LME base metals mostly rise on Friday

The base metal prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) closed mostly higher on Friday on the back of technical buying and short covering.

Copper prices would have risen further if there were supply risks, some analysts said.

"It's always a battle between sluggish demand and the mine supply issue on copper. There's always the potential that one wins out and if I had to bet, I'd say it would be supply," analyst Dan Morgan from UBS Sydney said.

"Supply disruption is already tracking ahead of what we were forecasting this year," said Morgan.

The three-month unofficial copper price increased 64.5 U.S. dollars, or 1.07 percent, to 6,068.5 U.S. dollars per tonne.

The three-month unofficial aluminum price increased 1 U.S. dollars, or 0.06 percent, to 1,767 U.S. dollars a tonne.

The three-month unofficial lead price increased 43 U.S. dollars, or 2.20 percent, to 1,999 U.S. dollars a tonne.

Besides, the three-month unofficial zinc price increased 23 U.S. dollars, or 1.06 percent, to 2,196 U.S. dollars a tonne.

The three-month unofficial nickel price increased 62.5 U.S. dollars, or 0.50 percent, to 12,675 U.S. dollars a tonne.

The three-month unofficial tin price lost 125 U.S. dollars, or 0.75 percent, to 16,550 U.S. dollars a tonne. Enditem