Nov. 24 (Bloomberg) -- The following are the top stories on metals, agriculture and shipping. ECONOMIC EVENTS, AGRICULTURE EVENTS: *T Forecast Prior Time (N.Y.) EC Industrial new orders YoY SEP 15.3% 24.7% 5:00 MBA Mortgage Applications NOV 19 -14.4% 7:00 US Census Soybean Crush OCT 3.913M 8:00 US Census Soyoil Reserves OCT 3.356M 8:00 Poultry Slaughter LW YoY% 4.5% 8:30 Durable Goods Orders OCT 0.1% 3.3% 8:30 Personal Income OCT 0.4% -0.1% 8:30 Personal Spending OCT 0.5% 0.2% 8:30 Initial Jobless Claims NOV 20 435K 439K 8:30 U. of Michigan Confidence NOV 69.5 69.3 9:55 House Price Index MoM SEP 0.0% 0.4% 10:00 New Home Sales OCT 312K 307K 10:00 USDA Broiler Eggs Set NOV 19 203463 15:00 *T Metal Prices: ($/ton) Last %Chg Aluminum $2,277 +1.0 Copper $8,256 +1.4 Lead $2,210 +1.1 Zinc $2,128.50 +2.0 Nickel $21,830 +1.1 Tin $24,005 +0.4 Other Markets: Last %Chg %YTD U.S. Dollar Index 79.546 -0.2 +2.2 Crude Oil $81.60 +0.4 +2.8 Gold $1,374.55 -0.1 +25 MSCI World Index 1,208.10 -0.2 +3.4 *T TOP STORIES: Oil Palm Growers May Profit Under Rainforest Protection Accord When United Nations climate negotiators meet next week in Mexico and debate protecting tropical rainforests, Golden Agri- Resources Ltd. and rival oil-palm growers in Southeast Asia will be paying attention. EXCLUSIVES: Rice Prices May Gain as Thailand Cuts Crop Outlook, Theera Says Thailand, the world's biggest rice exporter, said output from the nation's main harvest may fall below its previous estimate as the worst floods in five decades devastated crops, supporting prices of Asia's staple food. INDUSTRIAL METALS: Collahuasi Extends Offer to Striking Copper Miners, Avoids Union Anglo American Plc and Xstrata Plc's Collahuasi venture said it will ignore union calls to resume wage talks and continue negotiating directly with workers in a bid to end a strike at the world's fourth-biggest copper mine. Japan Copper Alloy Product Output Gains 7.5%, Association Says Japan's output of copper and copper-alloy fabricated products, including sheets and tubes, increased for the 12th straight month on air-conditioner demand, an industry group said. China Minmetals Revenue May Rise 80% This Year, Daily Says China Minmetals Corp.'s revenue may rise by as much as 80 percent this year, because of recovering commodities prices and earnings from overseas acquisitions, China Daily reported, citing President Zhou Zhongshu. MINING: Sojitz Shares Jump After Agreeing Rare Earth Deal With Lynas Sojitz Corp., a Japanese trading company, rose to the highest in almost seven months in Tokyo trading after broadcaster NHK reported it agreed a rare earth supply deal with Lynas Corp. Korea Zinc Says to Buy Stakes in Canada's Woulfe Mining, Units Korea Zinc Co., the world's biggest producer of refined zinc, agreed to buy stakes in Canada's Woulfe Mining Corp. and the miner's Korean units to take advantage of rising demand for minor metals, gold and silver. PRECIOUS METALS: Gold May Gain as European Debt, Korean Tension Boosts Demand Gold may advance for a third day as investor demand for precious metals as safer assets increases amid Europe's sovereign-debt crisis and escalating tensions between North and South Korea. Silver and palladium rose. AGRICULTURE: Corn, Soybeans Advance on South American Weather, China Demand Soybeans advanced for a third day and corn extended yesterday's rally as dry weather in South America may damage grain and oilseed harvests amid strong demand from China. Rubber Drops on China's Credit Crackdown, North Korean Attack Rubber declined for the first time in four days on concern that China's measures to tame inflation may curb demand from the world's largest user and after North Korea attacked South Korea, weakening investor risk appetite. Cocoa Supply From Bahia Flowing at 'Strong Pace,' Hartmann Says The flow of cocoa from Bahia, Brazil's biggest growing region, was sustained at a "very strong pace" and the cumulative total for the main cocoa crop is the largest since 1994, said analyst Thomas Hartmann. ECONOMIES: Ireland Rating Cut Two Steps by S&P as Bank Bailout Adds Debt Ireland's debt rating was lowered two steps by Standard & Poor's, with a negative outlook, as the nation's bailout of its banking system is set to escalate the government's borrowing needs. OTHER MARKETS: Asian Stocks Fall, Won Drops on Korea Attack, Ireland Downgrade Asian stocks dropped, sending the regional index to a one- week low, the won fell and bond risk gained as North Korea attacked the South and Standard & Poor's cut Ireland's credit rating. Commodities rose. Contango on Mideast Oil Ends on China Squeeze: Energy Markets The 16-month old contango in Dubai oil, the benchmark grade of crude for Asia, has disappeared as a shortage of diesel in China puts a premium on the quickest deliveries of fuel. --Editor: Richard Dobson. To contact the reporter on this story: Chanyaporn Chanjaroen in Singapore at cchanjaroen@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Poole at jpoole4@Bloomberg.net

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