Metals rebound on strong China growth

The industrial metals market rebounded Thursday as investors set aside concerns about sluggish U.S. economic growth and shifted their focus to China's increasing hunger for raw materials.

Commodities prices rose broadly, with gains in energy, precious metals and agricultural products. Oil prices topped $90 a barrel for the second week in a row.

China said Thursday its economy grew a buoyant 11.5 percent in the third quarter, down slightly from the previous quarter's 11.9 percent growth. Although the modest dip had some economists estimating that China's expansion has peaked, commodities analysts suggested the country's double-digit growth rate will continue to fuel strong demand for raw materials.

Chinese trade data for September confirmed as much: The country's imports of refined copper rose 17 percent from August, according to a Dow Jones Newswires report. Imports of zinc concentrate, which smelters refine to make a steel coating, surged 41 percent. China's lead exports slid to the lowest level in years due to a hefty export tax introduced in July.

"The overall figures apparently show no soft spot as far as Chinese demand trends are concerned, but what is happening in the U.S. seems to be of more obvious concern to the metals complex," wrote MF Global analyst Edward Meir in a report.

Copper for December delivery rose 3.35 cents to close at $3.486 a pound on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Nickel rose 2.8 percent, and lead prices jumped 3 percent on the London Metal Exchange. Copper, zinc, aluminum and tin prices also climbed.

The metals market suffered losses on Wednesday after the National Association of Realtors said sales of existing homes fell 8 percent in September, the largest decline posted by the trade group in records dating to 1999.

Commodities investors have seen their concerns over the health of the U.S. economy tempered by the U.S. dollar's continued weakness. A declining greenback can feed demand for materials from copper to oil as foreign buyers get more for their money in the U.S. market. The dollar fell against the euro, British pound and other major currencies.

The euro bought $1.4318 late Thursday, just shy of Monday's record $1.4348.

Economic news in the U.S. was mixed Thursday.

The Commerce Department reported orders for big-ticket manufactured goods unexpectedly fell 1.7 percent in September on top of a 5.3 percent drop in August. It was the first back-to-back decline in more than a year; analysts had expected orders to increase. The agency also reported new home sales rose 4.8 percent in September. But last month's gain, spurred in part by temporary discounts, followed a sharp decline in August when sales fell to the slowest pace in more than 10 years.

Energy prices surged as a barrel of oil rose to a record $90.60 on the Nymex. The advance was powered by news that OPEC may not opt for production increases when the cartel meets next month and concerns that a conflict between Lebannon and Israel could draw in big oil producers in the Middle East. Lebanese troops fired on Israeli warplanes on Thursday.

The Energy Information Administration's Wednesday report on inventories, which showed large draws on crude, gasoline and distillate stockpiles, also supported higher energy prices.

Light, sweet crude gained $3.36 to settle at $90.46 a barrel on the Nymex, after climbing as high as $90.60.

Gasoline futures rose 8.83 cents to settle at $2.2358 a gallon, while heating oil finished down 6.64 cents at $2.4084 a gallon.

Precious metals also advanced as investors sought a haven from a falling dollar and rising oil prices. December gold gained $5.40 to settle at $771 an ounce on the Nymex. Silver futures jumped 31.5 cents to $13.905 an ounce.

Agriculture futures ended mixed. December corn rose 9.75 cents to settle at $3.6625 a bushel, while January soybeans picked up 18.75 cents to $10.125 a bushel. Wheat futures fell 9 cents to close at $8.02 a bushel.