Copper, aluminium gain after early declines

Most metals prices were higher Tuesday, with copper and aluminium both ending higher in London after seeing declines earlier in the day.

March copper remained about even in New York at $1.67 per pound but it gained $90 to $3,750 per tonne on the London Metal Exchange, while aluminium gained $28 to $1,918 per tonne in London.

The gains came even though demand worries remain for both metals as well as for lead, which also still managed to see gains, adding $29 to $1,300 per tonne.

Zinc added $69 to $1,229 per tonne as the largest producer of the metal said it will make production cuts, while nickel was up approximately $100 as it traded at around $10,650/$10,655 per tonne, but tin dropped about $650 to $13,000 per tonne in London.

In afternoon trade in New York, December gold was $7.50 lower to $735.50 per troy ounce on fears that a slowing economy would hurt demand, but December silver added 21 cents to $9.54 per troy ounce and January platinum gained $16.40 to $837 per troy ounce.