Copper shines

SINGAPORE - Copper advanced for a second day from London to Shanghai as expectations that demand will improve outweighed concerns about Europe's debt crisis and more earthquakes in Japan.

Three-month-delivery copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) rose as much as 0.9 percent to $9,578.50 a ton and traded at $9,538 at 3:44 pm in Singapore on Wednesday. All six LME metals advanced, led by a 1.8 percent increase in zinc. "Copper is trekking the middle path now as the market reacts to what happens in the world daily, while keeping in mind that fundamentals remain robust," Li Xiaoqiang, a trader at Minmetals Futures Co, said.

Aluminum, zinc and copper are likely to benefit the most from rebuilding work in Japan, Standard Chartered Plc said.