Copper hit a record high on Tuesday, as the metal's tight supply and robust demand fundamentals attracted fresh inflow from funds. Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange peaked for a second day, hitting $9,267.50. The metal used in power and construction closed at $9,165 a tonne from a close of $9,220 on Monday, capping earlier gains as the dollar pared losses after US data offered further evidence the economic recovery was gathering steam.
-- J.P. Morgan denies holding over 90pc stocks
Lead and tin rode copper's coat tails to their highest in a month. Nickel hit its highest in two months. "Tighter supply next year, the ETP launches - copper fundamentally in long run is still looking good," Andrey Kryuchenkov, analyst at VTB Capital, said. "We are approaching the holiday period, so there will be some consolidation here." Meanwhile, global copper demand is expected to recover as industrial activity picks up into 2011, although elevated prices may encourage fresh mining production, Aurubis, Europe's largest copper producer, said.
LME zinc stockpiles saw a huge rise, data showed, with a second inflow of around 44,000 tonnes into New Orleans bringing stocks there up by 70,000 tonnes in two days. At just under 700,000 tonnes, stockpiles of the metal used in galvanising are at their highest since December 2004, underlining bulging oversupply. The global market for refined zinc stands at some 12.5 million tonnes.
Zinc prices ended at $2,301 a tonne from $2,320. Investment bank J.P. Morgan does not hold more than 90 percent of copper stock warrants in LME warehouses, it told Reuters. The premium for cash copper jumped to $70 over the benchmark three-month contract, the highest since October 2008.
Also, tom/next premiums for copper, the cost of rolling a position from Wednesday to Thursday, jumped to $13, the highest since July 2009, before easing to a 50 cent discount amid heavy lending in the first LME rings. In other metals, lead, used in batteries ended at $2,450, from $2,440, having hit a one-month top of $2,472.50 earlier. Stainless steel metal nickel was at $24,500, up from $24,530. It earlier hit a two-month high at $24,975. Aluminium ended at $2,351 from $2,330, while tin closed at $26,250 from $26,150. It earlier touched its highest in one month at $26,450 a tonne.