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Zinc eases from 4-year highs as LME spreads signal tight supply
Spot zinc remains at a widening premium to three-month futures, with the immediate delivery spread near $200 a ton, pointing to a near-term supply squeeze.
Zinc slipped from the highest level in more than four years as other base metals weakened, according to LiveMint Markets, though traders continued to watch indicators tied to tightness on the London Metal Exchange.
On the LME, zinc futures initially rose as much as 1% before turning lower, while metals broadly came under pressure as European stocks fell. Even so, the physical market stayed firm, with spot metal commanding a widening premium over futures.
Zinc for immediate delivery traded nearly $200 a ton above three-month futures on Wednesday, and remained above $190 a ton on Thursday, the widest spread since December. The Tom-next spread, a measure of rolling spot positions by one day, climbed to about $13 a ton, the highest backwardation since March.
Supply has tightened as ore shortages pushed smelter processing fees below zero. LiveMint Markets also noted that treatment charges have fallen as low as minus $110 a ton, raising the risk of production cuts if negative fees persist, while zinc prices remain supported by signs of a short term crunch.