RING - Materials Sector Weekly Round-up: Gold stocks show strength; Nexa Resources becomes top materials gainer

The S&P Materials Select Sector closed the trading week with a 1.62% gain, reversing last week's fall. The Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSEARCA:XLB) also ended the week in green, registering a 1.01% gain over the past 5-day trading session. Aluminum prices surged towards 13-year highs on Monday (Oct 04) amid strong demand and large shortages created by China imposing production curbs on high-polluting industries such as smelting. Benchmark aluminum on the London Metal Exchange (LME) was +2.1% at $2,917/metric ton, challenging last month's high of $3,000 for its highest since July 2008, while LME copper (HG1:COM) +1.7% at $9,283/mt. Copper prices, meanwhile, fell on Wednesday (Oct 06), with 3-month copper on the LME down 1.1% to $9,070 a tonne. The fall was driven by concerns that the troubled Chinese property sector will further curb Chinese economic growth and metals demand. Lumber prices appear to be rising again. The wholesale or "cash" market price

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Materials Sector Weekly Round-up: Gold stocks show strength; Nexa Resources becomes top materials gainer