2309 GMT [Dow Jones] COMMODITY SUMMARY: Base metals lower, gold moves to fresh near 7-month highs. Drop in equities, USD strength weigh on industrial metals. LME copper, nickel lead declines, copper bounces up from testing and briefly trading below important support, indicates the metal could consolidate its recent losses. Market disappointed this week with U.S. bank rescue package, re-ignites selling across the complex. Important support for copper is at $3,370/ton. If falls below, further selling is expected, traders said. LME 3-month copper down $43 vs PM kerb at $3,415/ton, aluminum down $25 at $1,376, lead down $31 at $1,139, zinc down $17 at $1,155, nickel down $120 at $10,285, tin up $150 at $11,050. Gold hit overnight high of $952.55/oz, chiefly on safe-haven buying, exchange traded gold funds see massive inflows, gold holdings sharply up. Holdings in the world's largest gold ETF, SPDR Gold Shares, stood at a record 935.09 tons yesterday after a one-day jump of 40.37 tons. 'Jewelry buying has been terrible,' trader says. 'And yet the price hasn't gone down. That tells us there are other interested parties coming in and picking up the slack. One is the ETFs.' Spot gold at $943.50, silver at $13.49, platinum at $1,064, palladium at $213.50. Nymex March crude futures down $1.58 at $34.36/bbl. (EFB)

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