Metals prices plunged last week as traders sold heavily investments in gold and copper owing to fears of a global economic slowdown caused by the ongoing US housing crisis. But a move Friday by the US central bank aimed at easing market worries helped push up crude futures.
Losses in the US subprime mortgage market - high-risk property loans to which many US banks and investment funds are exposed - has spread to other regions and affected equity, commodity and foreign exchange trading since August 9. "The biggest risk to the commodity market has been and continues to be fund liquidation," Goldman Sachs analysts noted on Friday.
In a move aimed at tackling fears of a global credit crunch, the US Federal Reserve on Friday slashed the lending rate it charges commercial banks. The decision by the US central bank, to cut its so-called discount window rate by 50 basis points to 5.75 percent, helped world share prices to recover from losses over the past week and led the euro to rebound against the dollar and yen.
"If by some miracle the damage from Dean is not that bad and the stock market is (again) lousy we could see a big drop in (the crude) price next week," Alaron trader Phil Flynn said.
It was a roller-coaster of a week for oil prices, as they fell steeply on Thursday when hefty declines on world stock markets left traders fretting about potentially risky investments in the commodities markets.
Traders had said that some speculators and investment funds were moving cash into more secure investments and out of riskier holdings, and that some of this movement had dented the oil market. Oil prices rebounded Friday, however, owing to the Fed action and news that Hurricane Dean was forecast to become a major hurricane within the next 24 hours.
Crude futures won support also from news that crude inventories had fallen last week. The US Department of Energy said Wednesday that US crude inventories slumped by 5.2 million barrels last week - more than double a fall of 2.5 million forecast by analysts.
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries meanwhile increased its forecast for world oil demand growth in 2007. Opec said in a monthly report that it would hit 1.3 million barrels per day, "slightly higher" than the estimate given in July.
By Friday, Brent North Sea crude for October delivery advanced to 70.51 dollars a barrel on Friday, compared with 69.70 dollars for the September contract a week earlier. New York's main oil futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in September, gained to 71.92 dollars a barrel, from 70.68 dollars.
"Gold is being sold to pay for losses in other markets," UBS analyst Robin Bahr said. "Gold is the ultimate safe haven ... If you believe it's the end of the world next Friday, then you'll buy gold," Bahr added. On the London Bullion Market, gold fell to 657.50 dollars an ounce at Friday's late fixing, from 670.50 dollars a week earlier.
Silver declined to 11.69 dollars an ounce, from 12.69 dollars. On the London Platinum and Palladium Market, platinum slipped to 1,245 dollars an ounce at the late fixing Friday, from 1,269 dollars a week earlier. Palladium decreased to 334 dollars an ounce, from 349 dollars.
On Friday, the price of copper for delivery in three months tumbled to 6,930 dollars a tonne on the London Metal Exchange, from 7,400 dollars a week earlier.
-- Three-month aluminium prices fell to 2,498 dollars a tonne, from 2,599.50 dollars.
-- Three-month nickel prices dropped to 25,900 dollars a tonne, from 26,100 dollars.
-- Three-month lead prices slipped to 2,498 dollars a tonne, from 2,785.25 dollars.
-- Three-month zinc prices fell to 3,075 dollars a tonne, from 3,250 dollars.
-- Three-month tin prices dived to 13,565 dollars a tonne, from 16,352.50 dollars.
By Friday on the Liffe, the price a tonne of white sugar for October delivery shrunk to 280.50 pounds, from 281.00 pounds a week earlier. On the NYBOT, the price of unrefined sugar for October delivery decreased to 9.37 US cents a pound, from 9.54 cents a week earlier.
By Friday on the Liffe, London's futures exchange, the price of cocoa for December delivery dropped to 950 pounds a tonne, from 976 pounds a week earlier. On the New York Board of Trade (NYBOT), the September contract slumped to 1,757 dollars a tonne, from 1,854 dollars the previous Friday.
By Friday on the Liffe, Robusta quality for November delivery slid to 1,693 dollars a tonne, from 1,817 dollars one week earlier. On the NYBOT, Arabica for December delivery fell to 119.75 US cents a pound, from 124.65 cents.
By Friday on the Chicago Board of Trade, the price of maize for September delivery dropped to 3.22 dollars a bushel, from 3.33 dollars a week earlier. Wheat for September delivery firmed to 6.68 dollars a bushel, from 6.67 dollars.
September-dated soyabean meal - used in animal feed - slid to 8.05 dollars, from 8.56 dollars. On the Liffe, the price per tonne of wheat for May delivery jumped to 155.00 pounds, from 145.00 pounds for the lower volume November contract a week earlier.
"Purchases were again widely spread, with the reduction in activity by buyers for China again evident, but to a lesser extent," the Australian Wool Industry Secretariat said. The secretariat said the issue of whether China has reached its Australian wool quota for the year was still unresolved. The Australian wool market finished 2.0 percent higher on average, with the Eastern Index closing at 9.25 dollars a kilo.