BLBG: Copper Soars on Speculation Obama Spending Plan May Spur Demand
By Millie Munshi
Dec. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Copper jumped as much as 11 percent, the most in more than a month, after President-elect Barack Obama pledged “substantial” spending to fix and add buildings, roads and bridges as a way to revive the economy.
The MSCI World Index of equities jumped as much as 4.2 percent on speculation that Obama’s spending plans will revive growth in the world’s largest economy. The Reuters/Jefferies CRB Index of metals, farm goods and energy issues climbed as much as 3.6 percent, rebounding from a record 14 percent drop last week.
“There’s a plan now to reinflate the economy, and that’s always positive for commodities,” said Philip Gotthelf, the president of Equidex Brokerage Group Inc. in Closter, New Jersey. “Copper in particular is sensitive to comments about the economy, and will move in an upward direction.”
Copper futures for March delivery jumped 11.95 cents, or 8.7 percent, to $1.493 a pound at 9:35 a.m. on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. Earlier, the contract jumped as high as $1.5195. A close at that price would be the biggest advance for a most-active contract since Oct. 29.
On the London Metal Exchange, copper for delivery in three months added $235, or 7.7 percent, to $3,290 a metric ton ($1.49 a pound). The price reached a record $8,940 on July 2.
To contact the reporter on this story: Millie Munshi in New York at mmunshi@bloomberg.net