This is all coming together nicely for EXS as they sit down at the boardroom table to determine which offer for the Cloncurry project gives holders the best outcome.
http://af.reuters.com/article/metalsNews/idAFLDE6940UJ20101005
METALS-Copper at two-year high on monetary easing bets
Tue Oct 5, 2010 5:08pm GMT
By Marie-Louise Gumuchian and Melanie Burton
LONDON, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Copper hit its highest in more than two years on Tuesday, as Japan unexpectedly lowered interest rates, raising expectations of further easing in other major economies, and the dollar dropped against the euro.
Benchmark copper for three-months delivery on the London Metal Exchange rallied to $8,229 a tonne, the highest since late July 2008, from a close of $8,064 on Monday. The metal used in power and construction closed at $8,175.
"Everything is just exploding on the upside. The new event really overnight was the BOJ saying it was going to ...ease monetary conditions. We've obviously also had the Fed say it's going to embark on new easing measures - who's next?" said analyst Robin Bhar of Credit Agricole. Tin rose to a new all-time high at $26,010 a tonne on persistent supply worries from top exporter Indonesia while zinc, lead and nickel and aluminium touched their highest in five months.
"Further dollar weakness is certainly driving things and that is really a response to (a) strengthening euro," Daniel Brebner, analyst at Deutsche Bank, said. "The market is reacting to further monetary accommodation out of Japan.
"We've seen very strong pricing in the precious metals and there's a bit of a sympathetic move on the base metals complex because they do react to macroeconomic policy."
The Bank of Japan pledged to pump more funds into the struggling economy and keep interest rates virtually at zero, surprising markets and stealing a march on the Federal Reserve in providing a fresh dose of economic stimulus.
The euro jumped against the dollar on reported Asian buying, pushing the greenback to an 8-1/2 month trade-weighted low.
Metals tend to benefit as the dollar falls, because a weaker dollar makes them cheaper for holders of other currencies.
In economic news, the Institute for Supply Management said its U.S. monthly non-manufacuring business activity index hit its lowest level since January.
Investors will also look out for a key jobs report later this week for further clues on the pace of recovery in the world's largest economy.
If the economic data remains lacklustre, it will likely reinforce bets that the U.S. Federal Reserve will embark on more monetary easing, which should erode dollar values further and bolster the appeal of metals as a hedge against inflation.
SUPPLY TIGHTNESS
Market balances in copper have been tightening for many months, with stocks in LME warehouses tumbling more than 30 percent since the middle of February. Tuesday's data showed LME stocks down 350 tonnes to 374,100 tonnes.
Zinc closed near five-month highs of $2,313, at $2,312, up 3.7 percent from its $2,230 at the close on Monday. Among other metals, aluminium hit $2,388.75 a tonne, its most expensive since mid-April, before finishing at $2,380 a tonne, up from $2,363.
Battery material lead rallied to $2,340, its highest since April 27, and wound up at $2,311 from $2,277, while stainless steel ingredient nickel ended at $24,700 versus $24,140 after hitting $24,800 a tonne, its highest since early May.
Tin registered a four percent rise to finish at $25,900, as against $24,900 at the close on Monday. Indonesia's refined tin output may fall nearly 6 percent this year as heavy rains hit mining and more easily mined onshore reserves are being depleted, an analyst at the International Tin Research Institute said.