News

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<li>Copper and gold prices surged on Thursday on signs that the U.S. Federal Reserve may maintain economic stimulus longer than investors had expected.</li>
<li>In crop markets, most grain prices rose on position-squaring ahead of Friday's monthly U.S. government crop report. Arabica coffee futures edged higher on speculative buying.</li>
<li>Copper's benchmark three-month futures contract closed up $175 at $7,000 a tonne on the London Metal Exchange. It peaked at $7,049.25 during the session, a high since June 18.</li>
<li>U.S. gold futures for August delivery settled up 2.6 percent at $1,279.90 an ounce on New York's COMEX exchange. Ut had rallied as much as 4 percent earlier to a 2-1/2 week high of $1,297.20. The spot price of gold was up 1.3 percent at above $1,280 by 1:50 p.m. EDT (1750 GMT).</li>
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