S.Africa stocks up on miners, rand firms on gold

(Reuters) - South Africa's bourse rose one percent on Wednesday as resource shares led by BHP Billiton shone on the back of stronger metal prices as the rand firmed on the back of a firmer price for bullion.

Stocks market heavyweight BHP rose 1.40 percent, and rival Anglo American Plc added 1.06 percent to 415.10 rand, as gold, platinum and copper prices jumped in London.
Impala Platinum and Anglo American rose 2.17 and 3.06 percent to 242.40 and 1,041 rand."Precious and base metals such as gold, platinum and copper are having a good day on the London Metal Exchange," Greg Potter, a trader at Nedcor securities said

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Goldman Sachs Says Nickel May Decline to $25,000 a Ton as Stockpiles Swell

(Bloomberg) -- Goldman Sachs Group Inc., the
world's largest securities firm by market value, said nickel may
fall to as low as $25,000 a metric ton as inventories continue
to rise ``in the coming weeks.''

Stockpiles of nickel tracked by the London Metal Exchange
soared 76 percent in the past two months to 12,642 tons, the
highest since June 22, 2006, according to exchange data. Nickel
for delivery in three months has lost 35 percent since trading
at a record $51,800 a ton on May 9. It was at $32,450 a ton as
of 9:17 a.m. London time today.


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Lead Rises to Record for Fifth Session in London After Doe Run Explosion

(Bloomberg) -- Lead rose to a record for a fifth
consecutive session on the London Metal Exchange after Doe Run
Resources Corp., the world's second-largest refiner of the
metal, said a U.S. smelter was damaged by an explosion.

The blast happened on July 13 at 11:40 p.m. local time, the
St. Louis-based company said in a July 14 statement posted on
its Web site. The incident was contained in the area where
finished metal is produced, it said. The rest of the Herculaneum
plant in Missouri is operating, Doe Run said.


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Copper eases as Chilean strike ends

(Reuters) - Copper eased on Friday as workers agreed to a pay deal at Chile's Collahuasi mine but concerns remained about tight supplies as other strikes continued.

Copper for delivery in three months on the London Metal Exchange fell back 0.7 percent to trade at $7,770/7,780 a tonne by 1223 GMT after workers in top producer Chile ended a four-day strike.


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Copper Rises in Asia, Reversing Losses on Latin America Supply Concerns

(Bloomberg) -- Copper prices rose in Shanghai,
reversing earlier losses, on concern labor disputes at Latin
American mines may disrupt supplies at a time of falling global
inventories.

Codelco, the world's biggest copper producer, said yesterday
that protests by striking contract workers cut output for a third
straight day. Inventories tracked by the London Metal Exchange
fell for the 13th consecutive day to 98,625 tons today, the
lowest in almost a year, the exchange said.


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Nickel Drops to Six-Month Low in London as Stockpiles Rise; Copper Falls

(Bloomberg) -- Nickel declined in London to the
lowest in almost six months as rising stockpiles of the metal
indicated a slowdown in demand growth. Copper fell from a two-
month high and zinc also dropped.

Inventories of nickel, used in stainless steel, increased
72 tons to 9,954 tons, the London Metal Exchange said today in a
daily report. They have soared 50 percent in 2007.


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Copper Little Changed in Asian Trade as Strike at Codelco Mine Averted

(Bloomberg) -- Copper prices were little changed in
Asia as a strike was averted at Codelco, the world's largest
producer, averting the threat of protests by the workers at a
time when global stockpiles are falling.

Stockpiles monitored by the London Metal Exchange, the
world's biggest metals market, fell 1.5 percent and Shanghai
inventories slumped 3.8 percent, the exchanges said June 22.


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Copper slips on hefty stock rise, lead at new high

(Reuters) - Copper slipped on Thursday after a hefty rise in inventories but strike threats at mines supported prices and lead set a fresh record high.

