LME Market: The London Metal Exchange (LME) base metals mostly closed higher on Thursday in open outcry trades, supported by fund buying triggered earlier due to weaker US dollar, and China’s buying and demand outlook. One trader said “The fund favors copper futures, zinc futures, and copper futures. These metals are sensitive to the foreign exchange market.†The dollar recovered from its earlier decline, at 1725 GMT, and the US dollar/euro was at 1.2942/46 US$. Today’s low was 1.3074. Wednesday, New York The level at the end of the trading day was 1.3032. The trader said, "Despite the USD recovery, I still believe that the US dollar is largely unilateral." Three-month lead hit a record high earlier on Thursday but fell slightly late in the session. The three-month lead rose to a daily high of US$992.50 per tonne, ending the day higher by US$16 to US$976. The three-month zinc futures touched a one-month high of US$1,168.50 in the three-month zinc futures and closed at US$1,163, up by US$25. Tin increased by US$100 to US$9,100 in the monthly period. Three-month nickel closed down US$300 to US$14,100. LME Copper: Three-month copper overnight market closed at US$3,080 per ton, higher than Wednesday’s close of US$3,025 , but out of the high point of $3,089.50. A trader's list , "I feel that the investors who have been waiting for a replacement have begun to cover in a panicky way." ** China demand is expected to remain strong ** British analyst Barn Capital International analyst Sternby said in a daily report, Weakness in the U.S. dollar and strong U.S. industrial production data "is an extremely strong catalyst for copper...especially when China's demand continues to be strong." Analysts said strong credit activity in China may mean its demand for metals. "The fourth quarter bank loan data is very strong. China's bank loans may hit record highs in the current quarter," said Wictor Bielski, an analyst at Macquarie Equities. "China's credit control has basically relaxed... The bank is trying to complete its Fourth quarter (loan amount)," he said. LME Aluminium: Three-month aluminum rose slightly by US$3 to US$1,811.5. COMEX Copper: Copper futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange (COMEX) closed sharply higher on Thursday, Asia, Europe Both the U.S. and U.S. markets rose with short covering. The U.S. dollar fell to a new low, and strong U.S. economic data triggered a strong technical buying. A trader said, "The improvement in economic data has clearly boosted the market. Head, higher EUR/USD is also favorable to copper futures. This is the result of multiple factors. "December copper rose 1.45 cents to US$1.4250 per pound. It rose to US$1.4320 before, on October 13th. Since then, it has been higher. Today's low is at 1.4050. Spot copper for November rose 1.95 cents to close at 1.4750 US dollars. Other monthly periods rose about 1.40-2.05 cents. Estimated volume was 18,000, higher than Wednesday. 16.125.
