RTRS:METALS-Copper steady as Greek election relief fades
* Greece's anti-bailout SYRIZA party concedes defeat
* Spanish yields above 7 percent as concerns linger
* Group of 20 Summit in Mexico on Monday, Tuesday
By Maytaal Angel
LONDON, June 18 (Reuters) - Copper retreated from a three-week high to be
slightly higher on Monday as relief that pro-bailout parties in Greece won a
slim majority soon turned sour, with investor focus turning to debt and banking
problems in Spain, Europe's third-largest economy.
Greece's centre-right New Democracy party will try to form a coalition with
other parties that back the international bailout after a narrow election
victory on Sunday, which eased fears the country might suddenly exit the euro.
But in a sign investors remain weary about Europe's debt, Spanish 10-year
government bond yields rose above 7 percent amid news Spanish banks' bad loans
rose to the highest level since April 1994.
"We need to get economic growth ticking up. Europe is in recession, in the
U.S. we have weakening data and we have slowing growth in China. We need to see
a supply response. We're going into the summer lull, so there's potential for
weakness across the space," said Ni c k Moore, head of commodity research at RBS.
Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange was up
0.22 percent to $7,527 a tonne from $7,510.50 by 0902 GMT. The red metal earlier
jumped to a session peak of $7,615 a tonne, its highest since May 30.
Doubts remained whether the new Greek government can turn to further
austerity measures with the economy already into a fifth year of deep recession.
Spanish and Italian government borrowing costs are seen as unsustainable,
while in the United States further gloomy data on industrial output and consumer
sentiment added to signs the economy's recovery is on shaky ground.
The spate of weak data will keep investors looking for more clues on the
chances of a third round of quantitative easing at the U.S. Federal Reserve
meeting this week.
"This week, trading conditions could become more erratic despite the Greek
election outcome. Last week's performance was mainly driven by mounting
expectations for further monetary easing. This week, the FOMC meeting might
disappoint market participants," said Credit Suisse in a note.
BEARS STILL LURKING
In a sign that the bears were still lurking, the latest data from the
Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed that funds had extended their
bearish copper bets last week, turning in their largest net short holding since
March 2009.
Also weighing on the metal, demand from China, the world's top copper
consumer, has been sluggish along with its overall economy, pushing down copper
prices to a 2012 low of $7,233.25 in early June.
"Whenever we get a respite from macroeconomics, we turn to fundamentals and
worry about sluggish Chinese copper demand. But these rallies do give investors
some shorting opportunities," said Orient Futures derivatives director Andy Du.
"Copper's longer term outlook seems bearish but with strong support seen at
$7,200," he added.
All eyes are on a Group of 20 summit in Mexico on Monday and Tuesday, which
many expect will result in the world's major economies agreeing on new
crisis-fighting loans to the International Monetary Fund.
In other metals traded, aluminium, a light metal used in packaging
and transport, edged up 0.19 percent to $1,936.75, not far off Friday's low of
$1,925.25 - the weakest point since July 2010.
The metal, which is in chronic oversupply, is under pressure from news
China's top aluminium producing province of Henan may subsidise electricity used
by loss-making smelters in a bid to spur local growth.
Other provinces might adopt the tactic too, helping to keep production
strong and limiting imports.
Elsewhere, zinc fell 0.14 percent to $1,901.25, with the premium for
nearby or cash material over the three month price at $9.75 a tonne, its highest
in three and a half years - indicating tight nearby supply.
Soldering metal tin fell 1.02 percent to $19,499 a tonne, battery
material lead fell 0.13 percent to $1,920.50, while stainless-steel
ingredient nickel rose 0.36 percent to $16,885.
Metal Prices at 0917 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 339.70 1.35 +0.40 334.65 1.51
LME Alum 2055.00 122.00 +6.31 2230.00 -7.85
LME Cu 7655.00 144.50 +1.92 7375.00 3.80
LME Lead 2095.00 172.00 +8.94 2432.00 -13.86
LME Nickel 17400.00 575.00 +3.42 18525.00 -6.07
LME Tin 19700.00 0.00 +0.00 16950.00 16.22
LME Zinc 1900.00 -4.00 -0.21 2560.00 -25.78
SHFE Alu 15800.00 -75.00 -0.47 17160.00 -7.93
SHFE Cu* 55210.00 140.00 +0.25 59900.00 -7.83
SHFE Zin 14980.00 70.00 +0.47 21195.00 -29.32
** Benchmark month for COMEX copper
* 3rd contract month for SHFE AL, CU and ZN
SHFE ZN began trading on 26/3/07