Copper for three-months delivery on the London Metal Exchange (LME) fell almost 1 percent or $58 to $7,452/7,472 a tonne at 0928 GMT, after LME stocks rose 5,400 tonnes to 119,600 tonnes, still less less than 3 days of global consumption.


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Copper Rises in London as Strike Threat Looms; Lead Advances to Record

(Bloomberg) -- Copper rose in London as stockpiles
fell and on speculation that strikes will disrupt production at
operations in Peru and Chile that account for at least 5 percent
of global supply. Lead jumped to a record and nickel climbed.

Workers at Codelco, the biggest copper company, Chile's
Collahuasi mine and Southern Copper Corp.'s Peruvian operations
have threatened to strike over pay demands. Inventories tracked
by the London Metal Exchange fell for the 23rd consecutive day,
the exchange said today in a daily report.


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Nickel Trades Near Lowest in Three Months as Use Slows; Copper, Zinc Fall

(Bloomberg) -- Nickel traded close to a three
month-low low in London on speculation swelling stockpiles are a
signal demand from stainless-steel producers is slowing. Copper
and zinc also dropped.

Inventories of nickel tracked by the London Metal Exchange
have risen 36 percent this year to an 11-month high. Stainless
steelmakers consume two-thirds of the world's nickel. Outokumpu
Oyj, the world's third-largest producer, is cutting output
because of slowing demand for the alloy.


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Nickel Falls to 10-Week Low After Exchange Changes Rules; Copper Advances

(Bloomberg) -- Nickel fell to a 10-week low, erasing
its leading position this year on the London Metal Exchange, as
stockpiles rose and the bourse imposed new rules to curb what one
analyst described as ``collusive'' trading.

Two or more companies each holding 25 percent or more of
LME-monitored nickel stockpiles now need to make more metal
available to other buyers. Inventories tracked by the LME
increased 2.4 percent to 8,604 tons, the highest since July 10.


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Copper Has First Weekly Gain in a Month After Global Inventories Dwindle

(Bloomberg) -- Copper New York had the first weekly
gain in a month after inventories declined in China, the world's
biggest consumer of the metal.

Stockpiles in Shanghai dropped 3.8 percent this week to
95,254 metric tons, the second-straight decline. Inventories
monitored by the London Metal Exchange have tumbled to the
lowest since Oct. 27. Copper has rallied 18 percent this year on
declining supplies and Chinese demand.


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LME copper rises above $7,500/t on lower inventory

(Reuters) - Copper gained more than 2 percent and rose above the key $7,500 a tonne level on Friday, after stocks in Shanghai warehouses showed a drop, traders said.

By 0710 GMT copper for three-months delivery on the London Metal Exchange was at $7,480 a tonne, up $110 from Thursday and after rising as high as $7,528.75.


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Shanghai copper jumps by daily limit on LME, stocks

(Reuters) - Chinese copper futures rose by their 4 percent daily limit early on Monday, following gains in London prices last week and declines in Shanghai and London Metal Exchange inventories.

The most active Shanghai August copper contract ended at 63,650 yuan per tonne, up 2,440 yuan or 4 percent from the previous settlement price of 61,210 yuan.


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Nickel steadier after sharp falls, vulnerable

(Reuters) - Nickel steadied on Thursday, after losing more than 10 percent in the past three days but analysts see scope for more selling as cutbacks at stainless steel mills and rising stocks weigh on prices.

Nickel for three months delivery on the London Metal Exchange edged down to $46,000/46,200 a tonne, down $200 from Wednesday, when it shed 4.1 percent.


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Copper Gains in New York as Global Inventories Dwindle to Seven-Month Low

(Bloomberg) -- Copper futures rose in New York as
global inventories of the metal used in pipes and wire declined
to a seven-month low.

Stockpiles monitored by the London Metal Exchange fell
1,250 metric tons, or 0.9 percent, to 140,075 tons, the lowest
since Nov. 2. Inventories are at ``historically low levels,''
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said in a report today. Supplies have
fallen 23 percent this year, and copper has gained 17 percent.


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