Lead and zinc fundamentals diverge

Zinc Investing News & Lead Investing News report in 2009, lead and zinc prices have done slightly better.

Zinc stocks on the London Metal Exchange have consistently risen; through the month of January alone stocks climbed nearly 35 per cent to end at 345,275 tonnes.  The world production of zinc was about 8.5 million tonnes in 2008. So far, production cuts have trimmed about 2.58 million tonnes; despite lower input costs about 25 per cent of zinc production is loss making.

Lead, on the other hand, is being supported by the high seasonal demand for lead replacement batteries. North American replacement battery shipments rose strongly in December, to almost nine million units, and up slightly in 2008 year-on-year. Lead’s short-term prospects should see it remain relatively well supported in the current price. The replacement battery sector is seasonal and generally robust during the northern hemisphere winter, so we expect support throughout the first quarter.

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