Centerra Gold Inc. will give the Kyrgyz Republic a stake of as much as 33 percent in the company as part of a settlement to resolve legal disputes threatening the Kumtor mine. Gold, silver and copper gained; platinum fell. Eastman Chemical Co. climbed the most in 15 years in New York trading as improved demand pushed the company’s profit above analysts’ estimates. Corn declined; soybeans and wheat rose. PRECIOUS METALS, GEMS Centerra Agrees on Kyrgyz Government Stake, Tax Issues Centerra Gold Inc., owner of the Kumtor mine in the Kyrgyz Republic, will give the government a stake of as much as 33 percent in the company as part of a settlement to resolve legal disputes threatening the project. Gold Climbs to Three-Week High on China Purchases; Silver Gains Gold futures jumped to a three-week high in New York, marking the first weekly gain in a month, as China increased purchases of the metal. Gold climbed $7.50, or 0.8 percent, to $914.10 an ounce. Silver advanced 16.5 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $12.92 an ounce. Platinum Has Steepest Weekly Loss in 3 Months; Palladium Gains Platinum futures fell the most in three months this week on speculation that demand from the auto industry, the biggest user of the metal, will take time to rebuild. Platinum dropped $4, or 0.3 percent, to $1,184 an ounce in New York. Palladium gained $3.20, or 1.4 percent, to $235.70 an ounce. CHEMICALS Eastman Chemical Jumps Most Ever as Earnings Top Estimates Eastman Chemical Co., the biggest U.S. producer of plastic for beverage bottles, climbed the most in 15 years in New York as improved demand pushed the company’s first-quarter profit above analysts’ estimates. Eastman Chemical jumped $6.91, or 21 percent, to $40.02 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading, the biggest gain since the company was spun off from Eastman Kodak Co. in December 1993. INDUSTRIAL METALS, MINING Copper Climbs, Ending 4-Day Slide in N.Y., as Inventories Drop Copper rose in New York, halting a four-day decline, as a drop in inventories signaled that supplies are tight for the metal used in pipes and wires. Copper added 5.9 cents, or 3 percent, to $2.05 a pound. AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES Corn Declines as Warm, Dry Weather Helps U.S. Planting Progress Corn fell on speculation that warm, dry weather in parts of the Midwest allowed farmers to speed up planting after rain delays last week, improving yield prospects for the U.S. crop, the world’s largest. Corn dropped 4.25 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $3.8575 a bushel in Chicago. Soybeans Advance as Dollar’s Drop Boosts Appeal of Commodities Soybean prices rose for the third time in four days amid speculation that the slumping dollar will spur demand for commodities as a hedge against inflation. Soybeans added 2 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $10.34 a bushel in Chicago. Wheat Rises as Heavy Rains Delay Seeding of U.S. Spring Crop Wheat rose for a fourth straight day, the longest rally since early January, as excessive rainfall in the northern Great Plains delays seeding of U.S. spring crops, reducing yield potential. Wheat added 2.5 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $5.4325 a bushel in Chicago. Cattle Drop as U.S. Grocers May Slow Beef Buying; Hogs Fall Cattle futures fell, capping the biggest weekly slump in more than a month, as a drop in beef prices may signal U.S. retailers are slowing purchases to stockpile meat for summer grilling. Cattle dropped 0.875 cent, or 1 percent, to 82.6 cents a pound in Chicago. Feeder cattle slipped 0.325 cent, or 0.3 percent, to $1.0035 a pound. Hogs declined 0.225 cent, or 0.3 percent, to 71.65 cents a pound. SOFT COMMODITIES Coffee, Orange Juice Gain as Rally in Equities May Spur Demand Coffee futures rose to the highest in almost two weeks, and orange juice gained on speculation that demand for commodities will climb after U.S. equities advanced and the dollar dropped. Arabica coffee gained 1.2 cents, or 1 percent, to $1.1945 a pound in New York. Orange juice climbed 0.6 cent, or 0.7 percent, to 84.9 cents a pound. Sugar Rises to Seven-Month High on Indian Imports; Cocoa Falls Sugar rose to the highest price in almost seven months on speculation that India, the largest consumer of the sweetener, will increase imports because of a slump in production. Raw sugar gained 0.51 cent, or 3.7 percent, to 14.18 cents a pound in New York. In another market, cocoa fell $9, or 0.4 percent, to $2,451 a metric ton. Cotton Reaches Six-Month High on Speculators, Chinese Imports Cotton rose to the highest price in six months on signs speculator interest is outweighing merchant sales of futures and that imports will increase in China, the world’s largest consumer of the fiber. Cotton added 0.59 cent, or 1.1 percent, to 52.7 cents a pound in New York.

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