The Hindu Business Line : Copper, zinc prices raised

All major producers of copper and zinc have raised their selling prices by Rs 8,000-11,000 a tonne depending on the grades for the current month, effective April 1, trade sources said.

Major producers of copper products — Hindustan Copper, Birla Copper and Sterlite Industries — on Monday announced a hefty price increase of Rs 11,300 a tonne (provisional), following continued rise on the London Metal Exchange. They have increased (provisional) prices to Rs 2,53,100 a tonne from 2,41,800 a tonne for copper cathode (full) category and to Rs 2,54,500 from Rs 2,43,200 per tonne for cathode (cut) category for the current month. Copper wire bar (provision) price has also been increased to Rs 2,60,900 from Rs 2,49,600, the sources said.

The final prices of all the grades for March 2006 were also increased to Rs 2,61,525 per tonne (Rs 2,60,236) for CC full and Rs 2,63,025 per tonne (Rs 2,61,736) for CC cut category, up by Rs 1,289 per tonne.

Benchmark prices up

Similarly, the Bombay Metals Exchange also revised its benchmark price of copper wire bar upward by Rs 16,751 to Rs 2,80,331 a tonne from Rs 2,63,580 per tonne (on March 16) for the current month.

Similarly, Hindustan Zinc Ltd has also revised its sale prices upward by Rs 8,700 a tonne. The company has increased its prices to Rs 1,41,900 per tonne (Rs 1,33,200 as on March 24) for Special High Grade and Rs 1,41,700 per tonne (Rs 1,33,000) for High Grade.