investments, all gone.