Metals Hit Record High, Zinc Soars as Energy Crisis Cuts Supply
- Energy-driven supply cuts spread from China to Europe
- Global inflationary pressure persists as China PPI accelerates
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Base metals soared, led by zinc’s surge to its highest price since 2007 after European smelters became the latest casualties in a global energy crisis that’s knocking supply offline and heaping pressure on manufacturers.
A gauge of six industrial metals hit an all-time high on the London Metal Exchange, as zinc rose as much as 6.9%. Aluminum, one of the most energy-intensive commodities, touched the highest since 2008. Copper traded briefly over the $10,000-a-ton mark, and spreads are pointing to a sharply tighter market -- spot copper contracts are trading at the biggest premium over futures in nearly a decade as global inventories shrink.