Copper Advances to a Two-Month High in London on Chile Strike; Lead Gains

(Bloomberg) -- Copper rose to the highest in almost
two months as workers at Dona Ines de Collahuasi, Chile's third-
largest mine producing the metal, plan to go on strike. Lead
climbed to a record.

The walkout at Collahuasi will start at 8 a.m. local time
today, union president Hernan Farias said yesterday. The mine
accounts for 2.6 percent of global production. The planned
stoppage follows more than a month of pay talks with mine owners
Xstrata Plc and Anglo American Plc.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Copper Rises to Highest in 2 Months in London on Chile Strike; Lead Gains

(Bloomberg) -- Copper rose to the highest in almost
two months as workers at Dona Ines de Collahuasi, Chile's third-
largest mine that produces the metal, plan to go on strike. Lead
climbed to a record.

The walkout at Collahuasi will start at 8 a.m. local time
today, union president Hernan Farias said yesterday. The mine
accounts for 2.6 percent of global production. The planned
stoppage follows more than a month of pay talks with mine owners
Xstrata Plc and Anglo American Plc.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Euroyen futures ease after BOJ tankan meets forecasts

(Reuters) - Lead March euroyen futures eased 0.005 to 98.870
after the tankan was released.




September futures inched up to a three-week high,
rising 0.08 point to 132.09 in early trade.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Lead Falls The Most in a Month on London Exchange, Erasing Earlier Gains

(Bloomberg) -- Lead fell the most in a month on the
London Metal Exchange, erasing earlier gains.

Lead for delivery in three months on the LME dropped $110,
or 4.1 percent, to $2,600 a metric ton as of 1:13 p.m. local
time, the biggest intraday decline since May 24. Earlier, the
contract gained as much as 1.3 percent to $2,745, a record for a
fifth consecutive session.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Lead at fresh record high on stocks, copper firm

(Reuters) - Lead rose to a new record high on Wednesday, boosted by low inventory levels while a slew of looming strikes at mines drove copper prices higher.

Nickel gained around 2.5 percent after tumbling around $3,000 on Tuesday but analysts see more downside potential as more stainless steel producers cut back production.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Base metals market drifts, looks beyond holiday

Base metal prices mostly drifted down on the London Metal Exchange on Tuesday, but the market is well supported as it awaits the return of Chinese buyers after their Lunar New Year holiday.

"The Chinese are away from the market -- it is relatively quiet this week but the market will remain well supported at current levels," analyst Michael Widmer at Calyon said.
The Chinese holiday would leave markets subdued, Widmer said, but saw nothing to suggest any big drop in prices.

Three-months lead was at $1,760/1,770 a tonne by 1018 GMT from $1,780 on Monday, when it hit a new contract high of $1,815.

Read more at Reuters South Africa