Lead prices surged to a three-year high on Wednesday after a major lead smelter in Germany halted operations due to flooding. Berzelius Stolberg declared force majeure on metal shipments from its plant in western Germany, the biggest primary lead smelter in Europe. Three-month lead on the London Metal Exchange had gained 0.3% to $2,334 a tonne by 1530 GMT after touching $2,350, the highest since July 2018. It was earlier in negative territory. Meanwhile, copper prices rebounded after China’s announcement of a second sale of state reserves with an amount that was less then expected and the dollar eased. LME copper ... (full story)