RTRS: US copper climb over $1.50/lb on China rally, data
U.S. copper futures vaulted back above $1.50 a lb early Tuesday after a limit-up move in Asia and surprisingly strong rebound in pending U.S. home sales drove bullish sentiment.
For detailed report on global copper markets, click on [MET/L]
* Copper for March delivery HGH9 jumped 7.70 cents, or 5.4 percent, to $1.5080 a lb by 10:19 a.m. EST (1519 GMT) on the New York Mercantile Exchange's COMEX division.
* Range from $1.4405 to $1.5180.
* Initial support pegged at the Jan. 23 low at $1.3730, followed by the late December low at $1.2550. Resistance eyed at $1.60 to $1.63 - traders.
* COMEX estimated volume at 5,517 lots by 9 a.m.
* Copper up on the heels of a 5 percent rally in Shanghai copper futures prices due to signs that China's economy could start to recover in the first half of the year. [ID:nSP185629]
* A 6.3 percent rebound in U.S. pending home sales during December boosts market sentiment. [ID:nN03281919]
* Sentiment remained upbeat from data on Monday showing the Institute of Supply Management's index of factory activity rose to 35.6 in January from a near three-decade low of 32.9 in December.