RTRS: METALS-Copper falls as Fed expectations lift dollar
* Market eyes Chile's copper miner Codelco as strike looms
* LME zinc stocks see biggest inflow in five months
* COMING UP: September durable goods orders at 1230 GMT
(Updates with comment, official prices)
By Melanie Burton
LONDON, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Copper turned further from more
than two-year highs on Wednesday as the dollar climbed on
speculation the U.S. Fed may buy fewer bonds than first thought,
while news of an exchange-traded product filing cushioned its
fall.
Benchmark copper on the LME CMCU3 traded in official
rings $8,340 a tonne having closed at $8,511 on Tuesday.
The metal used in power and construction hit its highest
since July, 2008, at $8,554 the prior session and is within five
percent of record highs at $8,940 a tonne from early that month.
Lead CMPB3, which hit a new peak since January earlier at
$2,619 was untraded and bid lower at $2,552, from $2,594.
"The rising dollar has taken some of the heat out of the
rally," said analyst David Wilson of Societe Generale.
A rising dollar makes commodities more expensive for holders
of other currencies.
The dollar rose broadly on Wednesday as speculation the U.S.
Federal Reserve would take a gradualist approach to more
quantitative easing next week prompted players to liquidate some
short dollar positions. Investor appetite was providing background support, after a
new exchange-traded product application was registered with U.S.
regulators late on Tuesday, Wilson added.
"You still have initial momentum from the ETFs launches,
which is adding to bullish sentiment," he said.
BlackRock Asset Management (BLK.N: Quote) has joined the race to
provide a copper ETP to institutional and retail investors.
[ID:nN26444469]. It follows on the heels of filings by ETF
Securities and JP Morgan [ID:nLDE69A0I5] [ID:nLDE69O174].
"Metals have risen so far on the bad news of late, on fears
of quantitative easing... and now they are overbought," an LME
ring trader said.
Meawhile, market focus is shifting to Chile. Workers at the
world's No. 3 copper mine, Collahuasi, are preparing to vote on
whether to reject or approve a wage offer dubbed "insufficient"
by their union, which has called for a strike. [ID:nN27206743]
In data that could impact metals markets on Wednesday via
currencies, the Commerce Dept releases September durable goods
orders at 1230 GMT and new home sales for September at 1400 GMT.
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago releases its Chicago Fed
Midwest Manufacturing Index for September at 1600 GMT.
ZINC OVERSHOOTS
Three-month zinc CMZN3 fell on Wednesday to trade at
$2,541, from a close of $2,615 per tonne. It has retraced four
percent from nine-month peaks of $2,638.75 touched on Tuesday.
The metal used in galvanising has overshot its fundamentals,
said Commerzbank in a note, given ample global supply.
"The price rally for zinc and lead has least fundamental
justification among base metals," it said. "Production at Red
Dog zinc mine, one of the largest in the world, is being
expanded at a faster rate than planned."
Diversified Canadian miner Teck Resources (TCKb.TO: Quote) said
its zinc business reported a 28 percent rise in operating
profit, due to higher zinc prices and improved shipment volumes.
[ID:nN26118379].
As well, the global zinc market was in surplus by 166,000
tonnes in the first eight months of the year, a study group said
this week. [ID:nLDE69P1A8]
"The market thus remains very well supplied with zinc,"
Commerzbank added.
Meanwhile, LME-bonded warehouses registered the largest zinc
inflow in some five months, data showed today. MZN-STOCKS
Aluminium CMAL3 was at $2,355 a tonne from $2,390.
Nickel CMNI3 traded at $22,950, from $23,300, having hit
its lowest in a month at $22,790 earlier.
Tin declined to $26,225, down 4.5 percent from record highs
of $27,338.50 mid-month. LME inventories rose 90 tonnes to
12,825 tonnes, the highest since end-September, data showed.
MSN-STOCKS
Metal Prices at 1216 GMT
Comex copper in cents/lb, LME prices in $/T and SHFE prices in
yuan/T
Metal Last Change Pct Move End 2009 Ytd Pct
move
COMEX Cu 378.05 -8.45 -2.19 334.65 12.97
LME Alum 2355.00 -35.00 -1.46 2230.00 5.61
LME Cu 8344.00 -167.00 -1.96 7375.00 13.14
LME Lead 2552.00 -42.00 -1.62 2432.00 4.93
LME Nickel 22925.00 -375.00 -1.61 18525.00 23.75
LME Tin 26225.00 -475.00 -1.78 16950.00 54.72
LME Zinc 2541.00 -74.00 -2.83 2560.00 -0.74
SHFE Alu 16430.00 -220.00 -1.32 17160.00 -4.25
SHFE Cu* 64030.00 -490.00 -0.76 59900.00 6.89
SHFE Zin 20360.00 -630.00 -3.00 21195.00 -3.94
** Benchmark month for COMEX copper
* 3rd contract month for SHFE AL, CU and ZN
SHFE ZN began trading on 26/3/07
(Reporting by Melanie Burton, editing by Anthony Barker)