DJ LME Review: Fund Profit Taking Sees Deep Correction
Thursday, April 20, 2006 4:52:36 PM
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DJ LME Review: Fund Profit Taking Sees Deep Correction
LONDON (Dow Jones)--Fund profit taking pushed London Metal Exchange prices to
a deep correction Thursday after sharply lower precious metals prices, a higher
dollar and weaker oil prices combined to trigger long liquidation, traders and
analysts said.
LME three-month copper posted an unusually large $270 a metric ton trading
range after falling from an early intraday high of $6,450/ton to a low of
$6,180/ton.
Spot silver was hardest hit by profit taking, falling by 15% from Wednesday's
peak, or $2.2 a troy ounce while gold was down nearly 6%.
In addition, talk of China introducing new measures to cool its overheating
economy might have contributed to the LME's drop in prices, base metals analyst
Robin Bhar at UBS said.
"At the moment we see this move as a healthy correction on profit taking," he
said, but didn't exclude the possibility of a deeper reversal.
LME nickel drove prices during the early part of the day, rising by $400
during pre-market trade alone, rising to a record high of $18,950/ton, up 3.2%,
which boosted zinc to a fresh record high of $3,200/ton.
Nickel has gained strong technical momentum since breaking through the
$18,000/ton level earlier this week, while falling stocks and a rebound in the
stainless steel sector is adding to upside momentum, traders said.
LME aluminum rose to an intraday high of $2,735/ton, where profit taking
started to weigh.
All metals except nickel pared gains to end in negative territory in light of
the sector sell-off, while aluminum hit heavy stops at $2,600/ton that took
prices down to $2,587.50/ton.
Prices in dollar a metric ton.
3 Months Metal Bid-Ask Change from
Wednesday PM kerb
Copper 6296.00-6297.00 Dn 94.00
Lead 1180.00-1185.00 Dn 15.00
Zinc 3075.00-3080.00 Dn 80.00
Aluminum 2645.00-2650.00 Dn 37.00
Nickel 18450.00-18455.00 Up 105.00
Tin 8950.00-8975.00 Dn 230.00
Aluminum Alloy 2430.00-2450.00 Dn 70.00
Aluminum Alloy 2305.00-2306.00 Dn 95.00
(NASAAC)