Base metals gain steam
The report period April 9-12 was encouraging for base metals markets, based on strong rallies in nickel, which saw its average cash price gain 5.2%, and aluminum, which gained 1.8%. Both markets were …
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Cutbacks bolster nickel
What had appeared to be a promising rally in base metals markets earlier on in the week of April 2 turned into something of a rout on April 6 as both copper and aluminum prices shed US$30-40 per tonne…
Turning point may be in sight
The report period March 26-30 saw metal prices decline further. The copper market registered its disappointment at the scale of Phelps Dodge’s long-awaited production cuts by sending the London Metal …
Slumping copper typical of base metals complex
The report period March 19-23 was a mixed one for base metals, as markets were dominated by collapsing global equities values. Copper prices continued in the steep downtrend established in early March…
Ominous signs for copper, nickel
The report period March 12-16 was a poor one for base metals as turmoil in international equities markets spilled over into sharp price falls across the whole of the complex. Aluminum was hardest-hit,…
Nickel shows signs of resilience
Base metal prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) were fairly stable during the report period March 5-9, the only exceptions being copper, which saw a gain in the weekly average cash price of 2.4%,…
Base metals gather steam
A mild uptrend brought improvements across most of the base metals complex during the report period Feb. 26-March 2, though aluminum, still recovering from the previous week’s sell-off, saw its averag…
All eyes on nickel
Broadly speaking, metals markets slipped during the Feb. 19-23 report period as market-watchers saw an end to the quiet, range-bound trading that prevailed during the previous two weeks.The cause of t…
Lead gains as nickel tumbles
Base metal prices largely continued to trade sideways in low volumes during the report period Feb. 12-16. Lead was the only gainer on the London Metal Exchange (LME), as the average cash price gained …
Liquidation takes toll on prices
Large-scale fund long liquidation ravaged base metals markets late on Friday, Feb. 9 and continued into the following Monday, erasing almost all this year’s gains in copper, nickel and zinc prices. Al…
Zinc sluggish as slowdown starts
After several weeks of supply-dominated news, base metals markets paused for breath during the period Jan. 29-Feb. 2. Meanwhile, the latest economic data refused to shed much light on the depth and ex…
Lead, copper and zinc post gains
Some short-term relief looks likely for metals prices as three factors — volatile nearby spreads, an improving technical picture, and production cuts stemming from California’s power shortages — con…